Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1916-02-03

SEATTLE, Feb. AFTER five weeks
of almost uninterruptedly stormy
weather Western Washington tonight
is without train service to the east.
with uncertain prospect OF restoration
Of mail, freight and passenger service.
Business Ia practically suspended in
Seattle, Tacoma, Bellingham, Everett
ana the smaller cities. Street car sys.
tens are everywhere unable to oper.
ate, and schools are closed. Lumber
manufacturing and building have been
almost entirely stopped and farming
work is at standstill. Ten lives have
been lost through accidents directly
thargeable to the snow. Property loss.
Que 70 the snow, amounted in Seattle
todny to 100000 and In Bellingham
to $l6,0Oo, The greatest single loss
was the collapse OF the dome OF st,
James cathedral, causing S75 900 dam.
age.
Portland il completely isolated to.
night by slcet storm that broke tho
telegraph and telephone wires.
The snow, which varies IN depth
from two feet at sea level to 30 feet
~ the mountains, IL likely to cause
havoc when II melta and flows TO the
sea. low pressure storm off the
coast of Washington Is seeking to
move inland but is resisted by a high
pressure cold area A battle between
these two forces causes the snowfall.
which has continued over most OF
Western Washington. for 60 hours.
Victory OF the low pressure area would
cause chinook wind that would re.
move all the snow IN few days and
bring all the rivers to flood stage.
SEATTLE. Feb. 2.-Lnte this afte-.
noon snow lay two feet deep ia tho
downtown district of Seattle and deep.
cr IN the suburbs. Snow has been fall.
lng almost INCREASINGLY for two days
ana 1T Is expected there will be con
tlnuation Of the fall tonight Tho
temperature was 2s degrees at 4 this
afternoon, or -four degrees lower than
yesterday at the same hour. A north
east wind is drifting the snow and
there Is no possibility of street car
service tonight except on the three
cable lines, which. by keeping cars
IN motion all tonight. prevented snow
gathering on the track. With car
service practically abandoned bust.
ness was almost at n standstilI here
today. Most Of the stores had few
patrons and ii was not oven necessary
to keep all the clerk who were able to
reach their places Of employment To.
night the downtown streets were de.
serted and the theaters almost empty.
The public schools have been ordered
closed until further notice.
1t Is expected that at least foot
OF snow will fall tonight. Tho grand
stands on Denny athletic field at tho
University of Washington collapsed
under their burden Of snow today. The
loss will be $4,000 or more. Many
skylights were broken and awnings
torn down in the business district.
Every laborer able to handle a shovel
was pressed into service clearing side.
walks and burdened roofs.
The railroads have surrendered un.
to the snow and have
stopped trying to keep their rails un-
covered. The cuts fill with snow az
soon AS cleared Accurate snow rec
ords from the higher points on the
railroads are not obtainable because
the snow gauges are buried out OF
sight. II is estimated that the snow
In SnOqualmie pass. on the Milwaukee,
~ ue"is ~ leet uecp anu 6uoW SILL
falling five feet day At l 80 this
afternoon the snow at Martin. the
highest point on the Northern Pa.
cifc, was over 18 feet deep.
Three overland trains have been
stalled In the snow on the Northern
Pacific since yesterday. All have
sleeping cars and abundance Of bian-
tets, fuel and food and the passen-
yprs are auffprinp M nrivafiOu di,rirD
lCanti inuad an Do u, ri, ,nno