Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-04-30
the PEOPLES COLUMN.
VERY BRIEF LETTERS GLADLY RRcRTyFD. LoNo
COMMUNICATIONS WILL NOT BIZ PRINTED. WE
ARE IN NoWIsE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VIEWS
OF CORRESPONDENCE
FOR the uazette.
PEAKS ISLAND, PORTLAND, NE. April 5. 1873.


For the dazette.
PEAKS ISLAND, PORTLAND Me. April6 1873
MR. JOHNSON dear Sir ir:-Receiving a pack
age from New York recently, wrapped in the
DAILY Gazette, brought to mind my intention of
writing you an occasional letter from this land Of
snow and ice.
On the lst Of March started I'D the Ogdsns
burg road from Portland, leaving about three feet
of snow on a level. As We nearsd tho mountains
the depth increased to four, Ave and even six feet
at Fryburg, Me. and North Conway N in
the immediate vicinity Of the White Mountains /
No fences visible, and many Of the houses banked
Hp nearly to the top of the windows. On March |
Sth walked from Conway Centre to Conway |
Corner over snow varying III depth from to l3 |
feet People do not shovel sut the roads in that
region, but drive over it with or teams and tread
it down solid, making turnouts at short distances
which are as much respected as switches on a rail-
| road, as no team passes turnout without ascsr-
tanning that no other one is coming from the op-
posite direction and ne turnout between. Thus
the beaten path is kept solid aud hard, though the
winds, which here blow in hurricanes, continually
siit in the snow until as high that untrodden at
the sides upon which, If horse steps, he will sink
several feet aud ls sometimes Injured in his efforts
to regain the solid path. A load horse soon be-
comes careful as any maA where he puts his foot
seeming to know full well the danger Of salt
snow.
About March 10th, alter few days Of warm
top rail occasionally, and many car eful farmers
house their wagons mowers, Sc, around the barn
and by the roadside, would occasionally see the
tsps of the wheels and bodies. Although the snow
so deep, there Is no frost in the ground, and the
snow ls wasting from the bottom. Snow fell early
in winter when but little frost was in the ground,
and has remained ever snce-a thing have not
before witnessed in ten years residence in New
England, though it is common IN the mountain
region.
From the 10th to the Goth of March over two
fact OF snow fell but it wasted away still faster
the general depth was lessened. On the 25th, as
1 came within 10 or 20 miles Of Portland, could
perceive was getting out Of the snow, as it was
not over two feet a level; but the inhabitants
could not believe there was more snow up country
Every one Is bOWailing the backwardness o.
spring, but see a prospect for an early one fol
q this latitude. True, there is much snow yet OF
the ground, but look upon that as favorable thar
| otherwise, as a few more of these warm sunny
IS days and it will bS gone, the ground soon settl
b and be ready to plant Last April there was Ii
20 feet OF frost in the ground, and in many paceI
was not all out until the middle of May Here, il
e the vicinity Of Portland and the sea- there IS mucl
bare ground, and the gardners Of Cape Elizabstl
will soon be planting their early peas and potA
toes.
WNDHAM, April 25.-After three weeks O
l. spring weather the snow Is fast leaving US uut
1t now can look around and see perhaps three
n fourths OF the ground uncovered of its heecy Goa
- that since November has hid 1t from our view
u Farmers arc beginning their spring WORK, and
= few have planted eariy peas &c. .Gras1 beghs
look green IN warm srotS, and yesterday hear
the first frog, His peep was very weak and
lonely time he had OF it for while: but towar
night one after another joined the chorus until u
e~ music got quite ffO9gy--a reminder that sprin
Is at hand but when cast my eyes to the \
w. and see the summit OF Mount Washington 8
miles distant, with its pure white covering, ben
y in reality q iohite mountain, am reminded thu
it rests upon ''the lap of winter"
-e, It is hard for . DslaWaFean 10 realize how
"a portion OF the ground can be covered with Sno
st and other parts so warm and dry that the farme
3S- putting IN the seed, which in short time wi
X, spring forth into new life. There il such q gre
ng body of SRow on the ground, and the severe Co
re- weather so steady, that the snow and ice atta
n lower temperature than in a lower latitude, aI
re- is able longer to Withstand the melting power
en- the suns rays. Five years ago saw snow-drii
j. on the coast OF Maine until the 18th Of May. \
rO- doubt your readers have noticed in seasons Of
short supply Of ice that the PsnObscot ice firm
l0s and will keep much longer than BrandyWi
are ice We often have our best slsighing toward L
last Of winter, after the weather grows qui
ON warm. Days when one eau ride comtortah
ere without an OVsrcoat set in q sunny roOm vii
lad out tiFs-such day in Delaware would soft
viii the deepest snow to the bottom, and make all
m slush before nighthere the only effect is to soft
so the top crust aud give the sleigh an easier pa
ew age. Even after the truly warm days come II
nc starts the flowing streams, 1t courses over bed
)s- mpacted frozen snow, so solid that it takes dI
OH and sometimes weeks to wear away. Truly
) OF wonders of a New England climate must be Sc
the to be understood.
ing The growing season here is very short,
IL when summer does come, vegetation grows rap
'er- ly. The planting season is embraced In q week
will ten days. after that it is too late for crops to
hat ture.
h This section has been favored by the gr
leld amount of snow going off SO gradually that
oks damage has been done by ice or Hood. He
be warm rain carried of the snow the damage m
have been immense. On the Penobscot they hi
not Jared 90 we'll A freshet did cOnsidera
damage at Bangor. Yours truly, X & 2