From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Jan. 12, 1916:

• “Lawrence was in the grip of a blizzard today which the appearance of a bleak wintry sun shortly after noon did little to alleviate. The town went to bed last night expecting colder weather this morning, but there was no expectation that the temperature would fall below zero. At 8 o’clock this morning the University thermometer registered two degrees below zero, the first touch of zero weather Douglas county has had this winter. At 2 o’clock this afternoon it was 4 1/2 below. The inclemency of the weather was greatly increased by a keen north wind which whirled the snow in changing drifts through the streets through the entire day. The usual activities of town were suspended as far as possible and wherever there were warm fires the population of the town might be found…. The gas pressure was poor at the city hall today, and there was difficulty in keeping up the fire under the boiler which heated the building. Complaints were also received from other parts of the town at different times through the day of the unsatisfactory gas pressure.”
• “Kansas City. – The weather bureau predicts clearing weather with a drop to between ten and twenty degrees below zero tonight…. Farmers have been warned that it is too cold to ship perishable products…. Train service into Kansas City is delayed from one to two hours. Street car service in all the cities has been seriously interfered with. Telegraph and telephone companies are fighting vainly to maintain communications on sleet-coated wires…. In Kansas the storm is the most severe since the winter of 1912. A gale from the northwest that reached 50 miles an hour carried blinding snow and sleet before it. The Union Pacific railroad ran snow plows ahead of its trains this morning in central Kansas. The Santa Fe also ordered its plows out and all trains will be preceded by track clearers.”
• “Two small fires today tested the qualities of the city’s motor fire apparatus and also the endurance of the city firemen. Both were in North Lawrence. The first was at the greenhouse of A. Tweed at 530 Elm street, where an overheated steampipe started a small fire. It was extinguished with chemicals without loss. The second trip of the day to North Lawrence through the snow and cold wind was made this afternoon by the fire department when an alarm was turned in from 418 Lincoln street. The fire was quickly extinguished…. Although the small chemical car and the large motor truck made slower time on both runs than they usually are capable of, both saved many minutes over the best that could have been made by horse-drawn vehicles. The drivers of the cars suffered from the cold while making the runs and all the members of the force were glad there was no bad fire to fight under all the difficulties the extremely cold weather would have presented.”
• “The third number of the University concert course was given under difficulties last night, but in spite of the great difficulty of climbing Mount Oread to Robinson gymnasium a fair audience was assembled. It was well repaid for its trouble, all agreed, for the concert given by Oscar Seagle, baritone, was one of the most enjoyable ever given at the University…. The audience would have been larger had weather conditions been in any way favorable to the concert, but as it was a larger number braved the cold and the difficulty of climbing the hill than the University authorities in charge of the concert expected.”
• “On account of the severely cold weather which makes it practically impossible to find men to work and which makes it a losing proposition to work men, the construction of the new Kaw river bridge has been temporarily discontinued. The work will probably commence within a day or so if the weather moderates.”
• “Van Salisbury was badly injured yesterday afternoon while coasting on the golf links on the University campus. He struck a post near the freshman field at the end of his course. He was taken to his home on a sled drawn by two playmates and Dr. Keith was called. The boy has internal injuries and it was feared that he would not live through the night but his condition as perhaps slightly better this morning.”