United labor bulletin., 1913-12-13
Colorado's Great Record Snow
Causes Home Industry to Grow
Nature Supplies Work for Unemployed and Un-
expected Storm Was Made the Occasion
Of Happiness for Rich and Poor

Dates of the Great Snow-Decem
ber l, 2, 8, 4, 5, 1918.
Every man who could and would
work has been employed in Denver
this week. For the first time in many
years the demand for labor exceeded
the supply. 1t was a great inning fol
home industry.
Nothing to compare with it has
been known in Colorado since the
railroad iron to first reach the Royal
Gorge and thereby negotiate the then
only feasible passage through the
Rockies to the Pacific.
And it all came about through q
nowstorm-such as relegated the
oldest inhabitant" yarn into cold sto
rage. 1t showed Monday, again Tues
day, some more Wednesday, fell in
blanket form Thursday and on Fri
day put top coat on four-foot-on-the
level of the most beautiful since the
red men and buffalos were supreme
rulers of this section of the country
In places the fleecy stuff drifted into
banks of fifteen and twenty feet.
And yet it is special privilege to
live in Colorado Never was so much
happiness uncorked. No dire suffer
ing, and only knockers were the char
liable societies who claimed they were
being snubbed just at a time when it
was thought they had a chance to
good.
Man-Power Alone Unconquered.
Sure, street cars, steam cars, autos,
horsepower and every other mode OF
locomotion except human pedals
ceased to operate, and business was
entirely suspended for three days, but
why should the people worry? 1t was
like an all-over festival, for the rich
were no better off than the poor
and all were happy. No suffering, no
serious mishaps-except The Bulletin
failed to reach its readers on time.
The mail carriers and postal clerks
had a forced holiday. 1t was time
when the Weather Man got the best
of Uncle Sam.
Hotels and restaurants were crowd
ed like as national Democratic con-
vention or Elks' reunion.i Those who
were downtown had to remain and be
Accommodated, and the few at home
including wives and kiddies-were
compelled to stay there and keep
communion with their lonely selves.
On Curtis street tunnels were dug
crosswise, so the people could visit
the movies. and every day was Sun
day with them.
get rich quick by charging from IS to
s25 for short hauls, soon found their
machines lodged in drifts of the beau
tiful. Train loads of marooned trav-
elers made merry on dining-car food
and liquids, and ate out every small
railroad town in Colorado.
Idle Clerks Tango and Trot.
Telephone and telegraph service
was unimpaired, and thereby friends
and relatives readily located each
other and ceased to worry. Big down
town department stores were convert
ed into ball rooms by jolly clerks, who
had nothing to do but tango and tur-
key trot from dawn until dusk, and
then eat and sleep at the best hotels
at expense of the boss-and let it be
said to their credit that on this oc-
cassion none of the Denver bosses
were tightwads. Many of the store
attaches were sorry when the storm
moved on toward Kansas and they
had to live like common working peo-
pie once more.
Then Old Sol beamed forth on Sat
urday and found everybody saluting
with a smiling return greeting. There
was a call for snow-shovelers, and the
out-of-works responded nobly. The
Tramway company employed 1000 to
open up street car lines. Commits
sioner of Improvements Hunter added
1900 to the regular street-cleaning
force. Wagons and horses were in
demand. Not a single shovel or pick
was to be bought in a retail or whole
sale hardware store two days after