O’Neill Snow—1953 Style!
This page of pictures graphically tells the
story of the 48-hour snowstorm that screeched
•across north Nebraska last Thursday and Friday,
February 19 and 20, and dumped mountains of
snow on the O’Neill locality — the third major
assault by Ol’ Man Winter in four years and
oiie that will be long remembered. Snowfall var
iously estimated from 14 to 18 inches fell as the
result of a freakish twist in the weatner. urms
up to 18 feet high were left in the heart of the
city, all railroads and highways were blocked,
O’Neill residents were out of power for to 12
hours, and all of north Nebraska was isolated
from the outside world because of crippled tele
phone and telegraph lines.
This freakish snow formation
(at left) protruded four feet
from the roof of the Clauson
building. (Formation also vis
ible in photo of Consumers
building on this page.)
i
All Photos by
THE FRONTIER
JOHN H. McCARVILLE
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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City street crows lost no time in undertaking the colossal job of snow removal. Photo looking
east on Douglas street at 10 a-rru, Friday.
Truck rumbles through the half-mile long drift at the John Dick farm, where U.S. highway
20 traffic was tied-up. After the 1948-'49 recurring blizzards there were layers of ice requiring
three days' work for the rotary snowplows. The '53 sncw was soft and light and plows sailed
through before the snow had a chance to settle. Photo taken Saturday afternoon.
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Only car in a row in front of Golden hotel that escaped complete submersion by giant drifts.
Remember 1948-'49? This Golden hotel corner scene following a big snow and blow is tossed
in for readers to make their own comparisons.
Intense weight of snow forced collapse of 50-foot aluminum canopy at C onsumers Public Power building. The marque buckled during the height of
the storm, no one was hurt, plate glass windows were not broken.
"No Parking" sign went unheeded by weather-beaten wayfarers who gave up Thursday before peak of storm. All parking stalls were filled and ma
chines buried. (Note circle which points out thin auto antennae.) Jacket atop car belongs to owner—an Alaskan—who has started to dig.