Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
Central States Expect
To GET Some Relief
FromC oId WaveToday
BY the Asseeiutsd prsss

CHICAGO. Mar. 12.-Relief ap-
peared on the way today from the
bitter cold which has overspread
wide sections Of the country from
the Rockies to the North Atlantic
coast and into the Texas Rio Grande
Valley.
But below seasonal temperatures
and snowstorn1s which swept over
the area at the fag end of bitter
winter season caused widespread
hardship and threatened to cause
heavy damage to crops.
Huge drifts Of snow blocked high
ways in many sections Of the Mid
west and Southwest. Thousands of
cars and trucks were stalled in Ohio,
Oklahoma and other parts Of the
snow belt. Schools in some areas
were closed.
Gas Shortages Hit Industry.
The falling temperatures caused
gas shortages in some States. Indus
trial and business activities were
curtailed in Kansas, Texas, Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan.
Texas was hard hit by the severe
weather. which was the coolest on
record for March. Two persons died
because of the cold. There was
heavy damage to livestock and
crops. The State Agriculture De-
partment said 100000 acres of cot
ton in the Rio Grande Valley were
IN danger OF being destroyed in
event of freezing weather. Toma-
toes, corn and citrus fruits also were
endangered as below freezing tenn
peratures were forecast for the semi
tropical valley.
The snow had ceased falling over
most Of the country today. Flur-
ries we're reported in West Virginia
and in parts of New England. But
temperatures from the Dakotas to
New York State were below zero as
the mass of cold air spread into
the Eastern Seaboard.
Warm Air on Way.
Federal forecasters said warm air
moved into the mountains and
plains States yesterday and ap-
peared headed eastward into the
Mississippi Valley. Temperatures in
some sections Of the North Central
and Southwest region hit new lows
for the date but they were expected
10 moderate today.
Subsero readings were not as low
as yesterday in the North Central
region. Grand Forks, N. OAK, which
reported -33 yesterday. had a min
mum of A today. The mercury
remained below zero in parts of
Minnesota, Iowa. Wisconsin, Mich
igan, Northern Illinois and Missouri.
The cold air also dropped tempera-
lures below zero in sections of Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New York State and
the New England States.
Snow which fell in Pennsylvania
and Ohio measured from l to ~
inches. In Pittsburgh, the Manu-
facturers' Light and Heat Co. an
nounced an immediate total shutoff
Of gas to industrial users. The Peo-
pies Natural Gas Co. announced a
rs per cent cut.
Three Deaths in New, England. b.
From to inches of snow fell in
New England. where three deaths
we're attributed to the storm. The
snowfall was the 26th Of the winter
season in Boston.
Mixed sleet and snow peppered
New York City last night, on the
eve of the anniversary of the stored
1888 blizzard. Many streets in the
metropolis and suburbs we're ice
glazed.
Upstate New York was blanketed
with snowfall ranging from 2
inches at Buffalo to an unof1cial
18 inches at Utica. The mercury
dropped to a at Syracuse today.
The Southeastern States also felt
the cold-air mass, and temperatures
were near and below freezing in
some sections of Louisiana, Ten
nessee, Alabama, Georgia and Mis-
sissippi. Showers were reported off
the North Caro1ipa cOast