1935 — March 15-22, Dust Storms, MO, NE, NM, esp. KS/8 deaths, CO/6, TX/1 — 15
–15 Blanchard tally of State breakouts below.
–13 AP. “Dust storms…still causing much damage.” Portsmouth Herald, NH, 3-21-1935, p1.[1]
–12 Newark Advocate (OH). “Dust Storms Whip Across Middle-West,” 3-21-1935, p. 1.
Colorado (6)
— 6 National Weather Service, NOAA. “On this Day in Weather History…March 25th.”
— 6 Springfield and Lamar, by March 22. AP. “Black Blizzard Brings Death in its Wake.”[2]
— 5 SE CO, March 17-22. “Dust pneumonia.” UP “Dust Pneumonia in Wake of…Storms.”[3]
Kansas (8)
— 8 Blanchard tally of breakouts below.
— 1 Delphos area farm, March 15. Male, 73; dust strangulation (coroner’s jury finding).[4]
— 1 Graham Co., by March 19. Female, 2-months; pneumonia attributed to dust inhalation.[5]
— 1 Hays area, March 15. Boy, 7, suffocated outside, ¼ mile from home after getting lost.[6]
— 1 Hays, March 15-16th. Boy, 2; pneumonia deriving from dust inhalation (physician).[7]
— 1 Hutchinson area, March 15. Automobile accident.[8]
— 1 Kansas City, March 15-16. Automobile accident.[9]
— 1 Nickerson~, March 15. Car had gone into ditch in storm; killed by car he sought to warn.[10]
— 1 Palco, Rooks County, by March 19. Girl, 13, pneumonia attributed to dust inhalation.[11]
Texas (1)
–1 San Antonio, 16th. Male pedestrian, 41, hit by car; driver said he was blinded by dust.[12]
Narrative Information
NWS: “1935: Suffocating dust storms occurred frequently in southeast Colorado between the 12th and the 25th of the month. Six people died, and many livestock starved or suffocated. Up to six feet of dust covered the ground. Schools were closed, and many rural homes were deserted by tenants.” (NWS, NOAA. “On this Day in Weather History…March 25th.”)
March 21, Newark Advocate, OH: “Kansas City, March 21.—(AP)—Stifling- dust storms shrouded the advent of spring from eastern New Mexico to the Great Lakes today. Powdered soil—white, yellow, red and black—whipped up from drought scourged prairies by equinoctial winds, hampered traffic, closed schools, hid the sun with a veil three miles thick and spilled across the Mississippi eastward bound.
“Nauseating to many, it beat relentlessly upon the senses of taste, touch, sight and smell….
“A dozen deaths, due to suffocations, dust-induced pneumonia and traffic accidents have been charged to the disturbances over affected states in the past week.
“A fringe of the dust storm reached Chicago last midnight, sweeping into Illinois behind rain and hail which killed chickens and smashed windows at Jacksonville, and injured a field worker near Greenfield. Airplane pilots carried on under difficulty. The weather bureau at Washington reported dust clouds were hanging over the Atlantic seaboard.
“Schools closed in several communities of western Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas. Freight trains rolled to sidings at the height of the storm and passenger trains traveled through semidarkness under slow orders. Low visibility grounded planes at many points. Motorists drove with headlights on—the bulbs shedding a feeble blue glow in the haze. Sand ground into car engines swelled garage repair business. The Kansas highway commission closed three cross state routes to prevent the possibility of further fatal accidents.
“Wheat prices jumped from 2 to 3 ¼ cents a bushel as winds cut into dry southwestern fields. Governor Alf M. Landon of Kansas appealed to President Roosevelt for federal aid and the AAA. In a move Secretary Wallace described as intended to protect consumers, lifted restrictions on the planting of spring wheat.
“Livestock suffered. Dust drifts covered fences in southeastern Wyoming. Kansas City observers found dust at an altitude of l6,000 feet.” (Newark Advocate (OH). “Dust Storms Whip Across Middle-West,” March 21, 1935, p. 1.)
