Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-23
Business Suspended at
Springfield, DanviIIe,
Quincyand Other Points
TRAINS UNABLE TO RUN
States of Middle West Are
Swept by FierCest Storm
of the Season.

Chicago. Ill, Feb. 23.-Tne worst
snow storm of the winter, which start
ed yesterday, continued today over a
large part of the middle west Through
out Missouri, Iowa, central and. south
ern Illinois. Kansas, Nebraska. Indiana
and Ohio. heavy snow is filling.
A high wind demoralized wires, espe-
cially south and west of here. while
steam railroad traffic was badly delay
ed. In central Illinois and Missouri
many trains were stalled In snow
drifts. Around Lake Michigan the
storm abated during the night and
today it was above zero. Colder and
snow is the forecast for Chicago
A blizzard struck st. Louis late Sun
day afternoon and continued today.
Conditions in Indiana grew worse
| today The storm is moderating over
the western states, however. with the
! blizzard on the way east Fair wealth
er is promised tonight and Tuesday
over most of the snow-bound territory
Peoria, ILL.,, remained In the grip of
the worst blizzard in the memory of
the oldest residents. The storm began
early yesterday. In the afternoon bust
ness was practically suspended, the
Illinois traction system running no
| trains. Attempts were made to oper-
ate cars between Peoria and Blooming
| ton, but they encountered snow drifts
six to twelve feet deep and were forced
to return.
Decatur is experiencing one of the
worst storms in its history. School
sessions have been suspended. A
storm which gripped Des Moines and
central Iowa yesterday and last night
diminished considerably early today
and the temperature remained eight
above.
Burlington, Iowa, last night had the
most severe storm of the winter
Capital Is Hemmed In.
Springfield, ILL.,, is isolated by a
blizzard, business is paralyzed at Dan
vile, snow drifts having practically
tied up all transportation. Big Four
trains are eight to fourteen hours late.
The storm, the worst of the season,
which swept Kansas and western Mis-
souri, last sight, continued today. Ohio
continued today in the grip of a snow
storm which swept the state since
early Sunday afternoon, snow at many
points ranging from IL to Is inches.
Business at Quincy, Ill. is practical
Iy suspended.
Springfield, ILL.,, Feb. 23.-Five en-
gines pulled the Diamond special OF
the Illinois Central railroad out of
drifts of snow and brought the train in
three hours late.
California Condition Bad.
Los Angeles, Cal, Feb. $3.50 far
as railroad communication was con-
cerned, Los Angeles and southern
California remained cut off from the
world as result of the record break
ing storm of rain and wind which
swept this section three days last
week.
Nor was there any prospect that
even semblance OF normal condition
would be restored before late tomor-
row.
Telegraph service was still crippled.
The telephone companies managed TO
restore communication to a certain
extent, but yesterdays report from
affected did not materially change
yesterdays estimate of a total dam
age, amounting to about $4,500,000.
Anxiety Over Stalled Trains.
The greatest anxiety yesterday con-
cerned the situation of the 800 pas
sengers marooned aboard the Cali
fornia limited and the Phoenix
express OF the Santa Fe lines at Sum-
init. in the San Bernardino mountains.
These trains were stalled on Friday
in mountain pass.
C.oud bursts were followed by a
heavy snowstorm and lower tempera-
lures, and, according to railroad re-
ports, the only provisions available
We're those carried by one dining car.
Automobiles were sent out from
San Bernardino to try a perilous trip
over washed roads in an effort to ar
ford relief before the hardships of FAM
the prevailed.
Railroad officials also bent every
energy to the task of repairing breaks
in the lines in order to relieve the
situation at Barstow and Mojave.
where 20 or more overland trains OF
three railroad systems were tied up
by broken bridges aad washed OUT
tracks.