Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-12
VAST AREAIS
HELD IN GRIP
OF BLIZZARD
Low Temperatures, Snow
and Driving Wind Play
Havoc-No Relief,

Chicago, Jan. 12.-ChicagO Is
isolated from rail communication
with the outside world by one Of
the worst billiards in its history.
Its business Is paralyzed. With
snow two feet on the level and
swept into great drifts trains are
neither arriving nor departing.
Surface lines were scarcely able
to move. No milk trains arrived
nor were coal wagons able to
move 10 per cent of the fuel
needed. The thermometer drOp.
ped to IA degrees below zero and
q sharp wind from the northwest
added to the suffering.
The blizzard, which extends from
Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and
from the Rocky mountains to the ALLIE
ghenies, and is accompanied by low
temperatures ranging from 81 below
zero at Oneill, Neb., to IL above zero
at San Antonio, Texas, paralyzed
steam railroad and street car traffic
today.
The storm, which began early yes
terday, continued all night and today
and high wind piled huge drifts of
snow on top Of the heavy fall early in
the week over Illinois. Wisconsin,
northern Indiana and south Michigan
and parts Of Iowa and Missouri.
Over practically the entire territory
covered by the blizzard today. train
schedules have been upset and at
large terminals like Chicago, st. Louis
and Kansas City. many trains have
been annulled.
81 Below Here.
Nebraska, it is said, experienced the
coolest day in half century, no point
reporting to the weather bureau at
Omaha. showing temperature as
high as zero, while Oneill turned In 81
below.
In Kansas and Missouri te1dpera-
lures of 20 below zero were common
and in st. Louis the thermometer
reached II below.
In Chicago it was 10 below early
this morning, but central Illinois
points reported much colder weather,
Springfield showing 16 below.
In the northwest points in the Iron
range Of Minnesota reported 30 be-
low and predictions for colder weather
today
The heavy snow fall in the winter
wheat states was said to have greatly
benefited the crop outlook.
Towns Marooned.
Decatur, ILL.,, Jan. 12.-Decatur and
central Illinois were today in the grip
Of the worst blizzard and most intense
cold in years. Not a train or an in
terurban electric car was running to-
day in this part of the state. Towns
are marooned from each other as
though they were each in the middle
Of the South Pacific ocean. The tenn
|perature at Decatur was 81 degrees
below zero.
Only one train was running on the
Wabash between Chicago and st.
Louis. When it stopped at Taylor
vile, the locomotive "froze up" and 1t
remained there. On the Illinois Trac-
ton system not car was running and
officials stated that no effort would be
made to start the cars until the wind
ceases.
Snow Over Cars.
South of Bloomington snow drifts
as high as an interurban car are COW
ering the tracks. Snow plGws are
practically helpless because the snow
is blown back on the tracks as quickly
as it is swept off.
Unless the wind abates SOON there
promises to be great suffering
throughout central Illinois for lack
of coal. Many towns are already
nearly out Of fuel.
Elgin Snowbound.
Elgin. ILL.,. Jan. 12.-Heavy snow &C!
companied by high winds and temper
ature ranging as low as 20 below.
Elgin was completely snowbound this
morning. Street cars and interurban
trains have not moved since late yes
terday afternoon. City teams have
been taken from the work of clearing
snow from the business streets to rush
coal to some who were without fuel
Dealers say there is enough soft coal
in the city If it can be distributed.
MIX District Cut on.
Aurora, ILL.,, Jan. 1.-THE Fox river
valley, one Of the big milk producing
districts Of the country, was cut of
from the world today for the second
time within a week by blizzard.
A 20-hour storm showed in the
country just as it was digging its way
out of drifts left by the storm OF last
Sunday and Monday.
The snow was driven by q heavy
gale from the southwest. which drove
the temperature to II below zero.
Brings Much Suffering.
Kansas City, Jan. 12.-After the low
est plunge of the mercury in from
eight to twenty years, the central and
southwest was hoping for reaction
to warmer weather today based on
weather bureau predictions OF slowly
rising temperatures. In the wake OF
the blizzard came disorganization Of
wire and train communications. fran
tic calls for coal, failure OF gas ser
vices in the Oklahoma Kansas fields
and much suffering everywhere. but
especially In the oil districts. where
many buildings were incapable Of re-
sisting such low temperatures.
Efforts were being made this morn