The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-09
THE pECuIIAaIr1Es OF TIE GALE

February and March Asve married IN haste, ard again
February has well the title 81 the April Of winter
e It's spring sister, changeaole, unreliable and nckle.
Thursday morning dswned upon New York with all the
pleasant warmth, sweet sunsire gentle breezes soft
rain ubiquitous mrd and Sloppy walking Of spring Peo
ps down town without their overocats, and
sversAces only protect ueir boots from the street
mud Skaters adjourned Aeir trips the Central Park
ss tho ice bad, the walking worse, and the bail
dewn-exceptnpon the railroad cars where it ourivsls
she sun, which does set in while BY nine O'Clock
A. NJ however, shower OF and hail varied the
day, and asaounced the approaching storm. This soon
ceased, ard spring syan smiled and showered; the
weather became and more warm; the streets grew
and more muddy the tailors sold their winter
garments at immense sacrifices than ever the city
seemed the TAI of February had been the It'll Of
May.
TRE GALE THE CITY.
Suddenly, between three and four O'Clock a chill
breeze whisked away the rain Clouds and increasing
gale, swept over the city with effect indescrbabe
Chmneys awnings, signs sheds, were blown hther and
ahither houses exposed TO the full force Of the storm
nly rocked TO and fro with its Violence the ships in the
harbor tugged at their anchors like mad; the streets
Sried up suddenly as magic; the skating ponds re-
sumed their glistenng surfaces As night the
gale seemed hourly increasing and did not entirely
.ntl sunrise yesterday morning, gradually dying
ssser O'Clock A. N. The few ladies' who had not
escaped from the wind at its first commencement
2hzagged homeward, like ships lacking 10 beat up
against heavy breeze. Little boys against the wind
sor sport. Even turned and wheeled around
by sudden gusts Ferry boats could scarcely leave their
slips, and then stood almost motionkss mid stream
unable TO make Roadway. Ships the coast be-
fore the wind to gain room, and the poor Jacks
almost within sight of the long expected haven were
again all abroad the waters From the surface of the
waters Of bay and rivers dense fog arose. the
waters sank two three feet. The wind blew steadily
from the northwest bu in the thcky settled portions
Of the city, where buildings obsructed and its
sourse, and streets and narrow alleys gave
devious passages, IT seemed TO blow from all
quarters by turns, and sometimes from all points
~ On the outskirts, where the gale had full
sweep, it seemed perfectly terrific and hurried every
thing movable before It, The banging and humping Of
binds shutters signs doors gates and awnings
Nike rattle OF musketry. All the while the
cold seemed increasing with the wind, and be-
came most intense People no longer walked,
and gesticuiatious usually performed only the
coolest of winters days. The thermometers
which, at A. NJ, had stood at thirty six degrees
above zero, which, at had risen 10 forty eight sank
suddenly ana steady 10 twenty i've and, still sinking,
touched yesterday point eight degrees below zero,
and at this present writing has moderated only
few degrees. At Mount st. Vincent the thermometer
changed fifty eight degrees sixteen hours AT the Cen
tral Park thermometer fifteen degrees below
The HUDSON river was frozen as low down
mansvIie, ana below TINS point was nled WIN Ice
berls Even The water In the city hydrants was frozen
aud the Croton had TO be thawed out AT daylight
serday morning an unknown woman, drunk when
LRt seen alive, was found by officer Carey, Of the
bnft precinct, In the basement OF the house
No. ~ Washington street. frozen si ice but died.
perhaps from The effects of fall In Brooklyn, officer
Rourke of the Third precinct, found the body Of
aged respectable looking well dressed man in the va
cant lot OF Clinton street and Hamilton avenue
The ST ton houses overlooked with dodgers and In the
seven precincts from which returns received two
hundred and i've persons found shelter. oaly
what the unknown have Suffered. but
The imagination Is terrible enough. How many feeble
breatbs were whirled away forever with the wild
winds how many weak limbs stiened forever with the
intense cold no one can tell In a great city Ike New
York half the suffering, hall the distresscs half the
deaths, never find their way into print.
