The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-13
THE SNOW STORM.
The Streets Blockaded- Travel Impeded--
Detention of the Mails-The City
I'ars and Ferries Run
ming Irregularly.


The first severe sno Of the season in this Soc
ton OF the country occurred yesterday BY severe Il
70 be understood OF those peculiar biting drifting
akey norheasters with winch portion Of the globe
known ~ the "Island OF Manhatan," was wont to be
favored in I'VE merrie oidcn TYNE" Every intelligent
Goshame Is aware OF the fact, that within the past
month"; three four vain beavers we're made to get
up Storm but all them proved 70 be nothing but
abortive attempts not until the fact dawned
upon us with tho dawn or yesterday that Il was fully
realized that an old fashioned storm was a. hand Those
OF our citizens who had retired TO rest With the moons
delquescent light struggling through clouds that were
almost Opaque, awoke in the NOR ming to md
terrible storm raging and the feathcry masses piled
high up against tho doorway while the whistling wind
piped meiy and Gang aud howed through every chink
and crovce as the makes danced against tho win
dow PAGES aud told in unnisakablo language that tbs
way business was seriously mpeded with banks of
drifed snow, shaped by the wind into huge frozen
boudes To just about third Of the good people Of
this metropolis this fall OF snow came blessing,
browning their ANXIOUS expectancy with bright visions
of the ntinabuatons Of strings OF silver hollis and merry
seighing parties while the other two-hirds 1t brought
nothing but papable misery, woe and suffering
The skating season, which had just commenced
at some OF the ponds, was brought to nm
abrupt close; but the prospect OF good soigh
ing fully recompensed for the disappointment in
this quarter, and little schoolboys shouted with
gee 1T SHOWS, 1t snowslp the lively maginings Of
holly contested battle helds-o be fought with ammu-
milton OF Arctic coldness-l up the distance.
1T snowsl Great heaven II snowsl' exclaimed tho
poor also no stood sbvcrng and shaking at his
door, aud tho unwelcome truth forced itself upon him
that had neither fire. tho wherewith to purchase
fuel until he had earned It, and every scam crack and
hole In his boots letting in water than the leather
could keep out and his threadbare coat being but an
apology for covering to keep his great heart warm
AND THE coMMEscsD.
The presasng signs of tho atmosphere had been for
some time previous pointing individuality to an i'm
minent storm; but IL held up nicely until eleven
o'clock on Wednesday evening. at which time IL first
commenced falling IN fine little fakes, not much larger
than the head of pin Those but the harbngers
or cosrriers Of the mutudinous host that
soon to follow and pour down upon ptiessly and
necessarily tweny-four hours. At one o'clock the
ground just barely covered with the neecy dapery
that like rich mantle thrown the shoulders of
mendlcant soon concealed deiormties from tne eye,
and changed the vista OF dirty. dusty streets and
heaps OF refuse into boundless cxpanso
Of unsullied whiteness. At two o'clock the
wind blowing lightly from tho northeast, the
the time continuing 10 fall steadily bus
gently, and the Thermometer standing at thirty de.
grees The OF the weather remained thus until
daylight yesterday morning, when percepble change
was observable. Al eight o'clock the mercury had
fallen to seventeen degrees and before eleven O'Clock
the wind had increased 70 perfect gale The snow
King ruled with severity throughout the day. and made
young and old alike skip rather ivey before him. Or
caueed them to hang down their heads IN bitter huma
tion when advancing toward him. Az the day wore on
the flakes appeared TO grow larger and to come down
thicker thicker faster and faster and at nightal
seemed though the storm had gathered strength
and vigor, for that time tho driven down In
binding showers and tho storm was raging furiousy,
while travel on the ferries, omnibus lines aud
city railroads had been greatly interfered with At six
osocx as evening tne sn sS S never places ina. we
nine inches The snow was dry and light and, with
cold driving wind penetrating every nook and corner,
blinded animals and men and made travelling amos!
impossibility.
Most OF the fcrryboa,s made their regular trips dur
ing the day but alter dark navigation some What
more difficult. Travel greatly mpeded and the tide
being very hgh it but with the greatest difficulty
boats During the evening the boats were compelled TO
speed materially The fog BELLS indicating the alps
either side kept >Dpg and every possible precau
on was taken fs 70 guard s san ws
shouIdering and topping oyer each other as though
% ns me ssx ma North
rough. and caused OF the frail feryboats to roll
with an alarming tendency 70 keel over from port TO
arboardr 10 the great CONSERVATION OF tho passengers
The Jersey City boats ran on time during tho day, as
did also the Fulton, south Brooklyn. Hobokea and
Williamsburg boats; but after night set IN they only
made semioccasicnal trips Tho Staten Island ferry
beats bad hard time Or IT. The last boat that went TO
which should sailed NJ vo O'Clock did not leave
the sim nnti quarter six, and after making about
thirds distance Obliged to return to the city.
Mr. John A. sharp passenger on the boat, makes
the following statement OF
TAX LAST TRIP oY STATEN ISLAND FERRYBoAT.
We left New York ut quarter TO six O'Clock, taking
sth the five O'Clock passengers. and making in
ali about twelve hundred people When We got away
from the slip we discovered that there lights on
board the boat the gas being frozen; but why the oil
laIaps were not noisted the STATS fore and at
could not learn The pany should be hold amenable
m iord O
lights gentleman board luckily had candle with
bin and this he lighted and placed 10 tho ladies' cabin
The pilot also had lamp 70 enable him 70 sec his
compass, and these inc only lights on board
the boat After proceeding about two-thrds OF
the way down tho bay, with the sea rolling
very high, and every piece Of timber In the
steamer creaking fearfully our rudder broke, and
the pilot then shifted the rudder pin TO the other end OF
the boat and headed for New York. All this time
as dark Eisbns board tho boat not single light
being discernibe, and every person feeling a. though
he OF she would never land again. After floating
around at the merry orthe waves for long time We
happily neared the New York shore but were II not for
the passengers who stood out spon the deck IN the fu
the South ferry boats and many lives would have been
lost We were all safely landed Mt tho wharf Of the
hsrbor pelce boa, AFTER Two hours spent IN trying 10
reach homes, and returned thanks Tor our provdsn
escape from watery grave. and procured lodgings
elsewhere. Some OF the passengers subsequently held
IN Indignation meeting at which the ferry company was
censursd severely for thus jcopardzng the lives Of their
passengers by negigently attempting 10 run their boats
witLout tho proper lights
As the steamboat Columbia, plying the Fulton
ferry making her ten O'Clock trip from Brookiyn
she ran foul OF large shp lying the end OF the Fulton
ferry SLIP carrying away by toe collision portion o.
her proncn deck. The ship sustained no injury and
the isryboa continued her trips throughout the night
90 TRAVEL
The trains from Philadelphia arrived on time They
report the gallo aseyere along the roue, hut the
had not reached sufficient he,th. 70 impede The run.