Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1918-01-13
HEAVY TOLL
Of life AND
PROPER1Y
IN STORM


Paralyzed From Buffalo
to the Rockies Depart
ment Stores Closed at
Chicago to Conserve Fuel.
Chicago, Jan. 12.-The storm bound
middiewest was fighting for its life
tonight.
The most devastating blizzard Of a
generation had welded all classes in
Chicago, young and old. into a gigan-
tic community that was battling snow
and cold to prevent death by starva-
tion or freezing. According to reports
to the weather bureau, conditions al
most as serious prevailed throughout
the west.
Officials, frankly admitting it was
the most critical situation this region
mad ever faced issued the edict:
Dig or freeze; shovel or starve."
TRANSPORTATION HALTED.
Railroad transportation was para
tyzed in an area extending from Buff
falo nearly to the Rockies, and from
Canada south into Kentucky and Ten
neSSee. bul tHt bcIlouS diiu III
mediate danger was the blockade of
local deliveries. The majority OF the
marooned cities had adequate supplies
of fuel and food. Snow filled streets.
however. prevented 1t reaching the
consumer. 1t was to combat this cri-
sis that citizens yielded shovels to-
night and will turn Sunday into a day
Of labor.
deliveries will be made. The distribu-
tion of food will be left to the discre-
ton of local dealers. Babies and hos
pitals will have the preference in the
matter of milk. Coal<will be handled
only on authority of the fuel admin
istration. The utmost economy was
urged by State Fuel Administrator
Williams. He declared that pooling
of neighborhood supplies may be nee
essary
BIG STORES CLOSED.
In Chicago big department stores
and other business places were closed
early in the afternoon to conserve fuel.
Several ministers announced they
would not open their churches tenor
row, but would join their parishioners
: in welding shovelA
Many deaths and hundreds OF cases
of frost bite were reported tonight.
Ten deaths occurred here, directly at
tributable to the storm, and more than
100 persons were treated for frozen
hands and feet.
Possible fires presented another dan
ger. Fire apparatus could not pene-
lrate the snow drifts. Many fire plugs
we're frozen.
PASSENGER TRAINS STALLED.
Fears were expressed for the safety
Of passengers and crews on passen-
ger trains stalled in the open country.
Many crack trains. including the
Twentieth Century Limited, were so
situated tonight.
Railroads entering Chicago had an
nulled all trains. Suburban and inter-
urban traffic throughout the west was
blocked. Street cars in many cities
could not operate. Only the elevated
lines in Chicago were attempting to
maintain service. This was made
quate and hundreds OF persons, unable
to reach their homes. spent the night
In downtown hotels.
STORM MOVING EAST.
The storm. which gathered over Ar-
morrow along the Atlantic coast, from
the st. Lawrence to Florida according
to the weather bureau. The tempera-
ture will reach zero in Miami Fla, II
was said, and would be several degrees
lower along the northern Atlantic
coast. This region will also be visited
by snow and high winds. though not
SO severe as prevailed in the middle
west today.
No return to normal temperatures
IL yet in sight.
SIX CHILDREN KILLED.
Six children were killed and 40 9TH
ers injured when a schoolhouse at
Dothan, Ala, caved in under the
weight of the snow.
: Coal dealers in Montgomery discon-
nected their telephones to keep from
being annoyed with orders. Not ton
Of coal was In any yard there today
and families were freezing because Of
the shortage.
Atlanta opened the city auditorium
as a place Of refuge for sufferers from
the coal famine. Zero weather was
predicted for Atlanta before morning.
The cold wave. extending A. far
Continued on Page rwo)