Let's visit on the Porch II (Helena, Libby: groceries, sofa, applications) - Montana (MT) - Page 326 - City-Data Forum

rangerider · 01-18-2012, 04:54 PM

Years ago, my Mom gave me a book one Christmas. It's called "In All It's Fury: The Great Blizzard of 1888." It's a little tough to find, but the bigger retailers probably have links to copies. Anyway, it's a compilation of stories from people on the frontier who survived the storm and related their stories before years dimmed the memories. There is also a section in front that described the meteorological conditions and weather reports from stations in MT, NE, SD, ND, and KS. Plus a few further south, if I recall correctly. In some cases, the visual description of the storm rolling across the prairie will set your hair on end.

Many of my ancestors living in Nebraska survived this storm, and one or two are included. It's an extremely interesting book..as you read, also read between the lines and you'll get a picture of how those folks lived. Little things pop up concerning warmth, clothing, shelter, communication, and how few roads or even trails there were. And it's interesting to hear about how many horses, whether singly or a team, brought their owners home though the terrible storm, even in the dark. Can vouch for that as I've had more than one experience with it.

One of the most interesting things I got had to do with shelter. Many folks would build a frame house as soon as they could, as they viewed dugouts to be primitive and dirty (which they were). Many people froze to death in their nice houses while the folks in the dugouts survived - they are quite efficient in cold and wind. Every relative's farm I grew up around still had the old dugouts and they were generally kept up, mostly as cool rooms for canned goods and storm shelters.

My grandparents and parents plus several aunts and uncles were farming on the prairie during the winter of 1949 and I got to hear dozens of stories of that one growing up. It was a doozy, and lots of folks and their stock balanced precariously on the edge of survival for months. The flooding that followed the record snows was terrible.

Anyway, if you happen to run across a copy, it's well worth a read. Just looked and found three for about $12-$14. If you're in interested in pioneer days it's a very worthy candidate for your bookshelf!

Clark Fork Fantast · 01-18-2012, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

Has anybody seen my snow? I had it, it's mine and this morning, it's gone.

They've got most of it over in Stanley, ID. 16 inches, 20 predicted! If you want it back, I guess you'll have to drive over and collect it yourself...

I'm sure they won't mind!

happiness is · 01-18-2012, 05:15 PM

"In All It's Fury: The Great Blizzard of 1888."
You can also read it for free with an inter-library loan from any public library.

jasper12 · 01-18-2012, 05:35 PM

Well, it will be a slow day at work tomorrow. Everyone cancelled today.

I totally agree, I would only leave the house for cash. Anything else, forget it.

But, since I do get paid, I will leave the house tomorrow, and go to work.

ElkHunter · 01-18-2012, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasper12

Well, it will be a slow day at work tomorrow. Everyone cancelled today.

I totally agree, I would only leave the house for cash. Anything else, forget it.

But, since I do get paid, I will leave the house tomorrow, and go to work.

I don't get paid and today I was outside from about noon until an hour ago. We reached a high of 8°F here at my cabin.

I figure that when my hands and feet start to thaw and tingle, I'm going to remember why I shouldn't do that anymore.

I think tomorrow, I'm going to throw some wood in the stove in the shop and then come back and have coffee. Give it about 30 minutes to cut the chill and then go back over and start putting my storm door together. I still haven't gotten that done. Been busy with everything else latelyl