1918 — Jan 11-12, Extreme cold, snow, blizzards, wind, esp. Plains, Midwest, South — 43
–43 Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts noted below.
–16 United Press. “16 Dead, Many Hurt, In Storm.” Des Moines News, IA, 1-13-1918, p. 1.
Alabama ( 7)[1]
–6 Dothan, Jan 12. Children, when school house “caved in under the weight of snow.”[2]
–1 Troy, Jan 12. Lima Daily News, OH. “Ten Persons Dead.” 1-13-1918, p. 2.
Colorado ( 3)
–3 Inman area, Jan 12. Frank Scool, 60, Mrs. Egenic Bermg and her son, 10; frozen on prairie.[3]
Georgia ( 1)
–1 Camp Wheeler, Jan 12. Marvin Harris, 122nd infantry; crushed when corral “wrecked.”[4]
–1 Macon, Jan 12. Lima Daily News, OH. “Ten Persons Dead.” 1-13-1918, p. 2.
–1 Webb, Jan 12. Lima Daily News, OH. “Ten Persons Dead.” 1-13-1918, p. 2.[5]
Illinois (~3)
–30 Chicago, Jan 11-12. Anniston Star, AL. “Many…Dead…From Cold in Chicago.” 1-13-1918, p.2.[6]
–~3 (a few) Chicago. Byers. “1918 Midwest Blizzard Disaster.” Indiana Disasters. May 2014.
— 2 Chicago, Jan 12. UP. “Cold Weather…to Continue…” Freeport Journal-Standard, 1-2-1918, p.9.
Indiana (13)
–13 Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below.
— 1 Colburn, Jan 14 Infant daughter of O. M. Sherman found dead in bed “…frozen to death.”[7]
— 1 Delphi. Andrew Hamilton, 60, “found frozen to death along the Monon right of way…”[8]
— 3 Fort Wayne. Logansport Pharos-Reporter, IN. “Death In Storm,” 1-14-1918, p. 3.
–1 “ Jan 12. Male, 70; exposure while walking to work at Fort Wayne Electric.[9]
–1 “ O. M. Hartt, insurance man; died from over-exertion in cold.”[10]
–1 “ Joseph Mommer, 85, from over-exertion in the cold.[11]
— 5 Hammond. Logansport Pharos-Reporter, IN. “Death In Storm,” 1-14-1918, p. 3.
— 2 South Bend, Jan 12. Two men “overcome while on their way to work this morning.”[12]
— 1 South Bend, Jan 12. Snowplow worker plow turned over after hitting snowbank.[13]
Kansas ( 1)
–1 Salina, Jan 11. Charles Lybarger, wood chopper, found on Jan 12 in a Salina park.[14]
Kentucky ( 4)
–4 Jan 18. Roof collapse as a result of heavy snow. NWS Louisville WFO. Brutal Winter…
Michigan ( 5)
–1 Albion, Jan 12. “…railroad employe dropped dead of exhaustion…”[15]
–2 Detroit, Jan 12. “Two persons were reported frozen to death in Detroit.”[16]
–2 Jackson county, Jan 12. Conductor and brakeman of train stalled in snowdrift hit by train.[17]
Ohio ( 9)
–4 Cleveland. Warren Morning Chronicle, PA. “Cleveland Reports…Four…Dead.” 1-13-1918, p.1.
–1 Dayton, Jan 12. Unidentified man found in snowdrift, died just after being taken to hosp.[18]
–1 Greenfield, Jan 12. Charles Speigle, 75, found frozen; tried to walk mile to neighbor home.[19]
–1 Mansfield, Jan 12. Cyrus Y. Wheeler “died today from the effects of the cold.”[20]
–1 Toledo. Defiance Crescent-News, OH. “Defiance Emerges From Winter Storm…” 1-14-1918, 1.[21]
–1 Not noted. Man lost his way in snow storm and walked into path of on-coming train.[22]
Texas ( 4)
–4 State. Joplin Globe, MO. “Middle West in Grip of Worst Storm of Winter,” 1-12-1918, p1.[23]
–1 Fort Worth area. Unidentified man found frozen to death.”
