Schoolchildren's Blizzard | Into the Swirling White | 2

0:00A listener note, Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research. This series contains depictions of violence and death involving children, and may not be suitable for everyone.

0:23Maria Albrecht opens the kitchen door of her farmhouse and steps out onto her porch. She peers up at the vast sky above the Midwestern prairie, taking in a deep breath. It's January 12th, 1888, near the town of Freeman in the Dakota Territory. At this time of year, she'd expect icy winds to be blowing across the plains. But the air is quite warm. It must be 40 degrees warmer than yesterday. But there's something unsettling about it. The sky disturbs her most of all. Along the western horizon, clouds are gathering. They roll and twist in the sky, almost as if they're alive. A shiver shoots down her spine.

1:07She hollers towards the barn, where her husband is working. Johan, come inside. Now. She heads inside. Back in her kitchen, she finds her sons, 13-year-old Johan Jr. and 9-year-old Peter, finishing their breakfast of sausages and cornbread. Maria looks at each of them. You're not going to school today. I don't like this weather. Johan Jr. protests. But Mom, Mr. Cotton promised us a special lesson. We're going to do an experiment with magnets. You are not going to school today. But we have to. Maria flushes red with anger. Her children complain every day about going to school, and on the one day she wants to keep them home, they argue.

1:53Thankfully, she hears the door open and turns to see her husband, wiping his oily hands on a rag. He looks grumpy at being interrupted. What's this fuss about? I want the whole family to stay inside today. I don't trust that sky. You crazy? It's the warmest day of the winter. I've got work to do. Maria narrows her eyes at him. Please, something sinister is afoot. I can feel it. But her husband shakes his head. No, I don't want to hear about your superstitions. Boys, head to school. Yes! Johann Jr. whoops in delight and grabs his schoolbooks, racing out the door. Maria is stunned and furious at her husband for undermining her, but he just shrugs and returns outside.

2:43She stands there for a moment, seething. Then she sees her son's hat and gloves on the table. He forgot them. She grabs them, but it's too late. He's already a hundred yards down the road. A moment later, she feels Peter hug her waist. I'll stay home if you want, Mama. This touches Maria. She pulls Peter tighter and strokes his hair. But she's still uneasy. She'd never admit it, but Johan Jr. has a special place in her heart. She gave birth to him on the ship to America. He was her first child to survive, the one who broke the curse of her first three babies' deaths. and she's sure he's running off into something terrible.

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4:35From Wondery, I'm Mike Corey, and this is Against the Odds.

4:48The morning of January 12th, 1888. Dawn bright and warm. A welcome reprieve from the deep chill of winter in the American Midwest. Children ran off to school without hats and gloves, trappers headed out to catch game, and farmers eagerly attended to neglected chores. But trouble was brewing. A pocket of frigid air was hovering north of the Midwest, in Canada. The nation's weather forecasting bureau was aware of the mass of cold air, but declined to warn people that it might shift south. And when it did, communities in the Dakota Territory and Nebraska were caught unaware in the storm. This is Episode 2, Into the Swirling White.

5:39Charlie Stabler leans down and grabs the stick from his dog's mouth. Then he gives it a toss. Yeah, go get it. Go get it. The stick lands with a plop in the snow 30 yards away. Stabler chuckles as his dog, who's part husky, bounds ahead. He's convinced that Bear Claws, as he calls him, is the best dog in the world. At the same time, he has perhaps the worst trapping partner. He turns around and casts an impatient glance at his friend, Rough Clouds, who is struggling to keep up in the thick snow. Rough Clouds is a mountain of a man, standing well over six feet and close to 300 pounds. He towers over Stabler.

6:23That size has its advantages. Rough Clouds can carry twice as much gear as other people, but he's horribly slow. And today, Stabler's in a hurry. Stabler hollers to him. Get a move on! We got five more traps to check. Stabler and Rough Clouds are Plains Indians, members of the Omaha tribe. They trap beavers for a living. It's 8 a.m. on January 12, 1888, and they're tromping through the snow along Beaver Creek in eastern Nebraska. They left their campsite early this morning to check the traps they set a few days ago. They have a 10-mile loop to cover today so they can get back to the campsite by dark.

