The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-01-19
OKLAHOMA IN GRIP
OF WORST STORM
Beaver County Court House Closes
to Give Coal to sufferins-Worst
Storm Since the Eighties.

Guthrie. Okla, Jan. 1.-THE county !
offices at Beaver, in the Oklahoma Pan |
handle, have been closed and the ten
days supply of coal for heating the
county building has been distributed
among the citizens to keep them from
freezing, says a message from George
H. Healey, county Judge at Beaver and
a cattleman there since the early SOS.
Forty dollars ton has been offered
there for coal, and with the thermom-
eter ranging around eighteen degrees
below zero, it is impossible to get the
freighters to go to the railroads for
more until the weather moderates.
Healey says:
I'VE have now passed through three
weeks of the most protracted and Sc
we're weather this country has expert
enced in thirty years. Snow to the
depth Of thirteen inches still covers
the ground, obliterating all the grass.
Range cattle are subsisting on a ra-
ton of oil cake alone and this feed is
getting low. Reports of losses are
slowly coming in. Sixteen yearllng
steers are reported frozen out of one
bunch last night Detailed reports oil
losses in other sections cannot be had
on account Oh the difficulty in keeping
te'ephone lines in order. Yearling cat
tie and cows will suffer the heaviest
loss as usual.
Mr.. Healey states that only enough
oil cake is on hand to feed the range
cattle for thirty days in the face OF
weather that freezes in one night the
yearlings in herd. He reports that
large amounts of cattle paper secured
by mortgages on range cattle in north
western Oklahoma, are being carried
by banks. The ranch owners are do
ing all in their power to protect their
cattle.
He reports conditions the worst
since the great blizzard of the early
SOS, when all cattle, regardless of age
or condition, that lodged against the
drift fence" in the northern Texas
Panhandle were frozen 'stin and
stark" in one night These cattle, he
saws. were beef fat and when skinned
later the hides were covered with tat
an inch thick. Horses, he states, have
. better chance than cattle as they
nav the snow away and get some grass
and they will not lie down and freeze
as cattle do after standing long time
At Oklahoma City at 6 o'clock the
temperature registered degrees
above zero, with promise of going tC
IN below before morning, the weather
bureau stated. There is much suifer
ing in the city and in many sections
the natural gas pressure is weak. II
the Office buildings there today mel
worked wearing their wraps.
At Hobart a terrific gale blew IRON
the north all day, sending the mercur,
to zero, where it remained stationer'
all day. It was sinking still lower &c
night. Sleet and snow flurries rage'
and considerable suffering to live stoel
was reported. The coolest weathe
since 1901 was expected tonight.
AT McAlester the worst storm 10
years is reported raging. The mercur
is near zero and a fine snow is falling
stiff wind from the northwest is pl
ing the snow in drifts. 1t was almos
imnossible for horses to travel on tn
streets and coal men refused to d'
liver coal owing to the sleet on tn
ground. The coldest night of the VII
ter was expected.
Muskogee felt the effects OF the Sc
ond blizzard of the week. The me
curry showed 10 above zero and IN
cold wind almost tied up traffic.
Durant is sleet covered. the resu
Of a stiff norther which set in tn
morning, sending the mercury down
10 above. A light snow was falling t
night and the coldest Weather o. u
winter was anticipated
Vinita got its third severe blizzard
the last five days when binding sle'
and snow storm broke. The wor
weather experienced there since Re
ruary. 1905, was reported.
At Tulsa, following terrific bil
zard which ragged all day, the mereul
stood at zero at o'clock and then ia
ing on an average of one degree
hour. The Oklahoma Natural Gi
company cut off all manufacturing
adjustments in cities it supplies WI
gas in order to meet the demand 7
domestic consumption. Owing TO i
on the tracks street car companies hi
great difficulty in moving cars. Tral
we're unable to make their schedule.
A report from Big Heart, in the {
age hills, said two deer with water a.