Virginia (12)
–12 UP. “Terrific Storm Sweeping…Country.” Freeport Journal-Standard, IL, 1-12-1918, 1.[24]
Narrative Information
NWS WFO Louisville, KY: “December 1917 through January 1918 still stands today as the coldest and snowiest December-January period ever recorded in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, and several other locations across southern Indiana and central Kentucky. The 49 inches of snow that buried Louisville during those two months beats the 2nd snowiest December-January by more than a foot and a half!….
“On the 11th [Jan]…another dome of incredibly cold air that had organized in northwest Canada pushed into the northern Plains and Rockies while strong low pressure developed rapidly near New Orleans. On the night of the 11th and into the 12th the low continued to deepen and became quite powerful as it shot through the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys to the Great Lakes while the Canadian high nosed as far south as the Texas coast.
“Though the 11th started off near the freezing mark, the low traveled just to our east and joined forces with the western high to pull frigid air down from Canada. As the low deepened, those winds grew stronger…and stronger…and stronger. By evening sustained winds were in the 20 to 40 mph range across southern Indiana and central Kentucky, combined with blinding snow that had started falling around lunch time and intensified in the afternoon. As darkness fell the blizzard raged, with gusts to 52 mph at Louisville and 44 mph at Lexington. At 7pm in Louisville winds were sustained at 30 mph with a temperature of 13°.
“The twelfth day of 1918 “was probably the coldest and most disagreeable day experienced in a century” (Monthly Weather Review), or at least since the intense cold of January 1, 1864 (Climatological Data). At 7am, winds were blowing at 20 to 30 mph while the temperature at Louisville was fifteen degrees below zero and Lexington was fourteen below. Using the modern calculation, that gives a wind chill around 45 degrees below zero!
“Though the snow had ended and the sun came out, the wind continued to roar throughout the day at speeds of 20 to 40 mph with higher gusts. The temperature rose to only -2° at Louisville and -3° at Lexington. January 12, 1918 is still one of only two days in both cities’ histories during which the temperature stayed below zero all day….
“Transportation was practically paralyzed, including the inter-urbans and streetcars. In Louisville on the 14th three people were killed when two inter-urban cars collided, and the next day four people died when a snow-laden roof collapsed. Fuel shortages added to the misery, and schools were closed for several days. In northern and western sections of Kentucky some rural farmers were snowbound for up to two weeks….
“The amount of ice on the Ohio and middle Mississippi rivers surpassed anything that had been seen before. At Cairo pedestrians were able to walk across the Ohio River to Kentucky, a feat unknown to even the oldest inhabitants of the region….” (NWS Louisville, KY WFO. The Brutal Winter of 1917-1918.)
Newspapers
Jan 11: “Chicago, Jan. 11.–The Middle West is in the grasp today of the fiercest weather it has experienced in years. Following a blizzard which raged with unprecedented fury until a late hour today the weather cleared and then snow which had piled up in some places as high as twenty feet had a stiff crust frozen over it.” (Athens Banner, GA. “West in Throes of Fierce Freeze.” 1-12-1918, p. 5.)
Jan 11: “Kansas City, Jan. 11.–The entire plains states area from the Mississippi river to the Rocky mountains and from the Dakotas to the Rio Grande tonight is experiencing the most severe weather of the winter following a blizzard that ended this morning after piling up huge drifts of snow. Record low temperatures were reported in Texas and season’s records at many other points in the section.
“…the local [Kansas City] weather office tonight indicated that the trough of the cold snap was over this city and surrounding territory tonight. The mercury stood at fourteen degrees below zero here at that time, withy a minimum of fifteen to eighteen degrees below forecast before morning. At Springfield, Mo., it was fourteen below; at Des Moines, Ia., sixteen below, and at Charles City, Ia., twenty below
“…the below zero weather reached as far south as Oklahoma City, Okla., and Fort Smith, Ark., both of which places reported two below. Wichita, Kan., had six below at that time, North Platte ten below, Dodge City, Kan., six below, but at Denver the mercury stood at zero….” (Joplin Globe, MO. “Middle West in Grip of Worst Storm of Winter.” 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 11: “New Orleans, La., Jan. 11.–New Orleans had a severe snow storm today–the first snow seen in the Crescent City since 1903. All through Mississippi, Louisiana, and this immediate Gulf Coast region, there is being experienced the first attack of really wintry weather in many years.” (Athens Banner GA. “First Snow in Fifteen Years in New Orleans.” 1-12-1918, p. 5.)
