Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-07
RAIL TRAFFIC
AAMPEREDBY
HEAVY SNOW
Chicago Fears Fuel and
Milk Famine as Trans
portation Fails.

Chicago. Jan. THE blizzard which
for more than "a hours has swept the
territory within a radius of 200 miles
of this city abated early today.
The snowfall in Chicago since early
Sunday morning has been more than
a foot on the level and gale of more
than forty miles an hour formed huge
drifts from five to ten feet deep. tying
I'D steam railroads and electrical lines
in all directions. II is said to be the
heaviest January snowfall in Chicago's
history.
The snow and gale continued all day
Sunday and not until after midnight
was there any sign of abatement. To-
ward daylight this morning the snow
fall became lighter and the wind died
down, but even with this assistance
snow plows were able to make only
meager Roadway against the big drifts
along the railroad and car lines.
Dozens Of trains on the trunk line
railroads were either annulled or left
their stations many hours behind
schedule. Trains due here last night
from all directions were many hours
behind time and in numerous instances
were abandoned.
Worst for Years.
The storm, which is said by weather
bureau officials to be the worst the
middle west has experienced in years,
was most severe in central and north
ern Illinois. 1t covered Michigan,
Wisconsin and parts of Iowa, Indiana
and Ohio 1t was said today that I'M
less immediate relief can be found for
the crippled transportation facilities
many towns will be faced with serious
fuel famines and possibly of food
shortage. In Chicago there is said to
be enough coal to run the city several
days but dealers are finding it next
TO impossible to make deliveries be-
cause Of the heavy snowdrifts which
are blocking the streets.
City officials estimate that it will be
two or three days before traffic in Chi
cago can be restored to anything like
normal. Several factories may have
to close down unless they can be sup
piled with coal Immediately.
Milk Famine Feared.
Half a dozen milk trains are stalled
40 to so miles outside the city and a
serious milk famine is threatened. Not
Of milk has been received in Chicago
during the past "a hours, it is said,
and there is little prospect for immed-
late relief
approximately three thousand men
and three hundred teams are at work
today clearing the streets. The snow
drifts became SO deep yesterday and
last night that practically every sur
face line in the city with the excep-
ton of those in the downtown district,
suspended operation. Dozens Of auto
mobiles were abandoned in the drifts.
Along the lake shore the velocity of
the wind at times increased to nearly
sixty miles an hour and in some places
light automobiles were blown over or
became unmanageable.
Telephone and telegraph service was
seriously hampered and for hours Chi
cago was completely cut off from wire
communication with many outside
cities. The telephone and telegraph
companies were also crippled by a
shortage Of operators, few OF whom
were able to get to work. Several
big business firms are keeping their
employees in downtown hotels until
street car service again becomes nor
NAL.
Schools have been suspended tenn
porarily in many of the towns sur
rounding Chicago.
Two Deaths Reported.
Two deaths in Chicago have been
reported so far as the result Of the
blizzard. Many persons are reported
Injured, mostly in collisions which re-
suited from the snow. Seventy-tive
.hres were reported during the past "a
hours.
The heavy gale and binding snow,
combined with great cakes Of ice,
made navigation in Lake Michigan
practically impossible. Rescue crews
Today started work to free the steam
er Missouri, which became ice bound
near the mouth OF the Chicago river
several other steamers reached Chi
cago yesterday after all-day battles
with the storm and many narrow es-
capes are reported.
Find Situation Serious.
The fuel situation is thought TO be
tne most serious throughout central
Illinois. Peoria is said to have only
one days supply while many other
towns are reported to be running
snort. State Fuel Administrator
wheeler said today that there was
plenty Of coal In Illinois but that ev'
erything depended on whether or moi
TRANSPORTATION facilities could be re
paired sufficiently to supply the wa
fious towns before their local yards
ran short.
Michigan and Wisconsin points also
reported serious fuel and transporta
ton tieups as a result OF the storm
At Grand Rapids. Mich, II inches o.
snow is reported with all railroads
tied up.
Temperatures in this vicinity were
not low. the minimum here last nigh
being 20.