Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1891 — HARD STORMIN THE EAST [ARTICLE]

HARD STORMIN THE EAST

THE ATLANTIC COAST CATCHES A REGULAR BLIZZARD. It Sweep* Over the Eastern States. Giving the People a Touch of Genuine Winter Weather—Mow York City Kieht in the Path of the Storm—Bail way Traffic Badly Interfered With. [New York dispatch.] The blizzard predicted last night by the Weather Bureau got in on time. The snow began to fall at 3 o’clock this morning and It fell as if it meant business. The storm* extended, According to the reports of the signal service weather observer, from Wood's Holj, Mass., southwest to Lynchburg, Va., and westward to Duluth, Minn. Rain at that hour covered the Southern States from Washington, D. C., to Jacksonville, Fla., along the Atlantic ccast, and inland as far as the Mississippi River. The h'igh wind, which at* 9:30 o’clock had a velocity of thirty-one miles an hour from the northeast, caused the snow to form in many places into drifts. Many of these drifts were nearly three feet in height, and those who had to work their way through them found pedestrianism anything except pleasant. The high wind, however, was a blessing to many a householder, as It drove the snow in waves from off the roofs of houses almost as soon as it fell. The storm worked so rapidly after it struck New fork that early morning traffic was seriously impeded. Not since the blizzard has there been so pointed a reminder of the imperative necessity for improved rapid transit in this city. There was more or less delay on the West Side, but the East Side was seriously embarrassed during the early rush hours. Those who suffered most from the loss of time were the residents of Harlem.

About 11 a. m. began a heavy sleet, which cut the faces of pedestrians like pin points and added to the misery of those who were forced to do any amount of walking. The snow in the West and to' the south of the city interfered seriously with the progress of mail trains in this direction. All the mails from the West via Pittsburgh, the Southwest, and the South were several hours behind time. The early morning mails from the North and West, however, arrived on time, as the storm had not reached those points so as to stop the progress of the trains. The trains which arrived during the forenoon were further impeded by the heavy snow in the streets, the mail wagons being unable to reach the general postoffice within the time allotted for the transfer of the mails from the railway stations to that building. Mails from Brooklyn were also delayed on the bridge. All the railroads running into New York have suffered from the storm, but some, of course, have suffered more than others where more exposed to the heavy drifts. In Westchester County the snow is piled up along the tracks of the Hudson River railroad, but has not thus far impeded travel much. The delays on the railroads in New Jersey were not so serious this as they were later in the day; when the fast falling snow was in some places to a formidable height. The snow ceased falling at 8 o’clock and was followed by a slight rain and sleet storm. The thermometer rose to degrees above zero. At midnight the wind was northwest. The indications for to-mor-row are more snow or rain with a decided lowering of the temperature. Reports continue to be received from all parts of New York State showing a heavy fall of snow and consequent interruption of traffic. In the Mohawk Talley the storm is unusually severe. At 6 o’clock this evening more than eight inches of snow had fallen at Amsterdam, and it was still snowing hard. Railroad travel is greatly delayed, some of the through trains being from two to three hours late. West Shore freight-trains have been stalled in the snow this afternoon and the Hangers have been started out. At the Pennsylvania depot it was reported that Western express-trains were running from three to three and a half hours behind time. The trains were being run cautiously, which was the principal cause of the delay, as the entire force of laborers out on each block keeping the tracks free from snow, and the detention by snow-drifts had been trifling. The Philadelphia trains were from thirty minutes to an hour behind scheduled time and local trains were about half an hour late. Trains were dispatched nearly on schedule time. The Erie road experienced the greatest difficulty, and all through trains were from five to six hours late. At Lockport, N. Y., the fall of snow has been continuous throughout the day, but is not heavy. The snow is not drifting badly. Temperature in the morning was reported at teh degrees above zero, and at one o’clock it had risen to twentyfive degrees. At Ithaca, N. Y., the storm continued throughout the day, with street-car traffic suspended. At Watertown, N. Y., snow has been falling rapidly, accompanied by mild breezes. The thermometer last night was five degrees below, and this morning four above zero. At Saratoga Springs the heaviest and most severe snojw storm since the memorable blizzard of March, 1887, has been in progress, and this evening indications were that it will continue during the night. Eight inches of snow had already fallen and was being badly drifted by a stiff northerly wind. Country roads are already blockaded. At Albany over one foot of snow fell to-day and the storm continues. Railroad travel has been impeded all day, trains from the West being three hour 9 and more late. Electric street cars are stalled on some of the lines and kept running with difficulty on others. The iron and slate roof of a section of the New York Central Railroad depot at West Albany fell under weight of snow this afternoon, burying four locomotives and half a dozen men. under the wreck. Two men were badly hurt, but none killed.