Jan 11: “Topeka, Kan., Jan. 11.–Kansas tonight was in the grip of the most severe cold wave since 1912, with the local weather bureau predicting that the temperature would go to twenty below zero by 4 o’clock tomorrow morning, when a slight abatement in the cold is expected. With a maximum temperature of nine below zero, this afternoon was the coldest day on record at the local weather bureau during the thirty-one years it had been established. Early this afternoon the mercury began to fall and at 7 o’clock tonight was twelve degrees below zero. The cold wave reaches from one end of the state to the other. The lowest temperature reported was at Smith Center, where the mercury last night went to twenty-three below zero. Reports from other sections of the state told of temperatures ranging from ten to fifteen below zero last night and today. The heavy snow which preceded the cold wave is still interfering with rail and wagon traffic, all railroads reporting their trains several hours behind schedules. A few trains were reported snowbound, with indications that it would be several hours before they could be found. The fuel situation in many Kansas towns was acute, dealers in some cities reporting only a few tons of coal on hand. At Ottawa the coal supply is exhausted and the people are depending altogether on wood for heat….Live stock in the western part of the state is suffering severely from the cold…The temperature here [Topeka] at 10 o’clock was fifteen below zero.” (Joplin Globe, MO. “Temperature 15 Below at Topeka Last Night.” 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 11: “Washington, Jan. 12.–At least 16 are dead, many injured and thousands of dollars worth of property is destroyed tonight, following horrific wind and rain that swept the south last night [Jan 11]. Freezing temperatures predicted for tonight threatened to wreck additional damage and may develop into the coldest weather on record. Communication was almost totally paralyzed for many hours.
“Camp Sheridan, Ala., and Camp Wheeler, Ga., suffered heavy damage from wind and rain.
“Six children were killed and 40 others injured when a school house at Dothan, Ala., caved in under the weight of snow.
“Coal dealers in Montgomery disconnected their telephones to keep from being annoyed with orders. Not a ton of coal was in any yard there today and families were freezing because of the shortage.
“Atlanta opened the city auditorium as a place of refuge for sufferers from the coal famine.
“Trees were uprooted and property destroyed by a 46-mile an hour gale at Augusta.” (United Press. “16 Dead, Many Hurt, In Storm.” Des Moines News, IA, 1-13-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12, Athens GA: “From eight o’clock last night Athens was practically isolated from th remainder of the world by the weather with the emphasis and the accent on the ‘ice-olated.’ Every wire out of Athens was crippled–even the political wires and the live wires and the rest of the wires. Service over the Western Union and the Postal Telegraph lines were paralyzed; the railroad wire lines, phone and ‘graph were all out, and the Southern Bell couldn’t help a little bit — except a lone wire to Madison and to Elberton, and an occasional ring to Comer….” (Athens Banner, GA. “Athens Cut Off From Outside World By Storm. Blizzard Rages Through Dixie Land Today.” 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “Augusta, Ga., Jan. 12.–A wind that reached the vicinity of 36 miles an hour swept over this city and section last night, leaving in its wake thousands of uprooted trees and doing considerable damage to small houses and barns. No casualties have been reported, though many houses in the city were unroofed by the wind and some badly damaged by falling gables. At Camp Hancock, near the city, five hundred tents were blown down.” (United Press. “Terrific Storm Sweeping Entire Country.” Freeport Journal-Standard, IL, 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “Chicago, Jan. 12.–Chicago is isolated from rail communication with the outside world by one of the worst blizzards in its history. Its business is paralyzed. With snow two feet on the level and swept into great drifts, trains are neither arriving nor departing from the city. Surface lines were scarcely able to move. Telegraph wires were in bad shape. No milk trains arrived nor were coal wagons able to move 10 per cent of the fuel needed. The thermometer dropped to 14 degrees below zero and a sharp wind from the northwest added to the suffering.
Blizzard Widespread.
“Chicago, Ill., Jan 12–A blizzard extending from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Rocky mountains to the Alleghenies, and accompanied by low temperatures ranging from 37 below zero at O’Neill, Neb., to 12 above zero at San Antonio, Tex., paralyzed steam railroad and street car traffic at many points today.
“The storm, which began early yesterday, continued all night, and a high wind piled huge drifts of snow on top of the heavy fall early in the week over Illinois, Wisconsin, northern Indiana and southern Michigan and parts of Iowa and Missouri.