7:07Stabler looks up at the sky to the west. Clouds are massing. He's seen this before and knows the weather will likely turn cold today. And those faraway clouds could be fixing to dump snow on them in a few hours. So if he and rough clouds want to check all their traps, they need to hurry. Otherwise, any beavers they've caught could be lost and buried under the snow. When rough clouds at last catches up, he's wheezing. He hunches over, hands on his knees. I need to rest. He drops onto the ground. Stabler shakes his head. No, no, no, no. We're not stopping. Let's go. Let's go. Stabler grabs his coat and tries dragging rough clouds to his feet, but his friend is a dead weight.

7:58Stabler pleads with him. Hey, I'm serious. Come on. But nothing works. Rough clouds is red from exertion, his breath coming in gasps. There's nothing Stabler can do. He whistles for his dog Bearclaws, then turns to study the sky again. The clouds are getting closer.

8:25Eight-year-old Walter Allen sits at his desk, reading from a textbook. Walter loves to read, but today his mind is wandering. The lesson is too easy for him. He wishes they could read something fun, like Great Expectations. He read three chapters last night with his older brother Will. He can't wait to find out what happens next. It's 10.30 a.m. on January 12th in Walter's four-room schoolhouse near the town of Groton in the Dakota Territory. Recess starts at 11, and he's looking forward to that. It's such a warm, glorious day. A light snow fell last night, and today, the whole world is sparkling in the sun.

9:07Look! Suddenly, a scream rips through the air. Walter jumps in his seat. His head turns toward the sound. It's Mildred, a classmate whose desk is right near the window. She's pointing through the glass. Walter follows her finger. Outside, a massive white cloud is churning right toward their schoolhouse. It's moving as fast as a train. And it's hugging the ground. It must be 25 feet tall, and it stretches across the entire horizon. A few more children cry out in alarm. Others, like Walter, sit transfixed. Even the teacher is speechless. Until finally, she seems to remember that she's in charge.

9:52Children, stay calm. We'll be fine. But she doesn't sound calm herself. Walter's pulse quickens. There's something otherworldly about the white mass, like something out of a nightmare. And as it draws closer, Walter sees that it's not actually a cloud at all, but a squall of swirling snow. The wind is picking the snow off the ground and collecting it, the way a summer tornado lifts everything in its path. The teacher keeps telling them to stay calm, but no one is listening to her. A minute later, the wind slams into the schoolhouse. The building shakes and creaks like it's about to be torn loose from its foundation.

10:34Walter grips his desk with both hands, white-knuckled. The teacher disappears into the hallway. A minute later, she hurries back into the classroom. She raises her voice to be heard over the noise. Children, I've discussed it with the other teachers. We're going to make a run for town. Walter raises his hand. But ma 'am, why don't we stay here? This blizzard could last for days. I've seen it happen, and we have no food here. So everyone, grab your coats and boots and hurry! A stampede of children rushes toward the vestibule where they keep their winter clothes. Desks and chairs go tumbling. Walter is toward the back.

11:11As he's waiting to grab his coat, he looks back out the window, and shudders to see the world outside is nothing but a menacing white.

11:28Lieutenant Thomas Woodruff yawns and stretches at his desk at the Army's Weather Bureau in St. Paul, Minnesota. He didn't sleep well. Even at 10.40 in the morning, he's still a bit sluggish. He goes through the telegrams with the overnight weather reports, but as he plots data on his map, he feels a knot of worry grow in his stomach. Army forts out in Montana reported snowstorms overnight, along with a sharp drop in temperature. Some places are 20 below zero. Turns out that the cold wave he dismissed last night as unlikely has arrived after all. It gets worse. Based on the barometer readings he's recording from each telegram, it's clear there's a pressure gradient building up.

12:14The steeper the gradient, the higher the winds will be. and this gradient looks steeper than anything Woodruff has ever seen. All these indicators, the snow, the sudden cold, the high winds, point to one conclusion. A massive blizzard will sweep across the Midwest today. Woodruff feels a flutter of panic. Not only did he fail to issue a warning about the severe cold that's coming, he barely mentioned the possibility of snow, much less a blizzard. He swallows hard. In bitter cold like this, exposed flesh can freeze in less than an hour. People could die. He has to issue a warning. It's too late for Montana.

12:56But if he can get a message to the telegraph office right away, he can still alert people in the Dakota Territory, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa. He lunges for his ink pot and tips it, spilling ink all over his desk. He curses, but doesn't pause to clean it up. He dips his pen in the spilled pool and scribbles as fast as he can. He just hopes that he's not too late.