A CURIOUS COINCIDENCE.
II is remarkable that just year ago, upon the 9th
and 10th OF February Last, the gale OF the It'll
INST was outdone by most tremendou storm, which
anrooed buildings injured property, destroyed vessels,
caused many accidents to life and limb, and did very
soincidiDg snguariy in the time Of its visitation car
yied the similarity farther. Our reporters have been
able to And no Instances OF loss Of life Of very great
damage 10 property from the wind except
Shose mentioned above. This gale overturned no
houses, but contented itself with burying beneath
his load Of garbage the driver Of cart renth
Fences and chimDeys, not edidces and shipping,
suffered this year, and even these suffered compare
tively little Mon traversed the streets In fear, how
and the falling Of chimney two cot all pedes
trrns agg, and caused them TO proceed with
thing from above. Careful elderly gentlemen took
the middle Of the streets when the vehicles were not too
numerous The wind forced the lanes wherever il
pleased The young men Followed the iadcs Omnibus
and drivers grew desperate, and suffered with silent
nAaedictious. Everybody concluded that winter had
at last, and seemed at all reoiced by its
expected arrival All anticipated great disasters by
hand and sea, though happily few are reported.
THE EXTENT OF THE GALE.
We have reports by telegraph Of the effects Of this gale
hon places far south Baltimore as far west as Buff
10 and far north Quebec North and the gale
cd nv no. fall afg and furh
10 the wet Of Buffalo the feu with but little wind
The reports received therefore, show the gale to have
ed from about tbirty.nn 20 forty seven degrees
north Latitude and from sixty nine TO seventy nine do
Wces longitude west from Greedwich-gving an Of
say, In round numbers, Of about two hundred and
nfty thousand. Beyond the paroilelogram formed
BY these degrees Of latitude and longitude VIC
hear nothing Of extraordinary winds Al Grand liaven,
Michigan, the wind yesterday, light the therIno
nometer wasat the same point, with nc wind At De-
trcit ten degrees below; wind very light. At Coing
wool elsvsn degrees below the snow eish, feet deep
degrees above zero. Al Milwaukee. the weather mild
and pleasant AZ Rock Island, the Thermometer -four de-
uees above zero and slight snow. At none OF these
pacee v mention made of extraordinary cold wind,
and IN all the wind reported eas; by south-east
yesterday. These places, therefore, and the whole
country west OF the longitude OF Buffalo and
soutl Of the latitude OF baltimore would seem
~ have been comparatively unaffected ~ the storm
gaE CALF AT sEA.
How far the cncts Of the gale felt are,
Of course unable present 10 state, and Of how much
damage was done 70 shipping by this terrible storm,
~noh must have boon doaly terrible when bowling over
BE- open SEA wc are equally ignorant. The pilot boat
Seorge Steers however reports the weather for tho last
We days a. follows Thursday, Feb. :, a strong gale
rom soaih soulhwsst Al three 7. ". the wind hauled
west n0rs1ssst' WIN heavy squa AZ four y.
~ The wind was blowing perfect hurricane ron the
northwest. ~ sNP NJ We ~ess shi,. heading west |
southwest were Obliged TO carry heavy pree o. en-
keep under the land. rnc boat was lab,rin,
heavily, and the sea made - clean breact |
fore and aft, the wind still flowing tar |
rhc gale At nine O'Clock cane 10 ancicr |
nfteen miles orth &C Barnegst In four soms water the
boat riding heavily a. anchor. yesterday morning he
weather more moderate, but intensely cold. Hove
anchor and made sal for New York the w.ui west by
southwest Spoke the schooner T. W. seary from VIZ.
gina, bound for New Haven. She repQrtsd that
Thursday night she lost her esaD and ODD She
was taken In tow by steam.ug and attempted " IyO
Deed 10 Sandy Book but Obliged 70 LET 70 the toy
The vessel badly iced up Further reports ffoc
win probably be obtained today. Happily the vial