The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-01-26
GREAT SNOW STORM.

| OAeAh oNOW . OR4h.
The snow storm Of the 18th and 10th insts.
was very extensive How far it reached south,
we do not yet know, but as it was quite as Sc
we're at Washington as it was here, it probably
commenced in the Gulf of Mexico and passed
over the whole extent of the Southern States
To the northward it did not extend very far
At Portland the fall of snow was small, and at
Augusta on the Kenncbec, there is hardly
enough to make the ground appear white
Both south and east of US the quantity of snow
which fell was much larger than here, particu
larly in Plymouth and Bristol counties The
following extracts will give some idea of the
violence of the storm in the several places
where the papers are published from which
they are made.
The BarnStabic Patriot says-"The guam
tlty OF snow is immense, greater than we
ever knew at any one time previous. The
drifts are not perhaps piled up so high, but
they are solid and extensive. We should not
risk much in saying that the snow is from
two to three feet on level. as the coast
along our cape is rugged and iron bound,
we must expect to hear ere long, of the de-
structlon of property, and the loss of lives.
Ii was tremendous and terrible gale, ac-
companied by an atmosphere loaded with
snow. 1t was folly to attempt TO look il in
the face, and to buffet it, more useless folly"
The Taunton Reporter of Wednesday
says-"Th memory Of our oldest inhabit
ants hardly reaches back to snow storm
of as much severity SO long continued as
! the one which was experienced here on
Saturday and Sunday last. 1t commenced
showing about eight O'Clock on Saturday
morning, and continued till nine or ten
O'Clock on Sunday evening, blowing with
the violence of tornado during the whole
! time. On Sunday scarcely an individual
was seen outside his threshold. Banks Of
snow from ten to fifteen feet in height were
in some of the principal streets; others lit
orally covered and concealed the doors of
houses in central part of the village. In
every direction the roads were blocked up
so as to make them altogether impossible
without great labor"
The .New Bedford Mercury says, the
snow storm of the 18th and 10Th current
was the most severe, probably, which has
occurred for fifty years. The oldest cti-
zens of the town do not recollect any of so
long a continuance, or when such quaint
ty of snow has fallen. 1t is supposed the
snow fell four feet deep on leuet; in many
places it is fifteen feet. 1t will, probably,
be called the Great Snow Storm of the
nineteenth century.
The storm of December goth and 9th,
1878, WAS, perhaps, equally severe: the
cold was even more intense, and as great a
quantity of snow fell. In December, 1856,
the year of Shay's Instruction, a great
quantity of snow fell, but the storm was not
so long or so severe as the late one. Cot
ton Mather Of Boston, and Gov. Winthrop
of New London have given an account of
an uncommon snow storm in February,
17l7; but according TO their statement it
does not appear that it was much more Sc
we're than the late one. The population
then was comparatively thin; and it was
several days before people could visit their
neighbors.
The Gloucester Telegraph says" The
snow in our streets was piled up some S
or 10 fee, and one house was entirely bu-
ried, and the inmates shut in for several
hours"
The Kennebec Journal says" Here in
Kennehec the ground is not sufficiently COW
cred to look grey; the storm which dis
charged its fleecy burthen so copously to
the westward, was here a piercing cold
northeast wind, blowing furiously for three
days; it was too cold for snow flakes to
FORM"
The Precedence Journal states, that the
driver of the accommodation stage from
Providence to Taunton, lost his way, the
snow driving in his face, and the team was
set in a snow drift. In attempting to get
out, his horses had broken their harness
three times, and after being detained three
quarters of an hour, he found it utterly i'm
possible to move the stage. Thus situated,
his passengers, four in number, two of whom
were females, night coming on, and being
more than three miles from any house, were
taken into the mail stage from Taunton
which met them, and carried to Providence
The driver embarrassed his horses, aban-
doned his stage, and returned. The mail
stage had Just before met man in n Sleigh
who had lost his way and was bewidered
He had thrown away his load, and en-
deavored TO save his own life and that of
his horse. He was told to follow a fence,
to house about three quarters of a mile
distant, which he probably did.
Some persons in Providence, according
to the Advertiser, on Monday, excavated
under bank. about ten feet high, very
comfortable house, in which straw and other
accommodations were placed, with buffalo
robe for door, and ventilations through
the top. Twelve gentlemen assembled in
the evening, and partook of hot oyster
supper.
The Providence Patriot speaks Of snow
bank in that vicinity ttcenty- three feet high.
The .New York Gazette says" Many of
our narrow streets are impossible, and con-
tracts have been made, and the work COM
menced, to convey the snow into our rivers.
Not less than 10000 laborers were yester-
day employed in shovelling snow off the
walks, and carrying it from our yards"
PouIson's PHILADELPHIA Advertiser of
Monday says" Within the memories of its
oldest inhabitants, our city has not been
visited by so severe and copious a snow
storm, as that which commenced on Friday
evening. The snow continued to fall. dur