The Lowden News, Lowden, Iowa January 23, 1936
Transcribed by Sharon Elijah, January 5, 2020

COLD WAVE GRIPS STATE; MURCURY HITS 25 BELOW
Heavy Wind Drifts Snow 8 to 10 Feet Deep: Roads Blocked

     Thermometers registered 25 degrees below zero in Lowden at 10 o’clock last night, breaking all former records according to older Lowden residents. Although no snow fell during the day, snowdrifts were transferred from one place to another by a high-powered gale from the northwest which swept this territory from early morning until midnight last night. Traffic was completely blocked on all roads running north and south.

     Country students were absent from their classes in high school yesterday and today. Trinity school closed yesterday and today. Many rural schools were forced to close. One rural teacher barely escaped death by freezing yesterday when she attempted to walk to her school southeast of Bennett.

     Many persons suffered frozen feet, hands and faces, but no casualties have been reported in this community. Farmers, some of them living only a mile from town, walked to Lowden today. Drifts, six and eight feet high were reported.

     Miss Helen Busch, 20, of Tipton, rural teacher, had a narrow escape from death by freezing Wednesday as she attempted to walk to her school four miles southeast of Bennett after leaving an automobile in which she had ridden from Tipton with Miss Dorothy Mitchell, another teacher.

     After battling drifts for a quarter of a mile, she fell exhausted. A farmer saw her collapse and she was rescued. Taken to the home of Theodore Linder, she was found to have frozen hands and feet. She was recovering at the Linder home today.

     At Milwaukee, Wis., the two-months-old son of Earl Harling, a PWA worker, froze to death in his crib, when the temperature dropped to 21 degrees below zero.

     At Manchester, Iowa, a stray hound was discovered this morning frozen to death on a road adjoining the fairgrounds. All four feet were on the snow-covered ground, and the dog had frozen to death standing up. It is believed the animal became exhausted in his search for shelter.

     Physicians today sought to save the frozen hands of Charles Meyers, 70, of West Liberty, who was discovered after a dog’s bark attracted attention to the aged man as he lay stunned after a fall yesterday. The left hand was badly frozen, but it is hoped that amputation of the fingers will be unnecessary.

     With the mercury at 30 below zero and fire hydrants frozen, firemen in Stanwood had difficulty in checking a blaze at the A. E. Paist pool hall last night. Considerable damage was done before the flames were extinguished. The fire started from an overheated flue.

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The Lowden News, Lowden, Iowa January 30, 1936

ROADS BLOCKED BY SNOW FOLLOWING HEAVY WIND

     Roads were again blocked with snow here following a heavy wind that started to blow last night and continued throughout today. Drifts that had been recently opened were again filled. Cars and trucks were stalled in this vicinity this afternoon and very little hope of having the roads cleared for several days is looked for.

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