The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-02-18
RAILROAD TRAFFIC
IS HARD HIT BY
SNOWFALL IN STATE
Storm That Started
Friday Night Works
Havoc.
PHONE ST RVIC E
PHONE S E RVlCE
Badly Interrupted by Sleet CT
Wires-North and East
Railroad Lines Cleared.
From Mondays Daily


After an almost complete para
lysis for "a hours. railroad service
was nearly normal out of Mitchell
to the north and east today, follow
the most serious storm which has
swept yer South Dakota for several
years.
The lines OF the Milwaukee system
to the west and south were COM
pletely blocked as the result of the
fall of snow and sleet since Thurs
day morning. Late this afternoon
and tonight rotary snow plows will
be sent into action to clear the lines
Tor traffic.
The decentralization of telephone
systems were almost as complete.
Although the local system in Mitchell
hardly suffered, reports of conditions
were received from nearly every 9th
er city in the state. East of Salem.
on the Sioux Falls circuit, wires went
down because of sleet. The wires
are down between Plankinton and
Kimball. Sioux Falls and Huron suf-
fered heavily from sleet, the latter
NASy oSlll6 dlliGOSl Cul Ol UCCduSt vi
the manage done. The telephone
wires south Of Mitchell were not
damaged to any extent. The Western
Union system was only seriously
damaged to the west, there being no
communication west of Mt. Vernon.
Trains Showed In.
The line of the Milwaukee south
ward to Sioux City was paralyed by
the snow, the heaviest blockade be-
ing reported just south of Scotland.
A rotary now pillow left Sanborn, Ia,
this noon for Mitchell from the east.
This pillow will be sent south immed-
lately upon arrival. No trains have
arrived from the south since the af-
ternoon passenger of Saturday after
noon.
The blockade is probably the most
stringent to. the west, because of the
fact that wire communication also
is cut off. A report over the long dis
lance telephone indicated that all
cuts on the Black Hills division. west
of Chamberlain, were completely fill
ed and the snow ranged from 20 to
SO inches in depth.
A snow pillow and train with tele-
graph lfnemen was sent west from
Mitchell yesterday morning, but are
believed to be stopped by the snow.
A rotary pillow will come down to-
night from Aberdeen and clean out
the line west to Chamberlain.
East Line is Clear.
The line from Mitchell eastward
to Sanborn, Ia. was in good condl-
ton this morning and the forenoon
passenger train was sent out on Tune.
The passenger train due from Aber-
deem at 1925 O'Clock in the morning
reached Mitchell at 8 o'clock yester-
day afternoon. This train was sent
on to Sioux City over the east line
by way OF, Canton. 1t was expected
that the. night trains to and from
Aberdee nwould be operated as usual
this evening.
The Saturday evening train from
tile east over the Omaha system ar
rived safely, but the regular morn
ing Sunday train did not reach the
city until evening. This train was
stopped by the heavy drifts a mile
east of the city in the afternoon ana
the passengers brought in by slelghs
and buses. 1t was necessary 10
shovel off much of the train before
the train could force its way in. Inc
morning train departed an hour late
this morning.
Precipitation Heavy.
The government guase shows tha'
the total precipitation since inc
storm started on Thursday
to 1:45 inches. This includes the
all-night rain of Friday and the slee'
and snow of Saturday II sunday
The snow was about IA lnches II
depth on the level, much of 1T drlit'
ing because of the strong wind iron
the north that prevailed all day Sun
day.