The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-01-17
STORM CAUSES
INCONVENIENCE
osKALoosA WAS ISOLATED FOR
SEVERAL DAYS
POWER HOUSE OUT OF FUEL
Special Train On Sunday To Bring
Coal-No Freight and Little Mail
or Express Reaches the
City For Two Days

City For Two Days
! Special service by the courtesy of
the Rock Island railroad Sunday gave
the city of Oskaloosa electric current
Sunday evening and today. Without
light, heat and power the city would
have experienced considerable diff
Guilty. A special train was run from
Knoxville with a consignment of fuel
for the Oskaloosa Traction & Light
Company, and had the service been
without service for the power house
was without coal The house was
down to about the last shovelful when
the cars were placed and the fresh
supply made available. The fuel sup
ply however is still "shy" today with
not enough to last until Tuesday, but
a couple OF cars are on the way and
will reach here some time today.
No coal has reached the city since
Thursday morning and the power
house had on hand at that time only
three to four days supply. The storm
caused all trains carrying coal to be
abandoned and the power station was
up against it, The fuel could not
be supplied locally and the shipments
enroute could not be moved.
Manager Porter obtained track of a.
supply at Knoxville and he placed the
matter before the Rock Island people
who Immediately saw the necessity of
action and the necessary equipment
was ordered into service to make the
delivery. 1t was the closest call the
city has had for many a day and the
activity of those who acted in the
emergency is appreciated.
Town Was Isolated
Oskaloosa was virtually isolated
from the outside world Friday, Satur-
day and Sunday. Train service on
these days amounted to practically nil.
Saturday passed without Chicago
papers reaching the city, while on
Sunday neither Chicago or Des Moines
papers Sunday editions arrived. Some
letter mail has reached Oskaloosa dur
ling these three days, but generally
the city has been without mail or ex-
press for the greater part of the week.
This morning brought some relief.
A few trains are now running, connect
ing Oskaloosa with the main lines.
Although trains are today running I'M
der slow orders time schedules are
being partially observed.
No Trains Since Friday
Train service was first seriously in
terrupted Friday. NJ. & st. l.. trains
were from two to six hours late, Fri
day. Rock Island trains also ran sew
eral hours behind schedule. On the
Burlington the same condition pre-
vailed.
c. B. & Q. passenger No. 4, Burling-
ton and Oskaloosa passenger, was an
nulled Friday and Saturday. Instead
of leaving Oskaloosa at 4:10 Friday
evening, the train did not depart until
Sunday, and then left for Burlington
via. the main line.
Trains AnnuIIed
M. & st. l.. train No. 8, which should
have arrived here at $40 Friday after
noon, pulled into the Oskaloosa station
about six o'clock Saturday morning
Passenger No. 10 was annulled Satur-
day morning, and No. 9 was annulled
from Peoria to Oskaloosa and made
Oskaloosa a terminal, departing from
here Sunday afternoon. A snow pillow
sent east of Oskaloosa Sunday morn
ing made way for the first freights
since Friday.
Oskaloosa this morning received
letter mail due here last week. Only
small portion of the mail arrived.
More is expected here this afternoon.
Snow Bound Two Days
This community is said not to have
suffered as much as many other near
by localities. Southeastern Iowa was
snow bound for two days.
Freight service also felt the dead
lock of the cold and storm and few
freight trains arrived or departed.
Snow plows worked ineffectively for
as fast as the tracks were cleared
! more snow would blow upon them and