“Over practically the entire territory covered by the blizzard today train schedules have been upset, and at large terminals, like Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City, many trains have been annulled.
“Nebraska, it is said, experience the coldest day in half a century, no point reporting to the weather bureau at Omaha showing a temperature as high as zero, while O’Neill turned in 37 degrees below.
“In Kansas and Missouri temperatures of 20 below zero were common, and in St. Louis the thermometer reached 17 below.
“In Chicago it was 10 below early this morning, but central Illinois points reported much colder weather, Springfield showing 16 below.
“In the northwest points in the iron region of Minnesota reported 30 below and predictions for colder weather today….” (Burlington Gazette, IA. “Chicago Marooned by Fierce Blizzard.” 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “Chicago, Jan 12….In Chicago…Many deaths from cold and hundreds of cases of frost bite were reported tonight. Thirty deaths occurred directly attributable to the storm and more than 100 persons were treated for frozen hands and feet.” (Anniston Star, AL. “Middle West is In Grip of Big Blizzard. Many…Dead…Hundreds Suffer From Cold in Chicago.” 1-13-1918, p. 2.)
Jan 12: “Cleveland, O., Jan. 12.–Four persons are dead, traffic on steam and electric lines is virtually at a standstill, and untold suffering has resulted from the cold wave which prevails throughout Ohio today. Reports coming in slowly over crippled telegraph wires told of industries suspended because of fuel shortage and an almost complete tie up on railroads throughout the state. Temperatures ranging from four to twenty degrees below zero were reported with indications that even more severe weather will be encountered before Monday morning.” (Warren Morning Chronicle, PA. “Cleveland Reports That Four Are Dead.” 1-13-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “Indianapolis, Jan. 12.–The temperature in Indianapolis was rising slowly tonight and at midnight had reached three degrees below zero. The cold wave brought a temperature of 19 below zero in Indianapolis this morning, the lowest since 1884.
“Three deaths from cold have been reported in the state thus far. Street, railway, interurban and railroad traffic is practically at a standstill in all parts of the state and telephone and telegraph service is badly demoralized. Temperatures ranging from 10 to 24 degrees below zero were reported from all parts of the state today. The coal situation has made suffering acute in many cities and towns and in some of them schools and churches have been kept open to give shelter to families that were without fuel.” (Terre Haute Sunday Star, IN. “Three Deaths Reported in Indiana as Result of Cold…” 1-13-1918, 1.)
Jan 12: “Joliet, Ill., Jan. 12.–Joliet is completely cut off from the world today by a blizzard which has been raging for the last fifteen hours. All steam trains have been annulled, not a wheel on the city traction lines is moving and interurban service has been abandoned. Plainfield, ten miles northwest of Joliet, is completely isolated, the Aurora, Plainfield & Joliet traction line abandoning its schedules. Hundreds of persons are suffering keenly from the shortage of coal as dealers are unable to deliver into the resident districts. The streets are covered with from two to four feet of snow. The temperature is 13 degrees below zero, and a thirty-mile-an-hour gale is blowing. It is still snowing….” (Burlington Gazette, IA. “Chicago Marooned by Fierce Blizzard.” 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 12.–After the lowest plunge of the mercury in from eight to twenty years, the central and southwest was hoping for a reaction to warmer weather today based on weather bureau predictions of slowly rising temperatures. In the wake of the Blizzard came disorganization of wire and train communications, frantic calls for coal, failure of gas services in the Oklahoma-Kansas fields and much suffering everywhere, but especially in the oil districts where many buildings were incapable of resisting such low temperatures. Efforts were being made this morning to release dozens of passenger trains stalled in snow banks….” (Burlington Gazette, IA. “Chicago Marooned by Fierce Blizzard.” 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 12.–The entire cotton states region of Memphis south is gripped by the coldest weather in history, according to meager reports reaching here over telegraph wires today….” (UP. “Terrific Storm Sweeping Entire Country.” Freeport Journal-Standard, IL, 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “New Orleans shivered at 20 degrees. Sleet weighed down all wires throughout the south….” (Lima Daily News, OH. “Ten Persons Dead.” 1-13-1918, p. 2.)
