Blizzard of 1918 tests a miner’s resolve

On Friday evening, Jan. 11, 1918, O’Fallon was experiencing a brutal blizzard with snow drifts 3 to 6 feet deep and temperatures plunging to 10 below.

One of the oldest active coal miners in Illinois, Evan Davis, had just finished his shift at St. Ellen mine in west O’Fallon only to find transportation stalled. He’d have to spend the night at the mine. But it was his 80th birthday, and he was having none of that.

He wanted to be home with his family in town. So, off he went on foot into the blinding snow with fellow miner Taylor Mould. They got half way to Glenview, where they stopped to rest and thaw out. Mould was convinced to stay. Davis refused. Home was where he wanted to be. And despite the Artic weather, he made it safely home, a total of three miles from the mine.

Soon after, he retired from mining. But the hardy Welsh native lived another 9 years, dying just 3 days shy of his 89th birthday.

75 years ago Jan. 14, 1943

Another service which O’Fallon citizens have enjoyed for many years, and which may now be added to the list of war casualties, is the daily delivery of milk. Starting this week, a new schedule of delivery to the retail customers was inaugurated by M.R. Eckert, distributor for Quality Dairy products. To keep homes supplied with fresh milk, deliveries will be made every other day.

50 years ago Jan. 11, 1968

Students attending classes at Central School District 104 may now obtain hot sandwiches for lunch provided by Lakeshire Sandwich. An infra-red machine will prepare eight kinds of hot sandwiches sold at 20 cents each with hot shoe string potatoes available at 10 cents. Students are not obligated to purchase the lunch and may continue to bring one from home or leave the premises with special permission for the meal. The district does not have a hot lunch program or facilities for the same.

This story was originally published January 11, 2018 at 7:50 AM with the headline "Blizzard of 1918 tests a miner’s resolve."