The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-06
BOREAS ON A "BOZAAM."
The City Mantled in Frost and the Streets
Flooded with Hall-Frozen Water.
Telegraph Wires Swapping and Theologians
Slpping-The Work of the Police and Fire
Departments Deranged- Remedial
Measures-Mounted Messengers
Instead of Electricity


~. 0sStN"1 S6sN sO6s
Americans are accustomed to rail at and despse
the climate of England, but If anything in the
shape Of weather more utterly detestable than that
which regned in New York yesterday could be
produced by Old Albion she ought to have paid
consequential damages" The memory OF "the
Oldest inhabitant" is supposed to be very retentve,
as q rule, and even that sage hermit asserted it
was~''the worst he ever SEEM" Saturday night
was bright and fair, the c'oudless sky was spanged
with scintillating stars, but as dawn approached q
misty curtain came and yelled the heavens from
the view of mortas. 1t was bitterly cold and those
persons who consider themselves weatherwise, or
aspire to o relationship with
GOLD PROBABILITIES"
thought that perhaps o little snow might fall; but
the elements would not be sufficiently sacrilegious
~ to deter devOtees from going 10 church. The
last panier had been adjusted, the cadence of the
last peal OF the church bells had died away upon
the misty air and prisons were fully under weigh
when Jupiter Pluvius, after lengthy considera-
ton, determined to usurp the elemental throne
and reign for little while. And he did rain with
o vengeance. Down came special torrents, half
snow, half water. which on touching the pave
ments and roadway froze hard and slippery. Not
even q French dancing master could have skip
ped lightly the frozen flags without imperiling
his precious little neck and it seemed as II earths
surface was converted pro tenn. into a gigantic
looking-glass TO enable ladies to learn the latest
modes in feminine undergarments. The poor po-
licemen, who on sunshiny days beam conspicu-
Ously as the chaperOns OF the fair sex cross
ings and perilOus parts OF the streets, were too
UTTERLY wRETCHED
to be gallant Their waterproof coats and leg
gings were frozen stiff, and they stood on one leg
friendly awning to shelter them, like barn door
fowls longing for their roosts. The perspicacious
individuals who retail seventy-five cent
Of of''i fractional currency when the Church
services terminated, for even the most niggardly
Hoga not hs to his PHYLLIS
trotted along the swampy, sushy streets with
dropping ears, looking the perfect personiication
had terminated their equine existence last fall.
Drivers We're profane conductors anything but
spoil ones best suit, get wet feet acquire a
cold and be late for dinner all through going to
church is rather too much for even the most pious
Christian to stand without grumbling Yet to
those who have apprecative eyes for the pictur-
esque and beautiful this wintry day presented
telegraph wire which stretch along and across tho
streets OF Gotham were coated with
| PRETTY FRINGE OF ICE,
the weight OF which caused them to hang in fes-
toons that seemed like spans OF finely textured
lace. The leaness trees, which have lately resem-
foliage of life had been plucked yesterday were
decked by nature in chaste and taseful garb. The
rain, freezing as 1t fell upon every sprig and branch
! OF these monarchs of the soil, coated them in an
Of ice, and they stood out stately against the
sky NE virgin brides e Of nSary Wnts Their
| reas, who wooed them. Mishaps were frequent and
pedestrians who had any considerable distance to
travel considered themselves lucky If they ala not
feel dull SENSATION OF pain in the region OF their
heads antipodes when they gained their destlna-
TONS Dame Nature y 49,, '-@--
sometimes, and occasionally rivals Hogarth or
Gilray as a caiicaturist. She might have lOrborne
to practise her fun upon Poor Richard " but per-
haps the temptation to make old Ben butt was
! too great to be resisted, and there In Printing
House square was the great Franklin and pendant
ee s FOOT in Re artist WAS sadly
when he neglected to supply the distinguished ph
losopher with nnouchoir. The enormous
MOUNDS OF SNOW
which grid the sidewalks did not visibly decline in
bulk yesterday, but the frghtfully sloppy state OF
missloners the desrabity OF at once carting away
these hiocks Of dirty stun. The telegraph wires
were in many places broken either by the weight mt
the cold, and the poles which support them were
bowed like plant reeds. Taken altogether yester:
by many whose business or religious
tenets called them from home, for more
miserable weather, even in midwnter, 1t would be
impossible to conceive, and slippers, siestas and
| sunny smiles in the warm cosiness Of ones own
abode were the only things that could in any way
| tend to reconcile humanity to existence. At the
signal station on the summit OF the Mutual Build
| ing Broadway, the storm nags were displayed at
| eleven A. M. but they became SO cl0aked with Ice
| that the police feared the masts would be unable
| to stand the strain and by swapping endanger the
lives of passengers in the street below. The signal
officers were requested 10 haul down the haunting
CRIMSON AND BLACK WARNINGS
| and they did so after telegraphlng to washington
for instructions. None came, however the line
beng probably broken somewhere. The anemo
meter was coated so thickly with ice that 1t ceased
to work at noon, when the velocity OF the north
eastern wind was twenty-fOur miles an hour. II
would be well to have new masts properly stayed
as these storm signals are now regarded as
valuable Constitution" among those who "gO dOwr
10 sea In ships, and also they who have to q
down to "tne oflice," niy-willy, in wintr!
weather.
The following circular was in the evening sent t.
the HERALD Office by the Signal Service Onice
stationed here -
SIGNAL SERVICE OFFICE NEW YORK, Jan. g. 1873
No weather reports this evening Wires all down Can
get any communication with the Chief Signal ONCE
Mr. Baker chief operator of Franklin Company and my
self going down to the cable house. West Thirty mint
| Chief Signal Office. M y. TlGHE, Observer.
| At about seven O'Clock the wonder OF the oldes
.nhabitant was greatly increased by the appear
ance OF dense gray fog, which settled over Thu
| city, while the sleet continued TO pour and th
! wind TO blow. At eleven O'Clock. however, the
fog lifted and the moon began to shine. The storm
! had ceased and the air was clear and bright.
HOW TIE POLICE ARE AFFECTED.