Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-02-14
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
Mostly about the Weather and Travelling

Mostly about the Weather and Travelling.
Thursday Of Inst week was marked by the most
rapid and remarkable chnnge in the weather that has
occurred within experience. The morning Of the
day moderately cool During the forenoon light
fall Of snow commenced with a constantly increasing
wind from the South Towards the weather
moderated and the snow melted nearly as fast ii fell
which with strong souherly wind indicated the near
approach Of rain. This state Of things continued un
til nearly two o'clock, when the wind suddenly chop
ped around to the northwest and commenced blowing
a violent gale. The air was darkened with snow
which was driven about with the greatest fury and fell
In little round pellets for nh hour or two when the
storm ceased; but the wind, which had become lash
cd into perfect fury, in wise abated In this con-
dition of the atmosphere the caorc diminished with
wonderful rapdity. At half past one o'clock the mer
curry IN the thermometer full 40 deg above zero and
before six o'clock that afternoon 1t had fell to zero
change Of forty degrees in little more than four hours.
There was no cessation of the wind during the night
and the cold increased until Friday morning, when the
thermometers In this village ranged from "a to % be-
low, and in some of the negboring towns fell to "a
below. That night was the most severe one for many
years for persons out of doors. Travelling even for
short distances would have been hazardous. One man
N'o'''"NN "
village started for home from of the stores about
nine o'clock in the evening When within thirty rods
of his house he got out Of the road and unable to
anything by reason of the clouds of snow blowing
around him, wandered about much longer time than
necessary for him to reach home, even at the slow
rate of progress he was able to make, and at length
hauled up in brief hull to take an observation. He
found himself within ten or dozen rods Of home but
out of the direct Starting again he bore of
| in the opposite wrong direction and thus wandered
about until nearly exhausted without getting much
nearer to his house. Another vigorous effort brought
him to Il small shop nearly opposite his house but he
was unable to proceed further. His oucres for as
sstance brought help speedily or he would have per-
ished his face and hands being considerably frozen.
He is an able bodied sober man, and his case illus
trates the extreme severity Of the weather during that
memorable night.
Elsewhere we learn from our exchanges that the
storm was equally severe. 1t ragged from Maine to
Virginia. On the coast vessels wrecked and in
the cities and villages, buildings and chmnies were
blown down, signs and shntters removed, and numer-
Gus forcible entries made At Burlington, ten O'Clock
Thursday evening the thermometer indicated is below
and ut seven Friday morning, 20 below AT White
River Junction it 80 below, at Rouse's Point So
and at other places 40 below zero or more. Extreme
cold prevailed everywhere in this region. The mcr-
curry was below nearly all day Friday, and Satur-
day morning 2s deg. below. Since then the
weather has become much more rational.
There was no serious detention of the trains in this
vicinity Thursday. The down freight train on the
Vermont & Massachusetts, Railroad when near Ash
burnham summit in the evening, divided the hinder
part seeding while the engine and balance proceeded
to Fitchburg. A search was made for the secession
lists and they were found firmly mbedded in the snow
On this account the down passenger train Friday morn
ing was unable to reach Ftchburg that day. it turned
about and came back, arriving about three O'Clock
Saturday morning The evening train from Boston
due at Burlington at p NJ, only reached Norhfelt
that night. The Free Press of Friday says;
"The evening train from the South left Vergenne'
about half past seven and succeeded in getting withr
four miles Of Burlington, where it was set fast in cut
showed up and frozen in. As soon as information
reached here-which was not Till morning. as no one
could be found for a long time, willing to start ou
with his team on so Indictment ght,-three engines
were sent down, and the train, five engines in all,
ceeded about to-day, in getting within 80 rods
the depot. There the train again stuck FAST
The passengers ventured to walk in the rest of the
way, after being, of them, twenty-iou hours II
the train without food"