Jan 12: “Oklahoma City, Okla., Jan. 12.–Oklahoma awoke yesterday morning snowed under. The worst blizzard recorded in 15 years swooped through the state lashing snow nad sleet and holding train service and other traffic at a standstill. Seven below zero was recorded at an early hour today and the snowfall ranged from six to twelve inches throughout the state. All trains to this city are reported 2 to 16 hours late and several are held snowbound. One train due here at 5 o’clock yesterday morning is held in a snow drift at Tuttle. Another due at 10 o’clock is imprisoned at Mustang. A train leaving here at 6:30 last night was turned back by the blinding snow. This train left later but is held 15 miles from here. Relief crews are being sent from this city to assist in clearing the right of way. Telegraph and telephone service is badly crippled.” (Monmouth Daily Atlas, IL. “Oklahoma Under One Great Snow Blanket.” 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “Richmond, Va., Jan. 12….Wind, rain, snow and lightning visited Virginia, but so far as known no fatalities resulted.” (UP. “Terrific Storm Sweeping…Country.” Freeport Journal-Standard, IL, 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “San Antonio, Tex., Jan 12.–Following the heaviest snowfall in twenty-five years the mercury in south Texas early today registered from five to ten degrees above zero. While the temperature was its lowest in this section of the state, below zero weather in the Texas Panhandle caused much suffering to stock on open ranges. In west Texas, where last summer’s drought left a shortage of food, cattle suffering was reported as serious. Although some telephone and telegraph wires were down throughout the state, no serious delay was reported by the transmission companies nor any towns cut off from the outside world entirely. With the mercury 26 above in Dallas this morning the coldest temperature was reported since 1899. At noon the mercury was climbing and the weather bureau believed the backbone of the worst Texas blizzard in history was broken. However, a bright sun was shining on the six inches of snow covering the state.” (United Press. “Terrific Storm Sweeping Entire Country.” Freeport Journal-Standard, IL, 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “Terre Haute, Jan 12….The foregoing [temperatures ranging from 16 at 8 a.m. to 3 at 7 p.m.] are the records registered in Terre Haute yesterday at the government weather bureau office, which marked the coldest day on record for Terre Haute. Meteorologist W. R. Cade, after announcing the coldest day last night, gave a slender hope of relief when he said that the indications were that today would result in a rise in temperature….There was almost a suspension of business as well as traffic. Most of the down town stores closed at 6 o’clock and the business district was all but deserted during the night.
“After spilling at least as much snow Friday in Terre Haute…the northwest wind…Picking it up from yards and sweeping it off of roofs, the blizzard stacked it on sidewalks and in streets….The continually shifting drifts hampered traffic in every case where it did not entirely stop it….” (Terre Haute Sunday Star, IN. “Terre Haute Experiences Coldest Day of Record. Blizzard Ties Up Rail Traffic of Central West,” 1-13-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12, Urbana & Champaign, IL: “No trains nor Interurban cars are running out of th city–two on Big Four and several on Wabash marooned in drifts–no relief in sight….Minimum temperature today–21 below at 7 a.m. Maximum velocity of wind–20 miles an hour at 7 o’clock last evening and 7 o’clock this morning. Forecast–continued cold tomorrow.
“The Twin Cities [Urbana/Champaign] are isolated today as the result of the worst blizzard in years with a wind that at times approached the velocity of a gale, raging all night, and temperature that reached a minimum of 21 degrees below zero the storm paralyzed railway traffic, both steam and interurban, interrupted wire communication and played havoc in general. Business in Urbana was practically suspended today. It was impossible to heat many offices and some of the tenants remained at home. There having been no trains in the city during the night, mail carriers were not sent out on their routes, excepting for a delivery in the business district of mail that had arrived late yesterday afternoon. The rural carriers were also kept in. Drifts in the country are impassable and efforts to cover routes would have been useless as well as dangerous….” (Urbana Daily Courier, IL. “Urbana is Helpless in Grip of Blizzard.” 1-12-1918, p. 1.)
Jan 12: “….Vicksburg, Miss., reported four degrees above zero….” (Lima Daily News, OH. “Ten Persons Dead.” 1-13-1918, p. 2.)
Jan 14: “Indianapolis, Jan. 14–All grade schools ordered closed for a week on account of coal shortage. Five dead at Hammond and three dead at Ft. Wayne as a result of the storm. A hundred thousand men are idle in the Calumet district because of the blizzard. Three hundred cars relief coal demanded by fifteen counties.” (Logansport Pharos-Reporter, IN. “Death In Storm,” 1-14-1918, p. 3.)
