Evening star., 1949-01-28
Fresh Snow and Wind
Hit Portions Of West,
Slowing Relief Job
BY the Associated Press

More bad weather hit portions
of the storm-stricken Western
rangelands today. Snow and
wind storms slowed to some
degree the fight on many fronts
to save the millions of starving
and snowbound cattle and sheep.
There were fresh falls of snow,
accompanied by strong winds, in
Nebraska and in parts of. Nevada,
Utah, Idaho and Arizona.
Nebraska, one of the hardest hit
by the earlier billiards, received
the most snow. Winds whipped it
into drifts over the newly cleared
highways and rail lines and cur
tailed relief work in the disaster
areas.
Lesser Amounts Elsewhere.
Lesser amounts of snow fell in
other parts of the rangelands and
did not seriously interfere with the
relief operations. And Federal and
State officials joined in the battle
to dig out from the worst winter
weather in several years in the
Western Plains and Rocky Noun
tain region.
Emergency cash relief came from
Federal and State sources to finance
the huge task of saving the more
than 100000 cattle and sheep
which are in varying degrees of dis
stress in the Western storm area.
Moving with record speed, Con-
gress yesterday voted $5O0O00 for
the blizzard-swept area and then
began work ON another appropria-
ton of 100000 for the same pur-
pose.
Senate Approves Fund.
A resolution authorizing this
larger sum passed the Senate, but
must wait until Monday for House
consideration. This resolution, in
addition to permitting appropria-
ton of money specifically for use in
the Western area, also authorizes
reimbursement of Federal agency
funds for money spent in the
month-long fight against the
storms. 1t also would allow the In
dian Bureau to provide food and
fuel for reservation Indians in the
area.
Technically, the $500,000 approved
yesterday goes to President Tru-
mans emergency fund into which
he may dip for quick money needed
for relief in such cases as billiards,
hurricanes. floods, etc. The president
asked Congress for a new 81 ,000, 900
disaster fund yesterday.
Bad Weather Hits Other Areas.
Meanwhile, inclement weather
also struck over other sections Of
the Nation.
There was widespread precipita-
ton over the central part of the
country. There was a band of
freezing rain and sleet from South
ern Lower Michigan into Texas.
Flood conditions remained in the
weather picture. Warnings were
issued for 171-mile stretch of the
Ohio past Cincinnati. About 1000
families have been driven from their
homes by flood waters from Ohio
1OlNCl IllDulo1 AL COuIi1ClI I'LL
nois.
A survey disclosed that at least
2.500,000 head of cattle and 100000
sheep are stranded and facing star
vation over the Western ranges
Early indications were that the
great cattle and sheep producing
sinduStry will suffer staggering
economic loss. However, no esti-
mate of losses was made by Federal
livestock reporting experts because
of inability to obtain accurate
ground checks.
In Salt Lake City the National |
Wool Growers Association estimated
that half of the Nations S sheep pop
ulation was in critical condition |
from the cold and snow and lack |
of feed. There are 100000 sheep |
in the storm areas of Wyoming,
Colorado, Nevada and Utah-near-
ly half of them in Utah.
Nebraska's blizzard troubles