The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-03-16
in THE SNOW
BLOCkADES ISOLATED MANY
SOUTH DAKOTA TOWNS.
SOME FOR 30 DAYS.

Aberdeen. March 16-The various
snow blockades on different lines Of
railway i'm numerous sections Of
South Dakota are now believed to
have been lifted While they We're
in existence. many towns We're with
out trains or mail service for more
than thirty days. While but little
suffering is recorded. some of the
towns ran out of some of the neees-
stiles of life, and the fuel problem. in
many interesting incidents Of the pc
and a cause of constant anxiety
Newspapers published in the towns
where the blockade existed relate
many interestin gincidents of the pc
riod when they were shut off from
the world.
Eureka. in Mcpherson county, on
a branch of the Milwaukee road out
of Aberdeen. was isolated from the
outside world so far as mails or
trains were concerned al the time of
the resumption of Germany's unTe-
strieted submarine warfare. but Eu-
reka was undismayed She is the
proud possessor of an amateur wire
less station. and the wireless picked
up all the important news of the
week, and the Eureka Blade, when
il made its appearance, carried the
news Of the world up to the minute
of publication.
At Leola. on a branch Of the Min
neapolis and ST. Louis, trains We're
unknown for several weeks. and the
Leola Herald printed one issue on
some old patent insides" left over
from last summer. which contained
recipes for strawberry shortcake and
similar delicacies. The Minneapolis
and st. Louis line between Water
town and Leola. through Aberdeen.
was out of commission for oves
month. The line to LeBeau, on the
Missouri river. was similarly affect
ed. and the town of Cresbard, on that
line. ran out of some quite necessary
articles, including yeast. A pathetic
appeal came to Aberdeen from that
town asking that some housewife
here send overland a starter so
the residents of Cresbard could again
enjoy the delights of leayened bread.
The Faith branch of the Milwau-
kee road. running from Mobridge to
Faith, in Meade county. was out of
commission for thirty-two days, from
January 20 until March 2. Some of
the newspapers on that line were un-
able to get out their papers at all.
and others used wrapping paper TO
print upon.
At Faith marooned trainmen and
travelling men, who We're housed up
for several weeks on account of the
snow blockade, organized a cribbage
club to while away the hours. When
the blockade was lifted an elaborate
farewell banquet was served, and the
organization formally disbanded.
AT Timber Lake the town was shut
off from the outside world for four
solid weeks. In some places it is
stated the snow in the cuts was piled
up higher than the trains. Wagon
loads of Ignite coal were hauled
overland from Firesteel, and the peo-
pie of Timber Lake were thereby
saved from suffering on account OF
the cold. A large mountain rotary
snowplow, one of the largest on the
Milwaukee system, was put into COM
mission. propelled by four large en-
gines. and it took four days for the
monster to force its way through the
drifts from Trail City to Isabel.
People on that branch of the Mil
waukee were vigorous kickers, and
in addition to criticising the wealth
er man, they made vigorous protests
to the state railway commission, the
interstate commerce commission and
to officials of the Milwaukee railway.
Arrangements were made by the
housed in towns on that line so that
one Associated Press bulletin was re-
ceived daily to keep them in touch
with the world.
Latest reports are to the effect
that the Minneapolis and st. Louis
branch to LeBeau is still out of COM
mission. Mail and necessary pro-
visions are being sent to towns on
that line overland.