The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-19
This Years Brand Not as Bad
as That 80 Years Ago.
Temperature Drops Over Night
in n. OAK. to "a Below.
WIND HAD 60 MILE VELOCITY
1000 Lives Were Lost Turnout
Nation; 100 in Dakota.
Many School Children Caught
in Storm, FrOze to Death.

Mitchell, s. D., Jan. 1s.-Just thirty
years ago-January 1918, 1SSS-the
worst storm in the history or the
United States weather bureau and the
states of northwest territory, raged
over the Central west, taking toll OF
more than 200 lives and killing thou-
sands of farm animals.
.'Old timers asserted that there
had been a storm of equal II not
worse proportions in october, 1851
but there are no definite records on
the first storm, and it is known to
have been more locally confined than
the great storm of S.
The storm seems to have originated
in Nebraska, and extended to central
Iowa and Wisconsin eastward and to
the Montana line on the west. The
temperature was above freezing when
the storm cloud approached TINS city,
but by the next morning it had drop
ped to 54 degrees below zero Grand
Forks, N D., reported a temperature
of So degrees below while Bismarck
claimed to be suffering to the extent
of only 80 below. At Sioux CITY,
Iowa it was % below.
The loss of life was the heaviest in
what was then known as the Dakota
territory. the two Dakotas having be-
come states later in the same year
After reports had been published IN
some parts of the country that 2,oUo
lives were lost, the Mitchell Republl-
the territory, made an exhaustive
study of the storms trail, and finally
published a list of 100 Known deaths.
due Immediately to the storm Deaths
in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska ana
Montana doubled this total.
The storm seemed to be at us
worst here. Monday morning broke
clear and warm. While there Is no
record of the temperature, witnesses
say that women hung their WasnlnSs
out to dry that day without fear or the
clothing freezing.
About noon a. CLOUD was seen in the
southwest A few minutes later o.
mile wind swept the town. and soon
the wind driven sleet made it 1mpos-
~sib1e to see the length of city plock.
Drop so Degrees in an Hour.
The drop in temperature in the first
hour is reported as having been from
40 to so degrees. Persons who were
only short DISTANCE from their
homes in some cases never reached
sa1ety. Several men were lost be-
tween their barns and their homes,
and were later found frozen within
d few feet of their doorways-
People here who ventured out of
doors that afternoon were voted either
heroes or fools, depending on their
missions Three men, J. E. Wells
tnow mayor of MitchelD, J. d. Wood
and Tom Ball, all of whom were
caught down town, each visited one
of the three schools in the city and
told the teachers to keep the young
Sters in until aid came to them. prom
Using to send food. This latter prom
Use, however, could not be-kept. Desks
were used for fuel, but-in every case
the teachers kept their charges in
doors.
In the country schools there was
considerable loss. In one instance, a
teacher dismissed his pupils when he
saw the storm growing. OF the
eleven children who started out, nine
never reached home.
A 13-year-old boy was frozen to
death in his fathers arms near here
Frank Allen and his son were hauling
within five rods of the residence The
team refused to face the storm, and
the Aliens dug a hole in the fast pill
ing drifts, only to be crowded out by
the cold craZed horses. After several
hours battle to keep alive, the father
braved the storm, carrying the weak
ened youth in his arms. The boy had
been able to stand when the start was
made, but was dead when the house
was reached The horses were frozen
The storm accounts are not without
occasional rays of humor: The old
Alexander Mitchell hotel was evident
ly the hang out at that time, and a
fight started there over the relative
merits of the storm of that day and
the one of october, 1850. Which side
won is not recordedt but the few re-
naming S'79'ers' living here are still
worst