Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-01-07
ILLINOIS IS SWEPT BY.
WORST STORM OF.
YEARS; TRAINS STOP
BLIZZARD TIES UP TRAFFIC. IN
ALL SECTIONS - TELEGRAPH
AND TELEPHONE SERVICE PUT
OUT OF COMMISSION.

Decatur, H.. Jan. Central hi
lois was in the grip % severe biz.
ard last night. following a day of
Intermittent sleet, rain and SNOW.
Local street railway lines were Grip.
oled after o'clock by power leak.
age from trolley lines. following q
lay of broken wires. sleet covered
.rolleys. and general decentralization.
Fraction system trains ceased to cu.
or or leave the city after 8 o'clock
being taken TO the bel,
inc by any available means. as power
within the city was almost gone.
Temperature vas - degrees above
at I O'Clock end dropped steadily with
an increasing wind and driving snow,
Several municipal lighting circuits
arc out. throwing The downtown
streets into darkness. Telephone
and power wires in many parts OF The
tily were broken and crossed by The
loavy slcet All intcrurbans are from
me to four hours late. while steam
ines reported trains averaging from
birty minutes 10 an hour and IA hall
ate
Peoria is Snowbound.
Peoria, ILL.,, Jan T. With eight
nchcs of snow on the ground aud the
downfall lasting until morning, Pc
'ria is snoWbound in the worst biz
ard that has struck the city in seven
ears.
The storm was accompanied by a
Flnd that reached a velocity of thirty
nile,
The storm. according to reports re-
'clvcd by VI. l.. Fuller local weather
observer originated in the Ohio val
cy and followed it down to The Mis-
'Issippi, and then swung up that val.
cy, II struck southern Michigan dur.
ng the night. he said
Blizzard at Rockford.
Rockford H.. Jan THE hc1y,.
'St SnoNStOtm Oi the season set in
'ary Sunday and assumed The pro
'Crtions OF blizzard II has tied up
street railway. interurban. and rail-
'oad traffic. TWO feet Of snow hos
allen
Fire and Storm at Beloit.
Bcloi,, Wis, Jan. in the Wors,
Of the winter ircmen for
lours last night fought flames in the
William fIamlin buildinc East Grand
venue. IKE heaviest loss is in the
A. Levy clothing store. The total
iamage will reach S2o,l00.
Joliet is Marooned.
Joliet. Jan. 1--fImdrcds of persons
rom surrounding towns were maroon.
I'd in Joliet yesterday because OF the
Jli1zard. The Chicago 4 Alton road
operation OF its local
tracks until this morning Transpor.
Iation 10 and from planlield ten
miles west OF Joliet has been cut
)tt thru the off schedule of the Aurorl.
l"ainlicld 4 Joliet intcrurban cars,
caused by heavy suOwdrilts. Tole.
phone communication in this section
has not been affected.
Aurora Hard s-i,,
Aurora, Jan. Nearly every town
in the Fox river valley was snow.
bound Yesterday The wind followed
the course Of the river and piled
snow high in all the valley cities.
Electric traffic on the Aurora. IL
gin n Chicago was maintained. but
local cars in both Aurora and Elgin
were put oui Of the running early in
The day Subsidiary intcrurban sys.
tens we're all tied up. These include
the Aurora Il Elgin, the Aurora 4
Nork1ille. Aurora. Plainlicld y Joliet,
Chicago. Aurora y Dckulb and the
Norktillc a. Morris.
At 8 O'Clock in the morning a eur
on the Aurora ~ iorkville line was
stalled five miles outside the former
city. The crew and two passengers
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