The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-03-04
LOCAL MATTERS.

The SNow-SToR4 OF SATuRDAY.-Suow
commenced falling here between II and l
O'Clock on Friday night, but 1t did not begin
to make any show on the ground until later
in the morning. Before O'Clock, however,
the storm had set in in earnest, and the wind
from the northeast drove the fleecy substance
through the smallest crack, and it was hard
to find place where cne could be free from
the searching blast SO rapidly did the snow
fall that it was not long before it had drifted
to considerable depths' In many parts Of
the city pedestrians experienced difficulty in
going to and fro; few vehicles could be seen
upon the streets, and those chiefly hacks and
perhaps physician's buggy here and there.
The markets did not present the usual ar
ray Of meats and vegetables which can be
seen OH Saturday morning, and the pur-
chasers were rs few in number as those who
sold. Few persons undertook to have the
sidewalk in front of their doors cleaned off
until the afternoon. ALI day long the snow
continued to fall, and at one time so fast did
it come down that the driving wind render
ed it difficult to recognize even an Intimate
acquaintance. BY noon it had reached a
depth Of from twelve to fourteen inches. In
| various places where it had drifted it was
more than three feet deep. ..
| ADOuU ~ " SIOIh GhC VI tllS
City Railway Company made q desperate eff
fort to start the street cars. A one-horse
snow-shovel was driven up Main and Ninth
streets, which it was hoped would clear the
roadway sufficiently to enable the cars to pass
with but little difficulty. Car No. 8 was the
first to come out; TO it was attached four
horses; and then No. G came. along with
three: but it was very evident that the track
could not be kept clear until it stopped snow
ING, and so the effort was given Up as bad
job. .
| About O'Clock persons in the Exchange
Hotel were startled by hearing q crash,
which proved to be the breaking in of o por.
ton of the roof of the concert-room, the
rafters of which were charred by the fire
which occurred iu January. The weight
Of the snow was SO great that the trall sup
porters gave way. No one was injured, as
| the room adjoills theold dining-room, and il
is not now used.
In the forenoon the first sleigh appeared
Oh the streets, and several Others soon fol-
lowed; and now tie air resounded with the
merry music Of the bells.
About ) o'clock the snow ceased falling
and it was not long before shovels were
brought into requisition for clearing the side
walks. In the morning the mercury stoot
at 81 degrees, and by sundown it was quite
as cold.
This snow was deeper and the storm much
more severe than any we have had since thu
memorable winter Of 1857, when the river
was closed for six weeks; when the snow
was banked up in the city as high rs the ,toI
of the storc-doors on the north side of tht
streets; when the poor were fed by commit
tees who went around in sleds, and when i
was not an uncommon thing to hear of per
sons being frozen to death in various parts o
the State.
The railroad trains due here on Saturda,
afternoon were all delayed, but at this writing
we have not heard Of any serious casualtie
occasioncd by the storm.