Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-03
FOLLOWS CoLDEsTt TIME

Morning Registered Cold
est of the Year.
WYOMING COAL SHORTAGE
That the worst of the cold wave is
over as far as it concerns Omaha was
the statement of the weather man
following the coolest night and morn-
ing Omaha has experienced in five
years. The temperature at 8 o'clock
Friday morning was % degrees below
zero. By II o'clock it ad gone up
somewhat, the thermometer then reg
istering IS below. By 8 o'clock last
night the mercury had risen to zero in
Omaha.
Reports from the western part of
the country show that the tempera-
lures in that section are moderating,
and it is upon this that forecast
of rising temperature is based
here.
The cold wave has passed down
through the southeastern section of
the country Freezing temperatures
are reported from many of the gulf
states.
In the Dakotas temperatures ranged
from 80 20 SO degrees below zero. The
coldest spots reported OH the govern
ment map was at Bismarck, which
had temperature of Sc below.
Break Out West.
A break in the cold spell is i'll sight,
according to the railroad people. 1t
is not visible in this immediate local
ity, but it has made its appearance in
Wyoming.
Morning reports to the Burlington
indicate that all through eastern Wyo-
ming temperatures have moderated
since Thursday and that the wind has
veered around into the south. Around
Sheridan, Crow Agency. Hardin and
Billings, where Wednesday tempera-
tures were down to 20 to SO below
zero, in the morning they were 5 to
20 above, ..-
Nebraska continues cold and, &C
cording to the railroads, not a station
in the state recorded above zero
weather. In the South Platte valley
number of stations reported 5 be-
low and Bridgeport came in with a
similar marking. However. taking
the state as whole, 20 to % below
was the rule. The coldest spots
found along the railroads were at En-
icson and Randolph, where it was 28
!, degrees below, with q at Sargent.
Winner, S. D., on the Northwestern,
continues to hold the record for cold
so far as Omaha territory is con-
cerned. Thermometers there, accord
ing to a report to railroad headquar-
ters, recorded SO below.
Thirty-seven Below.
Sioux Falls, S. D., Feb. 2.-Ex-
tremely low temperatures were
recorded throughout South Dakota
this morning, At Aberdeen the ther-
mometer registered SO degrees below
zero, while Mitchell reported IS be-
low. The temperature here was 81
below early this morning, the lowest
record since 1896. Railroad service
in the state is still virtually suspend
ed, but officials declared that the
lines will be cleared before nightfall.
Wyoming Coal Shortage.
Cheyenne, Wyo., Feb. 2.-Continued
blockade of the Union Pacific rail-
road, which became absolute once
more yesterday morning and has con-
tinued SO, has produced coal short
ages that are becoming acute in
towns from Laramie, Wyo., eastward
along the line of the road.
Reserve supplies here are used up,
the legislature is considering adjourn
ment because fuel for the capitol fur
naces is exhausted and the local CEN
trail lighting and heating plant must
close unless it gets fuel by Sunday.
Should the railroad be opened to-
night, as officials hope, coal trains will
precede passenger trains over it.
Avalanche Hits Engine.
Pendleton, Ore, Feb. 2.-An east
bound transcontinental Union Pacific
passenger train was reported today
stalled in the snow east OF Bacon,
Railroad men are making efforts to
reach the delayed train.
A heavy snowstorm is raging in
this section, and at Meacham, a
mountain point, the snow is six feet
deep.
Just after the passenger train which
is reported stalled in a drift had
passed shoulder of hill on the
line where the snow clearing crews
were at work, a locomotive, caboose
and rotary snow plow were over
turned by an avalanche OF snow.
A fireman on the locomotive was
buried in the slide.
Cold For Jefferson.
Fairbury, Neb., Feb. 2.-(Special
Telegram. Mot since February,
1904, has this section OF Jefferson
county experienced such frigid
weather. Thursday night caused the
thermometer to register nearly twen-
ty-five below zero and last night it
was twenty. The wind did consider
able damage to plate glass in Fair
bury. Farmers here have lost poultry
and young stock, wing to the severe
cold. Business has been practically
at a standstill. Owing to the spring
thaw the forepart of the week and
the severe freeze Thursday and to-
day, it is thought some damage has