Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-27
Genuine Blizzard Ragged
During Night and Block
ed Rail and Street Traffic
Throughout the Day.
ALL SCHOOLS IN
THE CITY CLOSED
A Fifteen Inch Snowfall is
Shown at Weather Sta
ton but Drifts Run Deep
er Throughout City.


the unpleasant features of an old fash
ioned prairie blizzard, struck Ottum-
wa late yesterday afternoon and after
raging throughout the evening and
night, did not subsde until the morn
ing was we'll advanced. AS result OF
the storm the schools of the city are
closed and traffic especially over the
various railroads and the street rail-
way has been paralyzed. The tele-.
phone and telegraph service was less
impaired than is usually the case in
storm of such character, but the
sidewalks, streets and railway tracks
have been the cause of great annoy
ance to traffic and foot passengers
since last night The snow fall as
shown at the weather station was tlf-
teen inches, but under the stress OF
such a gale as blew throughout the
night and this morning, the snow rang
ed from a foot to four feet and more
in places, some localities being entire
ly buried in the huge drifts, while but
few bare spots were to be seen. Eas-
lily the worst snow storm in years is
the universal verdict, and few have
ventured out who could well remain
within doors. rs@ Jze t.~ssy 5-tssss So
Carmen Use shoveIs. s
The crippled condition Of the street
railway service proved serious in
convenience to thousands Of Ottum-
vans during the day and last night,
and the entire equipment for fighting
snow that the company had at its COM
mand was commissioned into service.
Not only that, but large number of
car men unable to work on the cars
because of the storm. were seen with
shovels ranging from No. 2 to coal
scoop, shoveling from the buried
tracks on the hill lines of the COM
pany. The cars were in operation
shortly before 1 o'clock
Refused Freight Today.
Seldom has the railroad service of
Ottumwa been as greatly cripped as
today. Trains both fast and slow met
the same fate. Freight trains in most
ce ses were annulled and the passenger
trains were double headed in order to
keep them moving, and in some cases
three engines were found necessary
to move trains in Ottumwa, without
taking into account what was encoun-
tered along the lines through the
country districts where the snow
plcws were found necessary. Some
of the roads notified the shippers that
they would receive no freight here to-
day for shipment, so great was the
blockade they faced on account of the
snow drifts.
Burlington Hit Hard.
All of the railroads suffered consid-
erable and except for the way freights
on the main line, the Burlington did
not operate any freight trains. All of
the passenger trains were double head
ed with heavy freight engines and No.
8 the fast mail from.the west due here
about l a. M, had to have three en-
gines to get out Of the depot yards at
8 40 this morning. having been held
at the depot nearly two hours waiting
for an engine. The way freight on the
Ft. Madison branch was annulled and
the GAINESVILLE branch was covered
with snow and practically lost to exist
ence. No. 1, the Chicago-Denver ex-
press out of here last shortly before
got as far as Creston hill
and stuck until a late hour this morn
ing No. 10. the Atlantic Coast Linn
tied due through here about a. m,
did not leave Creston until the noon
hour. No. Is, the fast mail (paper
train) through here at 3:12 a. M, was
stuck on Murray hill late this morning
and was aided by No. 17S that is due
here at 11:15 a. m. Singularly under
the conditions that prevailed, No. 3 |
was but ten minutes late and No. 7 |
the fast mail. both from the east, was |
less than an hour late, but delayed |
here on account of shortage OF power to
double head west. All Of the passen- |
ger trains were given an additional |
engine and every effort possible made |
to move the passenger trains. Ton
mage was not considered in the way
freights and the conductors had their |
orders to take no risks In getting over !
the road and to use their best judg- !
ment as to what they could haul with
safety. Snow plows left Ottumwa at |
7 a. M, for Creston and the Abba Des
Moines branch
Wabash Annuls.
The Wabash morning passenger |
No. 1 from Mculton that should arrive !!
here at Gao a. H.. did not arrive until |
11.2O and the return of the same |