The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-05
THAW is ON TODAY
CONTINUED from Page one.l

obviated The storm did not cause
so much trouble on the Santa Fe lines
as it did on the Rock Island and
Union Pacific lines located in north
ern Kansas.
Santa Fe trains Nos. 1, and were
late yesterday out of Chicago on ac-
count of storm and trouble in the
switching yards. Eastbound trains
came thru fairly close to scheduled
time.
West of Newton the Santa Fe re-
ported four inches of snow. From one
to three inches was reported on the
Panhandle. On the middle division
from Emporis/to Newton, and north to
Suprior Neb., the snowfall was almost
as heavy as it was around Topeka.
Fears Serious Fruit Damage.
Fear that the majority of Kansas
fruit is seriously damaged was ex-
pressed today by o. F. Whitney, sec
rotary of the state horticultural So
ciety.
Pears and some apples are affected
while peaches. apricots and plums are
practically lost, he said. Strawberries
owing to the protection afforded by
the snow, are not injured, and little
damage will result to gardens.
"Of course said Whitney I'VE must
realize that the fruit. bud has wonder
full properties for self protection and
the damage may not be so severe as
we think. 1t is indeed fortunate that
it showed, as this furnished a great
| deal of protection to fruit and gar
dens."
Topeka will wade around in rivers
of slushy, sloppy water and melting
snow for the next two days. 1t will
melt rapidly. however. Flora says
there is no danger of a flood in any
of the Kansas streams as the ground
is so dry that the melting snow will
soak in at once.
Peaches have probably been killed
by the cold, Flora says. Apples are
supposed to be able to stand a tenn
perature of Is degrees. The temper
question as to whether or not they
/ have survived.
At 10 o'clock this morning the wind
was blowing miles an hour from the
south.
| Was n Real White Easter.
| The predicted White Easter was a
| fact in Kansas Sunday
Seven and one-half inches of snow
covered Topeka yards, streets. side
walks and the-country about the city
early Sunday morning. The snow will
amount to LA inches of moisture.
The snowfall recorded was the heav-
lest that has occurred in Topeka for
more than eight years. On March 2.
| 1912, there was snowfall of 12.3
! inches.
| Coolest on Record,
! A temperature of 20 degrees record
ed Sunday morning makes 1t the cold
! est Easter ever recorded in Topeka.
previous low record. The temperature
rose only degrees during all of Eas-
| ter day.
Beginning early Saturday morning
| blown on a driving northwest wind
snow fell heavily in Topeka during the
Ia md nCf of Ia PdQx MIC l1t
The character of the snowflakes, their
weight. size and intensity varied dur
ing the day.
Snow, Thunder and Lightning.
Thunder and lightning during the
| snoWstorm Saturday night were among
the most unusual features of the
storm. Few persons can remember
having observed lightning and heard
thunder during a driving snow storm
About $40 Saturday night, persons
out in the elements were startled by
a bright. greenish shimme ring ligh
that quivered in the heavens for mo-
ment. In color it was similar to the
flash made by the trolley poles of the
street cars breaking contact with ice
covered wires. When curiosity, seek.
ing an explanation of the phenomenon
was at its highest pitch. the rumbf1nt
roar of distant thunder came as en-
lightenment. Thunder and the weird
shimmering greenish light were com
mon during the next hour. The snow
changed to rain, then to slushy slee
and finally back to snow again, ant
continued far into the night.
Worth Millions of Dollars.
Altho reports are incomplete. in tn
opinion of S.. D. Flora, a precipitation
occurred in every part of Kansas dur
ing the storm period. Rain was fall
ing Saturday in many of the southern
|