Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-01-30
lrrom ,h.. Norfolk Argus. Jan. 90
4 TERRIFIC SNOW STORN-PERHAPS THE
GREATEST EVER KNOWN IN VIRGINIA.

, TERRIFIC SNOW STORM-PERHAPS THE
GREATEST EVER KNOWN IN VIRGINIA.
On Saturday the weather was cloudy-the wind
blowing gently from 5. W. Al . Z. NJ. the wind
changed Ia ". T., and snow commenced To tall ra'
piily. Al half past Ii the temperature became sud.
denly srvera. degrees colder, and II very heavy gal,
pet in, the wind Blowing :rrionsiy, drifting and wh;r..
in, ;he snow about III every direction. The gale
continued To rage with undated violence during
SUNDAY, aud "a early rs ) o'clock The snow was
bnukyG w along the streets four or five feet high-in
mnry pieces ol-tructing the passage along the side.
walks. The tcinprs: continued To increase IN fury
and about IL o'clock Sunday night, the wind sudden
" changed Ia y. W., aud perhaps the most terrific
storm ever witnessed in This latitude, ragged through
the night and continued ill 7 O'Clock yesterday morn.
ing. Tie strongest hruscs shook and trembl-d
fri.hlfuiiyi cil;nueys, walls end poTches were blown
down; f-nce- lev-i,td: the ichtieas limbs OF trees
scattered about. while the snow, swept entirely from
tile streets III many places, YVES heAped up III Others.
twauiy ic, high. On the north side Of Main, Free
mason. Wide Voter, aud other streets running east
and west, g,i %. ibc weet side ot Catharine, CRANKY,
Church and others running north and south, high aud
continuous ridges extended, hiding The doors and
windows, blocking Up the entrance and presenting |,
most astonishing sight .r this secl.oD.
The SOW Was driven through every small open.
iry ia lie win lows aud doors, aud even in many
paiiois ani sleeping apartments the fine, white. and
frog Ill particles We're accumulated in considerab!.
quantities.
The I'd. rose quite high during Sunday night, but
coon a5atei when The wind veered around 10 North.
ward, aud THE timely change in the direction of the
wind no doubt, prevented heavy losses by our mer.
chants. for had Tie gale continued from the North.
eat, the tids would have coon risen above some u
tIr whnrves.
Several vessels in the harbor were injured on Sun.
day, one OF the ma-ts Was blown from A schooner,
and soni- o'h-rs were damaged slightly. Had not
our hnrbor been almost completely laud locked, We
should hev- 10 recorc heavy losses among The ship.
ping in port.
Numbers of wild ducks ard some geese, frozen and
disabled by lhr cold. the snow and the wind, wers
picked up along the chores of the river, hard and
SIN, ANA AMONG other large birds found, there was a
bal; eagle.
The damage to The shipping along the coast must
be great. aud We fear We shall henr Of great loss Of
property ana OF lie.
During Sunday and Inst evening, the weather con.
timed Exceedingly cold, freezing water in rooms in
which fire IVES bu:nr <, and rendering the Snow o.
dry. loose, aud muvenbie a ico -and.
I!;- storm al be- long remembered for its severi.
~ and dts,ruci.vencss, tor The violence of the wind,
and the intensity Of the cold; and for the frs, time
in nearly three quarters OF "a century, our hsrbor is
c,oscd. Yesterday the ferry steamers were compelled
20 dIsc'n:inUe their regular trips. But Hs the ice 10
Mt very thick, i; will no doubt, be soon cleared away,
and navigation vii! be open AS usual.