Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-07
I Z Z < Z Z : = Z < I Z 5 .

Chicago, Jan. THE middle west was
a great white desert today.
The heaviest snowfall ON record was
whirled by mile minute gale into
huge drifts 12 and Is feet deep, paralyz-
ing all traffic and forcing business
Throughout this region practically to u
standstill.
More than one third Of season 5
snow had fallen in "a hours
The weather bureau reported fall of
| 13 IL inches on the level early today,
on top of 4 1-2 inches previously tali-
en-. This was nearly half the entire snow
fall of 1915.
The storm was centered over the low
er Mississippi valley Saturday night,
had moved northwestward and today
extended from Missouri eastward into
Ohio. The heaviest precipitation was in
Illinois, Wis consin, Michigan and north
ern Indiana. The weather bureau expect
ed the wind and snow to abate in this
territory some time today.
More than half the transcontinental
railroads entering Chicago were forced
to cancel from one train to their en-
tire service. Suburban service was prac-
tically abandoned. But few surface cars
attempted to buck the drifts. Taxi COM
panies refused to send out their cars.
Scores of privately owned automobiles
and motor trucks were abandoned IN the
streets. Only the elevated railways main
tanned a semblance of q schedule. Even
pedestrians were exhausted by the
struggle against the snow and wind.
The Chicago and Alton railroad aban-
doned all train service out of the city.
IThe Chicago and Northwestern was
making no attempts TO operate, accord
ing to seneuule, and all through trains
via Minneapolis were abandoned. All in
bound trains on the Pennsylvania We're
five to ten hours late. All northbound
trains on the Chicago, Milwaukee and
st. Paul were temporarily suspended
Rock Island trains left one to three
hours behind schedule. Trains on the
New York Central and Michigan Cen
trail were six to ten hours late ana many
were cancelled. The Illinois Central was
operating service Gas we can.
Telegraph and telephone service was
badly crippled. Many cities were entlre-
ly isolated. A milk and tuel shortage
was imminent in Chicago and surround
ing cities. The only cheering feature OF
the situation was comparatively higher
Temperatures, but with the abatement
of the wind and snow the mercury was
expected to drop about IL above zero.
Last night was ''hghtiess night, IN
Chicago, and the storm put thousands or
street lights out of commission, making
the lack of Illumination greater than
was intended. Holdup men took advan-
tage Of the situation, scores of robberles
being reported.
Two persons were dead in TINS city
and nine seriously injured as a result
of the storm. FIFTY seven fire alarms
were turned in but none Of them proved
serious, despite the fact that several
pieces of apparatus were stalled.
Lake traffic was in great danger.
The steamers Missouri and lndianas
caught in the ice off Chicago harbor
for hours, made port early today. Inc
steamer Illinois was still trapped IN the
floes. Other vessels were unreported.
The city abandoned attempts to clear
the downtown streets early last night
after men and horses had become ex-
hausted. An appeal was made to eiti-
zens to aid today. Many schools, which
were to reopen after the Christmas hol-
lidays, will remain closed.