Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-01-27

I y
than the night had closed in. An immense
snow cloak covered the city from King Bridge
to the Battery. The wind swept across the
island in fierce gusts, and drifted the snow in
some places to the depth Of three or four feet
OPP town residents looked insyain for early sta
ges or city cars Gentlemen residing above
Thiftieth street, with notes 70 pay1dOwn town,
flattened their noses gloonily against the snow
cd up window panes, reluctant to go out, and
ashamed TO stay at home.
Broadway, below Fourteenth street, usually
solight, so gay; $50 cheerful, presented q most
dismal aspect The wind had clean sweep
faom river to river the fine particles of snow
der Your gloves, inside your shirt collar, while
pedestrianism, without some know ledge OF the
science of rope dancing was almost a physical
impossibility. The shops were blocked up with
snow and looked deserted by all the world-the
theatres and hotels presented an equally VOC
begOne appearance. small number oil omnI-
buses wereIunning with double teams of hoT-
SEES, and drivers rolled up to the eyebrows in furs
and blankets-HoV they can discharge their
multifarious duties-involVing the care OF
four -in-hand, looking out for people who want
to get out and those who want to get in-ex-
change mOncy-avOiding all sorts of obstruc-
tons, in the teeth of a snow storm so thick that
the sharpcst eyes could not discern any object
half a block ahead, passeth our comprehension.
Some few sturdy pedestrians essayed Broad.
way promenade, chiefly to see how Il seemed
under unfavorable circumstances. Difficult was
the task. The wind was almost strong enough
to take one off his feet and the cold was so m
tense MS to mako the most brisk exercise neceS-
Sary to- keep up the circulation in the extremi-
ties. The sun made most disreputabls failure
in attempting to burn hole through the sky,
which was the color of tea lead. But few of
the fair sex ventured forth, but they stood the
storm with much more fortitude than the men.
Down town the merchants had Change as
usual; nothing could suspend the worship OF
Mammon, but the retail ira &c was done up
The Opera congealed-not to be thawed out till
Wednesday Everybody that had a home and
fire chung TO it There were no arrivals, no cars,
no males, no stages, no news, no nothing. IL
was sort of saturnalia for Jack Frost, au i'll
wind that blew nobody anygOOd, and everybody
moro or less harm. Even the sleigh bells, the
music of which make a snow carpet beaTable,
any one doubt about the existence of any such
thing as Fonrth Of July, and believe that the
Declaration of Independence had been superse-
ded by decree of the-Ice King. Such storm
is an immense drawback to the business OF the
city; and it will take us several days to get all
straight again.
THE TEMPERATURE.
This storm has not only been The mostvtolent
within the memory of the present generation,
but is also unparalleled in the severity OF the
temperature For thirty years we have not had
such weather. There have been cold snaps and
severe ones, but none so continuous as this one;
VIC have had violent hurricanes, but none so
protracted; we have had snow drifts, but none
so unpleasant as the one that now nearly buries
our city,
This cold spell properly commenced at 10
o'clock p. N. on Saturday, when the mercury
marked 10 degrees, and by the following morn
ing had fallen degrees below zero. 1t ran up
to 4 degrees above zero by 10 A. NJ, Sunday,
and continued at that point for about thirty
hours, not varying over two degrees during all
that time. During Monday afternoon the wca-
thcr moderated slightly, and at IL o'clock last
night the mercury marked Is degrees with the
wind blowing gale from the west, and the stars
shining brightly in clear sky.
THE CITY RAILROADS
New York was in terrible condition yestcr-
terlay for want of vehicular accommodations.
Railroad cars were almost an impossibiityi
stagcs were ridiculous, even with four horses.
and sleighs found too much and too soft snow in
many places, and none at all in others. The pc
destfians could move along faster than any OF
them, particularly where the wind came rush
ing round the corners of bye streets, layingh hold
Of his coat tails and sending him sailing swiftly
over the snow But the cars began to get out
towards noon, with six horses, and in some cases
eight harnessed to them, and snow-plows going
before to clear the way.
staH