The New York herald., 1868-03-22
THE EQUM0CTIAL STORM.
TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF TRAVEL.
The Ferries, tie Railroads and
TIE Mails.
Accidep- IS and Disasters i'm the City
and HarbOr.
z'he Storm in Brooklyn, Jersey City
and Westchcster.


that important event in the annual course OF our
astronomical history popularly known as the sun
crossing the line, which means simply that In the
eIkic course which Oar planet describes around
the. sun once In every twelve meaths 1t has passed
q point greatest propnquty to or Its farthest
stance from the solar centre. Thus there are two
sAuinoxes--the vernal equinox that which we have
- recently passed, when the earth, having ap-
preached the sun for months in its &C.
centric movement, begins recedng, and the
auumnal equinox when, having reached Its farthest
distance it again inclincs in its orbit towards the
sun. Tradition has to great extent assoc a.ed
shese changes with severe atmospheric Disturbances
and popular expectation anticipates from year to
year and after the equinoctial galen
necessary occurrence. There Is certainly IN the
frequent happenings OF sucn aerial agitation ground
enough for generally apprehended certainty Of its
constant repetition, but yet even in this is popular
Judgment at fault Science has failed to determine
wherefore should such things be, and il they should
happen to be would be equally satisfied In its
observations and deductions as though they had
occurred In other words, 1t by maans follows as
necessary consequence Of the sun crossing the line,
whether vernally autumnally, that should have
q storm. We have survived both changes without
any atmospheric convulsi0n and while such usually
happens about this time 1t often occurs weeks either
before after the event which Is supposed to bring
It into existence while yet storms of that character
are SO entirely beyond the ken Of scientific premO-
HitiOn and both in their inception and duration
seemingly beyond the application Of the usual tests
OF scientific consideration that their association with
such event is not unreasonable The recent storm,
which may without injustice be referred to the
nal equinox, SO lately passed, has been Of the
severest character we have experienced In many
years, and has beyond doubt inflicted incalculable
damage to our commercial and other exposed in
terests Friday, the Goth inst presented itself to
early risers a dull sharp, chilly day, with certain
unmistakable indications in the air Of an approach
ing Storm which led the speculative in the weather to
prophesy rain at an earty hour, and the
Weatherwse to hazard q prognostcation of
snow. All day long the sun hid itself behind
clouds Of a dull slate like color, which
gave no opinion as to the correctness OF either
speculation while as it sunk eastwardy the air grew
sharper, and in spite Of the lateness Of the season
seemed to give indications Of the presence of snow
In the clouds above. Toward nine O'Clock, or
little after, a few flakes commenced falling, drop
ping not quietly and silently they do In poetry, but
being whirled about In angry and petulant manner,
dashed against window panes and driven violently
in the faces Of benighted travellers. The
wind at this time was blowing little
fresh-probably what an old salt who had
survived q dozen hurricanes would call
IL
exposed to 1t, might call "great guns" provided he
knew enough to describe 1t by this nautical figure.
The snow, however, shortly stopped, although the
wind kept increasing in volume, causing signs to
Creak with inharmonious sound, awnings to nutter
dangerously and window shutters to vibrate with q
vim and persistence which suggested to the stray
pedestrians passing In their neighborhood pos
sible serious consequences. Shortly. after half
past one O'Clock the storm burst In all its
violence. strong northerly wind sweeping
along at the rate Of twenty-five twentyfour miles
m hour, accompanied by severe fall ofsnow which
was driven about by the wind in q manner distract
ing, binding and positively dangerous to such un-
happy wghts whose business or laches compelled or
brought in the streets, "and least OF all on such
. night.n Thus 1t continued through the 'wee sma'
hours,n the wind singing with melancholy
dence through secured easements or shrieking in
threatening notes where chink or Granny
gave 1t room for entrance, the snow the
while dashing mon0t0nously on roof OF man.
WIN window u pane. Wien morning broke a bleak pros
pect was presented. Those who, more fortunate
than many OF their fellows, had retired in the gen.
eral belief that winter was over and we would have
mosy were in the s mo
ments Of their awakening by the splashing against
their window panes. The probability Of hastorm
presented no unusual occurrence but when, having
arisen view was sought OF the outside world and
the whole surrounding prospect was found shrouded
whirled about In very tornado almost shut out
vision, then came forth from many lips the testi-
unanimously voted the severest STORM of the season
Outside the travellers experience more than
ss al rnck
beyond all seeming hope Of future discovery; the
line which usually marked separation between
what is known as the sidewalk and the street
proper was totally obscured familiar paths were
botted out doorsteps inhosptaby covered signs erst
once haunt themselves in the face Of the passenger
no covered to be illegible; windows stripped OF
their bright greeting by an outside curtain; and
stray mortas trudgng along with heavy breath, SO
In spite OF all this however there was feature Of
this storm which made II less severe than many
ont fell below 20 degrees Seconds and conse
quently although persons abroad, where exposed to
much from cold, yet when q sheltered place was
reached immediate relief was experienced. In this
connection the following
METEOROLOGICAL
observations by George b. Hanna, OF Columbia Col
iege may be interesiing@,At seven A. M on the 2oth
heit where exposed to the full effect OF the storm,
was 30 deg. min, the minimum I'm sheltered place
being 28 deg. min. At two O'Clock in the afternoon
OF that day the same thermometer showed, maximum,
81 deg min. minimum 81 deg. min, and at nine
same thermometer Indicated as asfoIlows:-sevenA A. NJ.
n sna e ae mn masmam %nms% ss aes % dsS n
minimum 20 deg. min. comparison between
me Sn s sHs Ess e
former registered the 10th at seven A. M. IS deg.
min at two p. M. 30 deg. min and at nine p. M.
IS deg min; on the 21st at seven A. M. 80 deg.
min. and at p. M. 80 deg. min. The wet bulb
marked as bclow:-On the goth at A. M 81 deg.
3 min at two p. NJ 33 deg. min. and at nine p. N.
33 deg min.; on the 21st at seven A. M % deg.
min. and at two p. M. 81 deg. 3min. The following
exhibits the appearance Of the barometer during the
same period:-At seven A. M. on the 10th 31016, at
two p. NJ 29.s23 and at nine p. NJ 2o70s on the 2lst
at seven A. M 2p14O, at two p. M. 2p145.
average range 2pe01 The prevailing direction OF the
wind during the continuance OF the storm was
Northeast At about noon Of yesterday twelve inches
0f snow bad fallen, but "a It subsequently fell very
leEvily this depth was very much Increased. Much
fuher observations than those taken by Mr.. Hanna
are taken at :he Park Observatory, but
owing to some mistaken regulation OF Commissioners
the gentleman In charge is not at liberty 70 give pub
tion was made there yesterday for the Information,
above given It was positively refused az though ma.
fure and natures laws were capable of being sub
ntted TO proprietary restrictions The attention OF
Uraa Ia