100 Years Ago This Week: Feb. 3-9

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, February 5: The severe cold weather which has gripped Indianapolis for the past week has led to a shortage of coal and has overtaxed gas supplies. The inability of school heating plants to supply sufficient heat to the classrooms at Shortridge High School and twenty-five elementary schools forced the dismissal of 12,000 pupils today because of the frigid temperatures. Schools have only a small supply of coal on hand, and the coal companies are having much trouble in making deliveries because their drivers refuse to work while the temperature is so low. The cold has also hampered coal delivery to the yards by the railroads. The blizzard conditions yesterday left locomotives struggling with snow drifts across steam railroad lines and the low temperatures greatly decreased the power of the engines.