Heavy January Snow – 1907
LOGGING CAMPS ARE SHUT DOWN
Four Feet of Snow in Big Blackfoot Country Stops All Work – Other Camps Probably Closed.
All the logging camps of the Big Blackfoot Milling company have been shut down and are likely to stay shut to some days. There is over four feet of snow on the level in the woods. The logging train can not run and the men are unable to work with any degree of convenience. The snow is the heaviest in years and will probably affect the spring work on the river considerably.
No word can be obtained from any other camps than those of that company but it is believed that every logging camp in western Montana, both in the Couer d’Alenes and up the Bitter Root has been closed. The snowfall in the Coeur d’Alenes in the past week has broken all records while that in the Bitter Root is rather heavier than it has been here in the open valley. The Big Blackfoot management is unable to state at what time it will become possible to resume work in the camps but it is feared that it will be some time since with the logging railroad blocked, what work is accomplished will be much hampered. Lumbermen are often hindered by the lack of snow but very seldom by a superabundance and although the present state of affairs is inconvenient, the lumbermen have the assurance that they will have water enough for the drives in the spring.
AN UNPRECEDENTED SNOW FALL
The snowfall in this city and vicinity in the last few days has exceeded that of any other year since 1888. The ground is covered with over 20 inches on the south flats while in town the snow is fully 16 inches deep. Practically all the canyons which lead down out of the hills to the Missoula valleys are blocked and the ranchers and settlers of the outlying districts are entirely cut off from communications with the city.
There has been almost no wind yet but the snow which has already fallen is so light that, should a blizzard strike this section now it would make outdoor life impossible. There are 10 inches of light new snow just waiting to be blown about and a high wind would surely produce disastrous results.
The above 2 articles appeared in The Missoula Herald Wednesday Evening, January 30, 1907