13:29Thirteen-year-old Johan Albrecht Jr. creases some paper, then jams it into the crack in the wooden wall as best that he can. It's 11.15 a.m. A blizzard struck a few minutes ago, blasting his tiny school like a shockwave. Snow has been blowing in through the gaps in the unplastered walls. With the paper there, Johan can still hear the wind whistling, but at least he's blocked the snow. This schoolhouse near Freeman in the Dakota Territory consists of one room with a stove in the middle. There are just two windows, so it's dim inside at the best of times. And with the blizzard raging, it's like someone dropped a shroud over the building, plunging the room into near darkness.

14:14Six other students made it to class today, the three Kaufman brothers and three Graeber brothers. Johan wishes his own brother Peter was here, but Peter is safe at home with their mother. Johan feels a stab of regret as he recalls running off this morning. His mother's premonition had seemed so ridiculous, but he wishes he'd listen to her now. At the head of the class stands their teacher, Mr. Cotton. The children mostly like him, but the sight of him now makes Johan nervous. He's chewing his lip anxiously and staring out the window. After a long moment, he turns to the class. Students, I think we should make a run for the Graeber house.

14:55The Graeber brothers live just a half mile away, but none of the students, even the Graebers, seem keen on this idea. Johan raises his hand. Mr. Cotton, what if we stayed here instead? I've been taught that you're supposed to stay inside during a blizzard. Two of the older boys back Johan up. That's what their fathers taught them as well. But Mr. Cotton shakes his head. How much coal is in the bin? Johan gets out of his chair and opens the lid of the coal bin. The sight makes him wince. There's roughly one scoop, sir. I feared as much. Our delivery isn't due until tomorrow. That means we'll have no heat, and who knows how long we'll be stuck here.

15:39No, we have to go. But Mr. Cotton, our fathers were very clear. Never leave shelter in a blizzard. Mr. Cotton glares at them. Didn't your fathers also teach you to respect your elders? Johan admits that this is true. The other boys dropped their eyes as well. Mr. Cotton nods. That's right. Now, we're going to the Graeber house. It's not far, and we all know the way. In 20 minutes, we'll be sipping cider next to a fire. Now, grab your coats. And, once we're outside, stay together. Do not get separated under any circumstances. All seven boys shove back their chairs. Johan stands and looks around the room.

16:21He never particularly likes school. He goes mostly because it beats doing chores on the farm. But, however ambivalent he normally feels, he sure as heck wishes they were staying here right now.

16:41Eight-year-old Walter Allen huddles behind an older boy on the sledge outside his schoolhouse, rubbing his bare hands together and trying to stay warm. It's just past 11 a.m., and he's waiting to be taken back to his home in Groton to escape this terrible blizzard. Suddenly, he remembers something. His perfume bottle. He forgot it inside. If he leaves it overnight in the school, the water inside will freeze and crack the glass. Walter hesitates. His teacher, who's checking on his classmates on the other sledge, said to stay put no matter what. But it's only 20 feet to the school. He can grab the perfume bottle and be back in no time.

17:23He jumps over the side, then runs through the blinding snow and up the steps. He flings open the door and races into his empty classroom. He darts around the overturned chairs until he's at his wooden desk in the corner. He throws open the top and rummages around inside among his chalk and books. Where is it? I thought I left it right here. Panic pulses through him. He's got to hurry to get back on the sledge before it leaves.

17:51At last he finds it. He holds it up for a second, admiring the beautiful cut facets of the glass. He never would have forgiven himself if it had broken. Then he shoves the bottle in his pocket and races back through the classroom. He yanks open the schoolhouse door and hops down the steps. The icy wind blasts him in the face. He wishes again he'd brought his hat and gloves today. But when he reaches the spot where he thought the sledges were, he stops. There's nothing there. He looks around in confusion. Is he in the wrong place? He looks down and sees the tracks of the sledge leading away. They left without him.

18:32His heart pounds in fear. Should he go back inside the school? But who knows how long he could be stuck there. He looks down at the sledge tracks again. Maybe he can follow them into town, but they're already starting to vanish in the blowing snow. He tries to think. His eyes water from the cold, and he feels his fingers going numb. Then he takes off running after the tracks. It's only a half mile to town. Surely he can make it.

