Volume 10 , Issue 26

Snowstorm of '48 In NW Oklahoma

The Oklahoman, dated 1948, Nov. 29, page 1, had these headlines on the frontpage: "Storm Over, Utility Crews Rush Repairs In Northwest Area," "Clear, Warmer Weather Is Due In State Today," "Ice, Winds Combine To Isolate Towns, Some Roads Still Bad."

This news clipping is what we found on the frontpage headlines of the November, 1948, of The Oklahoman -- Northwest Oklahoma was suffering from ice storms that crippled telephone and power service to many communities in the northwest of the state.

"Wide areas of northwest Oklahoma lay crippled sunday night after severe ice storms cut off telephone and power service to many communities. Clinging ice broke power and communications wires after Saturday night's snowstorms had swept the entire northwest part of the state and parts of central Oklahoma.

Observers said the ice storm was one of the worst in this state in several years.

Broken wires disrupted electric service to 43 Oklahoma communities. The same number of towns had no long distance telephone service Sunday night.

Repair Crews at Work
Repair crews from Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. and Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. rushed into the stricken areas early sunday morning. They continued to work sunday night. Nearly 400 men were needed for the job. The power company said it hopes to restore all service by sometime Monday. But the telephone company said its lines may not be completely repaired for two or three days.

Although the weekend storms of ice snow and rain crippled parts of the state, wheat farmers over Oklahoma welcomed the moisture which fell in nearly every county.

In some counties rain and snow were called a "million-dollar blessing" for wheat which has struggled for water all autumn.

No Roads Blocked by Snow
No highways were blocked by snow sunday night. But the highway department and the highway patrol said many country roads were impassable completely bogged with mud.

The storm, second winter blast to it Oklahoma in two weeks, apparently had spent itself sunday night. The weatherman predicted fair weather for the entire state Monday. Temperatures will rise to the 45-50 range, he said. Snow Saturday night and early sunday fell mostly north of US66 and west of US77, the highway department reported.

Woodward got the most. five inches were recorded there. Buffalo reported three inches. Perry three inches. Watonga two inches and Ponca City an inch.

Snow Falls Here
In Oklahoma City, snow fell between 12:15 a.m. and 9:58 a.m. sunday. Much of it melted as it hit the ground but patches of white spotted the city sunday morning. Total moisture in Oklahoma City from Saturday's rain and the snow which followed was 1.09 inches, the airport weather station said. Southwestern Bell rushed 200 construction crewmen into the northwest sunday night to repair damaged long distance lines. The company counted 5,000 broken wires, 300 broken poles and 500 broken cross-arms.

Long distance breaks isolated five towns served by Bell and another 38 served by independent companies. Bell exchanges cut off from the outside sunday night were Forgan, Cherokee, Alva, Fairview and Carmen.

Private Company Hit
At the same time, there was no telephone service to Fort Supply, Laverne, Fairmont, Carrier, Goltry, Helena, Lambert, Douglas, Marshall, Drummond, Anes (sp. Ames), Okeene, Southard, Mutual, Cestos, Lahoma, Meno, Ringold, Hitchcock, Watonga, Hillsdale, Nash, Jet, Hunter, Salt Fork, Lamont, Manchester, Gibson,Wakita, Clyde, Breckenridge, Garber, Burlington, Driftwood, Byron, Amorita, Billings and Lucien.

These communities in the northwest are served by private telephone companies. Southwestern said some 1,500 local phones were knocked out in Enid, El Reno, Fairview, Woodward, Cherokee, Alva, Kremlin and Medford. The same troubles plagued OG&E. Ice up to three inches on power lines in the northwest plunged 43 communities into darkness.

The power company sent 125 workmen and a 12-man engineering staff into the areas to restore service.

No Power at Alva
Four crews went from Oklahoma City. Others were sent from Durant, Shawnee, Ardmore and Norman. They took with them equipment to dig pole holes and restring long sections of wire.

A power line running from Woodward to the city water wells, four miles northeast there, snapped under the ice. Water service was not halted, however, because the reservoir kept water running into the mains. A standby plant kept service uninterrupted in Woodward.

Alva had no power sunday. A small standby plant generated enough power only for emergency needs there.

Other communities cut off from OG&E service: Geary, Greenfield, Loyal, Hitchcock, Eagle City, Oakwood, Canton, Watonga, Ames, Ringwood, Meno, Lahoma, Goltry, Helena,....."
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