Editor's note: When the big snow comes, Katy puts on her plow and saves the day in a big way.
Katy was a beautiful red crawler tractor. She was very big and very strong and she could do a lot of things.
Katy had a bulldozer to push dirt around with.
Katy also had a snow plow to plow snow with.
Katy belonged to the Highway Department of the City of Geoppolis.
The Highway Department repaired the roads in the summer and kept them clear of snow in the winter so traffic could run in and out and around the city.
All summer Katy worked on the roads with her bulldozer. Katy liked to work. The harder and tougher the job the better she liked it.
Once when the steamroller fell in the pond Katy pulled it out. The Highway Department was very proud of her. They used to say, "Nothing can stop her."
When winter came they put snow plows on the big trucks and changed Katy's bulldozer for her snow plow.
But Katy was so big and strong she had to stay at home, because there was not enough snow for her to plow.
Then early one morning it started to drizzle. The drizzle turned into rain. The rain turned into snow. By noon it was four inches deep. The Highway Department sent out the truck plows.
By afternoon the snow was ten inches deep and still coming down. "Looks like a Big Snow," they said at the Highway Department, and sent Katy out.
A strong wind came up and drifts began to form. ... The snow reached the first story windows ... the second story windows ... and then it stopped.
One by one the truck snow plows broke down. ... The roads were blocked. ... No traffic could move. ... The schools, the stores, the factories were closed. ... The railroad station and airport were snowed in. ... The mail couldn't go through. ... The Police couldn't protect the city. ... The telephone and power lines were down. ... There was a break in the water main. ... The doctor couldn't get his patient to the hospital. ... The Fire Department was helpless. ... Everyone and everything was stopped ... but ...
KATY.
Slowly and steadily Katy started to plow out the city.
"Help!" called the Chief of Police. "Help us to get out to protect the city." "Sure," said Katy. "Follow me."
"Help!" called out the Postmaster. "Help us get the mail through." "Sure," said Katy. "Follow me."
"Help! Help!" called ou the Telephone Company and the Electric Company. "The poles are down somewhere in East Geoppolis." "Follow me," said Katy.
"Help!" called out the Superintendent of the Water Department. "There's a break in the water main somewhere in North Geoppolis." "Follow me," said Katy.
"Help! Emergency!" called out the doctor.
"Help me get this patient to the hospital way out in West Geoppolis."
"Sure," said Katy. "Follow me."
"Help! Help! Help!" called out the Fire Chief. "There's a three alarm fire way out in South Geoppolis." "Follow me," said Katy.
Then after she had found the broken down truck plows she started home. The Fire Department had put out the fire. The doctor had saved his patient. The Water Department had repaired the main. The telephone and electricity were on. The mail could go through. And the Police could protect the city. Thanks to what Katy did. ...
Katy finished up the side streets so traffic could move in and out and around the city. Then she went home to rest. Then ... and only then did Katy stop.
Excerpted from KATY AND THE BIG SNOW by Virginia Lee Burton. Copyright (c) 1943 by Virginia Lee Demetrios. Copyright (c) renewed 1971 by George Demetrios. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Pub Date: 03/24/99