Jan 14: “Memphis, TN., Jan. 14.–This city was facing a real crisis today, when rain, which fell all night on top of a four-inch snow, threatened to coat the city with ice as the thermometer gradually dropped. There is only three days’ supply of coal in the city, and Kentucky mines from which the chief supply comes, are closed because of the storm. All day yesterday consumers hauled home small loads of coal in automobiles, wagons and wheelbarrows. Dealers reported that well-dressed women helped their husbands haul sacks of coal to their autos. School are closed, transportation is still almost paralyzed, and there is considerable suffering. Many Tennessee towns are facing fuel famines.” (Anniston Star, AL. “Memphis Facing Crucial Time This Week.” 1-14-1918, p. 1.)
Sources
Anniston Star, AL. “Dead From Storm Totals Ten Persons,” 1-13-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/anniston-star-jan-13-1918-p-1/
Anniston Star, AL. “Memphis Facing Crucial Time This Week.” 1-14-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/anniston-star-jan-14-1918-p-1/
Anniston Star, AL. “Middle West is In Grip of Big Blizzard. Many Are Dead and Hundreds Suffer From Cold in Chicago.” 1-13-1918, p. 2. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/anniston-star-jan-13-1918-p-2/
Athens Banner, GA. “Athens Cut Off From Outside World By Storm. Blizzard Rages Through Dixie Land Today.” 1-12-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/athens-banner-jan-12-1918-p-1/
Athens Banner, GA. “First Snow in Fifteen Years in New Orleans.” 1-12-1918, p. 5. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/athens-banner-jan-12-1918-p-5/
Athens Banner, GA. “West in Throes of Fierce Freeze.” 1-12-1918, p. 5. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/athens-banner-jan-12-1918-p-5/
Burlington Gazette, IA. “Chicago Marooned by Fierce Blizzard.” 1-12-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/burlington-burlington-gazette-jan-12-1918-p-1/
Byers, M. “1918 Midwest Blizzard Disaster.” Indiana Disasters. May 2014. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: http://indianadisasters.blogspot.com/2014/05/1918-midwest-blizzard-disaster.html
Coshocton Tribune, OH. “Ohio Man Freezes.” 1-13-1918, p. 2. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/coshocton-tribune-jan-13-1918-p-2/
Defiance Crescent-News, OH. “Defiance Emerges From Winter Storm that Isolated City from Outside World.” 1-14-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/defiance-crescent-news-jan-14-1918-p-1/
Evening Review, East Liverpool, OH. “Ceramic City [East Liverpool] Is In Grip Of King Winter,” 1-12-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/east-liverpool-evening-review-jan-12-1918-p-1/
Fort Wayne News, IN. “Fort Wayne Emerging From Blizzard — Cost Three Lives.” 1-14-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-wayne-news-and-sentinel-jan-14-1918-p-9/
Fort Wayne News, IN. “Mercury Falls to 20 Below Zero. One Man Dead and Hundreds Suffer Frost Bites in Record Cold.” 1-12-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-wayne-news-and-sentinel-jan-12-1918-p-1/
Goshen Daily Democrat, IN. “Fell Dead At His Home.” 1-14-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/goshen-daily-democrat-jan-14-1918-p-1/
Goshen Daily Democrat, IN. “One Life Lost.” 1-14-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/goshen-daily-democrat-jan-14-1918-p-1/
Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.
