Imperial Valley press., 1929-12-19
IN
GRIP Of
STORMS
Blizzard Plays Havoc
With Rail And Tele-
graph Lines.
DEATHS REPORTED
Much Suffering Results
From Low Temperatures
And Snow.
BY United Press

The worst blizzard in 10 years
blew over the central part Of the
United States today, death, misery
and damage riding on its wings.
From the Mississippi river to the
eastern seaboard, the storm snarled
traffic, broke down wire eommuni-
cation marooned autoists, delayed
transportation, and brought acute
suffering to those whose coal and
food supplies were low.
Early reports to the United Press
placed the death toll at about 25,
with many communities snowbound
and unheard from.
Chicago appeared the hardest hit
with 10 deaths already recorded, Is
inches Of snow ON the ground and
more coming down, and activity al.
most at standstill as WORKERS
struggled through drifts to get
to work hours late--many not at
all.
The fall was the heaviest since
January, 1918, when 14.4 inches fell.
The weather bureau expected a new
record to be established before night.
Snow had been falling in Chicago
for 80 hours.
Farther west the storm appeared
clearing. The sun came through the
clouds for the first time in week
in some western districts and resi-
dents set about digging away the
drifts.
To the south the storm manifest
I'D itself in an electrical outburst
md a gale in Mississippi. Temper
atures in the Old South were below
freezing, where ordinarily the
weather is mild.
Mercury Dropping
The blizzard, which came out Of
the north yesterday, was at its
height in Michigan and Indiana,
with attendant results Of hampered
traffic and minor accidents.
New York expected drop in tenn
perature before night and Boston
was deluged by rainstorm, which
would have measured l5 inches of
snow had the mercury been below
the freezing point.
Tales Of suffering and death came
into the United Press over crippled
wires.
Mrs. Sarah J. Page, 92, Williams
Lake, h. c., was frozen to death in
her isolated cabin when she and
an invalid daughter were unable TO
keep fire going.
Mrs. Fred Anderson, Baldwin,
Wis, riding in an automobile be-
hind the hcarse that held her dead
husband, was killed when the car
skidded on the icy road. The fun
eral party continued to the ceme-
terry where Anderson was buried
and then Mrs. Anderson's body was
taken back to Baldwin in the same
hearse.
Twenty two persons were injured
in q gale and electrical storm at
Oakdale, La. In other southern
points considerable damage was done
by high winds, presumably the frin-
ges Of the blizzard.
In Chicago, with Lake Michigan
three feet above normal level pound
ing at the southern shoeline, busi-
ness did not get under way until al
most noon. Workers were unable to
get to the loop until snow plows had
broken path for street cars, sub
urban trains and busses.
Drifts, some eight and 10 feet
Geep, marooned the more hardy as
they Jared forth before dawn.
Many Cars Stalled
Half Of snow shoveler's body
was found along the Illinois Central
suburban tracks. Other shovelers
sought the rest Of the body as they
moved drifts from switches. =
Springfield, ILL.,, reported $50 au-
tom0biles stalled downstate, with
highway police and farmers Drawing
the blasts to 60 to the rescue of
their occupants.
The Wabash valley in Indiana re-
joiced over the blizzard for they
were confident that it had averted
q serious flood, threatening because
Of continued rains.
The blizzard seemed to be subsid-
ing In Wisconsin but the state was
under a five inch blanket.
Temperatures throughout the cen
trail western area were lowering slow
~, probably not to stop before the
zero mark Is reached tonight or to.
morrow.
1t Is expected that communication
will be crippled further before the
blizzard has passed. M
United Press wires were working
today but preparations were made
to broadcast news in case any towns