19:1519-year-old Etta Shattuck steps outside the farmhouse where she boards and adjusts the shawl around her head. What a wonderfully warm day. Then, she sets out toward town, humming a hymn as she cuts across an empty field. It's just afternoon on January 12th, and although the newspapers said that the temperature might drop around mid-morning up in the Dakota Territory, that's 100 miles north. The weather down here in Holt County, Nebraska, is practically balmy. As a result, all Etta needs for warmth today is her spring coat and a shawl. She can grab her final wages and be home in an hour. Etta finishes one hymn and starts another.

19:58Since moving to Holt, she's become a devout Methodist, and she's feeling particularly happy today. God created such a beautiful morning. She's blessed to witness it. Plus, this is the last time she'll ever have to cross this empty stretch of land, with nothing to look at but a few farmhouses and scattered haystacks. Etta has finally quit her job. And good riddance. Her father Benjamin, a Civil War veteran with a bad leg, moved the family to Holt County three years ago because he got a good deal on some land. But the move proved every bit as disastrous as Etta had feared. Even an expert farmer would struggle to grow crops here, and her father was definitely not an expert.

20:43As a result, Etta took a job teaching school to help support her family of seven. She was just 17 when she started, barely older than some of her students. The children seemed to like her overall, but Etta's heart had never been in it, and her pay,$25 per month, didn't go far feeding her family of seven. Then, a few months ago, after the third straight summer of failed crops, her father pulled up stakes and moved the family back east to Seward. Etta stayed on to earn enough money to help with the transition, but she felt alone out here, stranded. She misses her younger siblings terribly. So last week, she resigned.

21:26Today, she simply needs to get a paper signed by the district supervisor. Then she'll head over to the county treasurer and collect her last$25 in wages. And tomorrow, she'll hitch a ride to the train station and leave Holt County forever. The very thought of this lifts her mood as she starts another hymn. But then a strange rumbling noise startles her. She looks up to see a bank of clouds rolling in from the north, except these clouds are strangely close to the ground and moving at a speed that takes her breath away. Her first thought is to run as fast as she can, but as she looks around, she realizes there's no shelter she can reach in time.

22:08She's going to have to face whatever weather is coming head on.

22:1618-year-old Will Allen drums his fingers on the pane of glass as he stares out the window of his family's home on Main Street in Groton, Dakota Territory. He's scanning for the sledge with his little brother Walter on it. His mother calls out behind him. Any sign yet? No, but I'll let you know. Will's nose is so close to the window that the glass fogs up. He wipes it clean with his sleeve. Not that he can see much anyway. The buildings here in town are windbreaks in this storm, but the visibility is still poor overall. It's hard to see more than 30 yards. Out on the prairie, where Walter's schoolhouse sits alone, he suspects it's near whiteout conditions.

22:58Will first heard a half hour ago that some men in town had hitched up their horses to rescue the schoolchildren. He's been waiting at the window ever since. The Allen house lies near the edge of town, farthest from the school, so Will knows Walter will be among the last children to be dropped off. But even so, Will can't understand what's taking so long. At last, he makes out the sledge through the blinding snow. He calls out to his parents in the kitchen. They're here! Will doesn't even pause to grab a coat. He flings open the door and dashes out to meet his little brother. It's only 15 yards to the sledge, but Will is already shivering when he reaches it.

23:38The snow stings his cheeks. He looks over the children, crouched and huddled, their faces hidden. The wind is loud enough that he has to shout. Walter? Where are you? Raise your hand! None of the children raise their hands. Will calls out to the man driving the sledge. Hey, was Walter with you? I thought so. So where is he? I don't know. Maybe he got confused and hopped off early. But Will doesn't think so. Walter's too smart for that. A feeling of utter dread floods through him. Did Walter fall off? Or maybe the man was wrong and he never left the school. Regardless, Walter is somewhere unsafe and could be lost in the blizzard.

24:21Will turns and races inside to grab his father. They've got to find his little brother.

24:34Nineteen-year-old Etta Shattuck staggers forward, blinded and bewildered in the sudden blizzard that swept over Holt County, Nebraska. She has no idea how long she's been stumbling around. An hour, maybe? The snow feels like shards of ice raking her skin. The cold also makes it hard to breathe. She feels like she's suffocating. But she keeps trudging forward in her thin coat, driven by one thought. She's got to find the fence ahead of her. The only saving grace, truly a blessing from God, is that she was still crossing the empty field near her farmhouse when the blizzard hit. And luckily, the field has a wire fence that circles the perimeter.