Hutchinson News, KS. “Three Frozen to Death in Storm in Colorado.” 1-14-1918, p. 9. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hutchinson-news-jan-14-1918-p-11/
Joplin Globe, MO. “Kansan Frozen to Death.” 1-13-1918, p. 4. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/joplin-sunday-globe-jan-13-1918-p-4/
Joplin Globe, MO. “Middle West in Grip of Worst Storm of Winter.” 1-12-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/joplin-globe-jan-12-1918-p-1/
Joplin Globe, MO. “Storm Causes Five Deaths in Michigan.” 1-13-1918, 4. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/joplin-sunday-globe-jan-13-1918-p-4/
Joplin Globe, MO. “Temperature 15 Below at Topeka Last Night.” 1-12-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/joplin-globe-jan-12-1918-p-1/
Kokomo Daily Tribune, IN. “Two Dead From Cold,” 1-15-1918, p. 17. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/kokomo-daily-tribune-jan-15-1918-p-17/
Lima Daily News, OH. “Ten Persons Dead.” 1-13-1918, p. 2. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lima-daily-news-jan-13-1918-p-2/
Logansport Pharos-Reporter, IN. “Death In Storm,” 1-14-1918, p. 3. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/logansport-pharos-reporter-jan-14-1918-p-3/
Monmouth Daily Atlas, IL. “Oklahoma Under One Great Snow Blanket.” 1-12-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/monmouth-daily-atlas-jan-12-1918-p-2/
National Weather Service, Louisville, KY Weather Forecast Office. The Brutal Winter of 1917-1918. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://www.weather.gov/lmk/december_1917_january_1918
Terre Haute Sunday Star, IN. “Coldest in 20 Years.” 1-13-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/terre-haute-sunday-star-jan-13-1918-p-1/
Terre Haute Sunday Star, IN. “Terre Haute Experiences Coldest Day of Record. Blizzard Ties Up Rail Traffic of Central West,” 1-13-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/terre-haute-sunday-star-jan-13-1918-p-1/
Terre Haute Sunday Star, IN. “Three Deaths Reported in Indiana as Result of Cold…” 1-13-1918, 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/terre-haute-sunday-star-jan-13-1918-p-1/
United Press. “16 Dead, Many Hurt, In Storm.” Des Moines News, IA, 1-13-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/des-moines-daily-news-jan-13-1918-p-1/
United Press. “Cold Weather is to Continue Until Monday.” Freeport Daily Journal-Standard, IL, 1-12-1918, p. 9. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/freeport-journal-standard-jan-12-1918-p-9/
United Press. “Terrific Storm Sweeping Entire Country.” Freeport Journal-Standard, IL, 1-12-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/freeport-journal-standard-jan-12-1918-p-1/
Urbana Daily Courier, IL. “Urbana is Helpless in Grip of Blizzard.” 1-12-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/urbana-daily-courier-jan-12-1918-p-1/
Warren Morning Chronicle, PA. “Cleveland Reports That Four Are Dead.” 1-13-1918, p. 1. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/warren-morning-chronicle-jan-13-1918-p-1/
Further Reading
Hoersten, Greg. “Reminisce: The Blizzard of 1918.” Lima News, OH. 1-10-2018. Accessed 9-6-2018 at: https://www.limaohio.com/features/lifestyle/279674/the-blizzard-of-1918-2
Ohio History. Severe Weather in Ohio. “January 12, 1918: Statewide Blizzard.” Accessed 9-7-2018 at: http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/swio/pages/content/1918_blizzard.htm
Schmidlin, Thomas W. and Jeanne Appelhans Schmidlin. Thunder in the Heartland: A Chronicle of Outstanding Weather Events in Ohio. Kent State University Press, 1996, 362 pages. Partially digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=QANPLARGXFMC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Smith, Daniel. “History Lesson: Blizzard of 1918.” Courier & Press, Evansville, IN. 1-4-2018. Accessed 9-7-2018 at: https://www.courierpress.com/story/life/2018/01/04/history-lesson-blizzard-1918/997499001/
[1] Yellow highlighting denotes not included in our tally. Tornadoes stuck in Dothan and Troy (or China Grove) on Jan 11 killing a teacher and seven of 40 students in a rural school in Dothan, and one man in a small home in China Grove, Pike County (which is also where Troy is located). Grazulis 1993, p. 757.
[2] United Press. “16 Dead, Many Hurt, In Storm.” Des Moines News, IA, 1-13-1918, p. 1.
[3] “…frozen to death on the prairie near Inman, Colo. …The three bought railroad tickets…for Inman, where Mrs. Bermg said her sister-in-law was dangerously ill. When the train neared Inman, the conductor tried to persuade them to go on to Arlington, or Haswell, because of the severe blizzard that was raging. Mrs. Bermg refused, however, and they got off at Inman. Inman is seventy-five miles east of Pueblo…The country around is sparsely settled…The three are believed to have gotten lost in the high wind and snow and wandered in a circle, as the bodies were found only a short distance from where they started.” (Hutchinson News, KS. “Three Frozen to Death in Storm in Colorado.” 1-14-1918, p. 9.)