Sources
Amarillo Globe, TX. “Sandstorm Victim Dies of Injuries” (AP). 3-18-1935, p. 5. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/texas/amarillo/amarillo-globe/1935/03-18/page-5?tag
Associated Press. “Black Blizzard Brings Death in its Wake.” Beatrice Daily Sun, NE, 3-24-1935, p. 1. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/nebraska/beatrice/beatrice-daily-sun/1935/03-24?tag
Associated Press. “Dust storms are still causing much damage.” Portsmouth Herald, NH, 3-21-1935, p. 1. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/new-hampshire/portsmouth/portsmouth-herald-and-times/1935/03-21?tag
Associated Press. “Loss from Big Storm is Severe. Dust Thick.” Helena Independent, MT, 3-21-1935, p. 1. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/montana/helena/helena-independent-record/1935/03-21?tag
Atchison Daily Globe, KS “State Digs Out of Dust Storm” (AP), 3-16-1935. p. 1. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/kansas/atchison/atchison-daily-globe/1935/03-16?tag
Hutchinson News. “Worst Dust Storm Causes Loss of Life and Property.” 3-16-1935, p. 1. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/kansas/hutchinson/hutchinson-news/1935/03-16?tag
International News Service. “Dust Storm Speeding East.” Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana, PA. 3-21-1935, p. 2. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/pennsylvania/indiana/indiana-evening-gazette/1935/03-21/page-2?tag
Lawrence Daily Journal, KS. “Blame Death of Recluse on a Severe Dust Storm” (AP), 3-28-1935, p. 1. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/kansas/lawrence/lawrence-journal-world/1935/03-18?tag
National Weather Service, NOAA. “On this Day in Weather History…March 25th.” Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://www.weather.gov/abr/This_Day_in_Weather_History_Mar_25
Newark Advocate, OH. “Dust Storms Whip Across Middle-West,” March 21, 1935, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=8322253
Twin Falls Daily News, ID. “Snow and Dust Take Four Lives. Child Suffocated in Kansas; Three Persons Killed in Accidents” (AP). 3-17-1935, p. 1. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/idaho/twin-falls/twin-falls-daily-news/1935/03-17?tag
United Press, Springfield, CO. “Dust Pneumonia in Wake of the Storms.” Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO, 3-22-1935, p. 5. Accessed 11-21-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/us/missouri/jefferson-city/jefferson-city-post-tribune/1935/03-22/page-5?tag
[1] After noting death of 2-year-old boy from pneumonia induced by dust-inhalation, writes “A dozen other deaths due to the dust and the clouds were charged against disturbances over effected states in the past week.”
[2] AP. “Black Blizzard Brings Death in its Wake.” Beatrice Daily Sun, NE, 3-24-1935, p. 1.
[3] UP, Springfield, CO. “Dust Pneumonia in Wake of the Storms.” Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO, 3-22-1935, p. 5. Writes that besides the deaths “scores of others were ill.” Also notes: “County relief headquarters reported 48 cases of ‘dust pneumonia’ had developed among those on relief. Many were critically iss. During the last five days seven separate dust storms have blown through this section….Those who can afford to leave have gone to othr parts of the state to await a let-up in the storm…”
[4] Lawrence Daily Journal, KS. “Blame Death of Recluse on a Severe Dust Storm” (AP), 3-28-1935, p. 1.
[5] AP. “Loss from Big Storm…” Helena Independent, MT, 3-21-1935, p. 1. Victim was Shirley Ann Frazier.
[6] Twin Falls Daily News, ID. “Snow and Dust Take Four Lives. Child Suffocated in Kansas…” 3-17-1935, p. 1. Identifies victim as Khile Salmon.
[7] AP. “Dust storms are still causing much damage.” Portsmouth Herald, NH, 3-21-1935, p. 1. Identified victim as Joseph Bernard Meier.
[8] Atchison Daily Globe, KS “State Digs Out of Dust Storm” (AP), 3-16-1935. p. 1.
[9] Twin Falls Daily News, ID. “Snow and Dust Take Four Lives. Child Suffocated in Kansas…” 3-17-1935, p. 1.
[10] Hutchinson News. “Worst Dust Storm Causes Loss of Life and Property.” 3-16-1935, p. 1. Writes: “A mad inferno of blowing sand set up a death-trap for motorists on Highway 96, three and one-half miles west of Nickerson last night, and W. S. Leonard, 51, Wichita…was killed at about 9 o’clock. The fatal accident occurred before the densest dust storm moved in, and came about because of blowing sand into which motorists drove before they knew of its existence….[a] companion of Leonard said today that he and…[Leonard] were returning from Hoisington when their car suddenly pierced the sand-blow and went into the ditch. A trailer was left on the highway. Two cars were approaching from the east…Leonard got out of the car and stepped onto the highway to warn the motorists when a second car…struck him.
[11] AP. “Loss from…Storm…” Helena Independent, MT, 3-21-1935, p. 1. Identified victim as Bernita Towns.
[12] Amarillo Globe, TX. “Sandstorm Victim Dies of Injuries” (AP). 3-18-1935, p. 5.