Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1897 — WINTER SWOOPS DOWN. [ARTICLE]

WINTER SWOOPS DOWN.

Etinging Cold Sweeps Over the Country l from the Northwest. Old winter started across the country Friday. It rode a cold wave that swept down from the Klondike at the rate of 1,000 mUes a day. It crossed the line from the British dominions into Montana and North Dakota, tingled the ears of SL Paul, and by Saturday morning was blowing its wintry breath on Chicago, causing the mercury to drop over 40 degrees in leas than twenty-four hours. Medicine Hat was proud of itself Friday. It had the reputation of being the coldest town on the continent, and it stuck itself full of plumes. The mercury went into its burrow for the winter’s hibernating. 'TE got as far as 22 degrees below zero, and during the day never got its head out of its hole, for the highest point it reached was 12 degrees below zero. Medicine Hat is jnst across the line from Montana, but the best that could be done on the American side was 6 below at Havre and Bismarck. Uncle Sam’s thermometer at Havre nearly disgraced itself, for its silver column actually got as high as 0 during the day. But Medicine Hat’s glory may be short Hved. Away off to the northwest are the stations of Battleford and Edmiston, which generally hold the record. Edmiston has long had the reputation of being the breeding place of the blizzard, but that distinction may be wrested from it when the wires bring Dawson City and Point Barrow within hearing distance. At Calgary, west of Medicine Hat, and at Swift Current on the east the thermometers registered 20 below, while Winnipeg came trailing after with a record of 12 below. Helena, St. Paul and Duluth felt the breath of old Boreas, the mercury slipping well down toward zero.