[4] Lima Daily News, OH. “Ten Persons Dead.” 1-13-1918, p. 2. Yellow highlighting denotes we do not use in our total in that the death was the result of a tornado which hit before the cold temperatures set in. (Grazulis 1993, 757)
[5] Another source, apparently referencing a tornado or tornado-like winds, wrote: “Webb, Ala. One killed and estimated seventy injured in destruction of store and other buildings.” (Anniston Star, AL. “Dead From Storm Totals Ten Persons,” 1-13-1918, p. 1.) See also Grazulis (1193, p. 757). Thus we do not count and highlight in yellow.
[6] Highlighted in yellow to denote we do not use due to skepticism and lake of corroboration.
[7] Kokomo Daily Tribune, IN. “Two Dead From Cold,” 1-15-1918, p. 17.
[8] Kokomo Daily Tribune, IN. “Two Dead From Cold,” 1-15-1918, p. 17.
[9] Fort Wayne News, IN. “Mercury Falls to 20 Below Zero. One Man Dead and Hundreds Suffer…” 1-12-1918, p. 1. This appears to be reference to death of George W. Centis, “Electric works; fell dead on reaching work from over-exertion fighting his way through storm.” (Fort Wayne News, IN. “Fort Wayne Emerging From Blizzard — Cost Three Lives.” 1-14-1918, p. 1.)
[10] Fort Wayne News, IN. “Fort Wayne Emerging From Blizzard — Cost Three Lives.” 1-14-1918, p. 1.
[11] Fort Wayne News, IN. “Fort Wayne Emerging From Blizzard — Cost Three Lives.” 1-14-1918, p. 1.
[12] Terre Haute Star, IN. “Coldest in 20 Years.” 1-13-1918, p. 1. Noted dead as Charles Loring and Frank Struck. Another account differs on circumstances of the Loring death: “Charles A. Loring of South Bend fell dead at the door of his home of heart failure, following exposure to the severe storm of Saturday morning….” (Goshen Daily Democrat, IN. “Fell Dead At His Home.” 1-14-1918, p. 1.)
[13] Goshen Daily Democrat, IN. “One Life Lost.” 1-14-1918, p. 1. “W. F. Carr, of South Bend, was killed…when a snowplow operated by the Northern Indiana Railway Co. turned over in a snow bank at the Indiana and Michigan state line at 9:30 p.m. Saturday [Jan 12]…The plow had been sent north of South Bend to clear a path for an interurban car and had started toward Niles, Mich., when it struck a drift six feet high. The plow ran full speed into the drift, raised upward, prow foremost, and turned turtle…”
[14] Police found the body “after Lybarger’s family had reported him missing.” (Joplin Globe, MO. “Kansan Frozen to Death.” 1-13-1918, p. 4.)
[15] Joplin Globe, MO. “Storm Causes Five Deaths in Michigan.” 1-13-1918, 4. How this was storm related not noted.
[16] Joplin Globe, MO. “Storm Causes Five Deaths in Michigan.” 1-13-1918, 4.
[17] “…conductor and a brakeman, while protecting the rear end of their train stalled in a drift in Jackson county, were struck and killed by another train.” (Joplin Globe, MO. “Storm Causes Five Deaths in Michigan.” 1-13-1918, 4.)
[18] Evening Review, East Liverpool, OH. “Ceramic City [East Liverpool] Is In Grip Of King Winter,” 1-12-1918, p.1.
[19] Coshocton Tribune, OH. “Ohio Man Freezes.” 1-13-1918, p. 2.
[20] Evening Review, East Liverpool, OH. “Ceramic City [East Liverpool] Is In Grip Of King Winter,” 1-12-1918, p.1.
[21] “Toledo was stormbound with the mercury at 15 degrees below zero. Scores of persons were badly frost bitten. Two woman became unconscious from the cold and one man was frozen to death.”
[22] Schmidlin. Thunder in the Heartland: A Chronicle of Outstanding Weather Events in Ohio. 1996, p. 24.
[23] “Four lives were lost and great damage done to the growing vegetables and orchards of Texas in a storm that blanketed the northern section of the state with six inches of snow.”
[24] Highlighted in yellow to denote we do not use in our tally in that we have not been able to substantiate.