The Portland daily press., 1875-02-17
THE ARCTIC WAVE.
sound Harbors Closed up

New YORK, Feb. 16-No vessels passed
through He'll Gate yesterday either way. The
ice in the East and North rivers this morning
continues heavy, but it is broken up in such
manner as not to materially impede steam nav
igation.
The ice blockade ON Long Island Sound is
complete Yesterday afternoon, at New Ro-
chelle, the ice was from eighteen inches to two
feet in thickness, and during the day many
persons walked out as far as Execution Light
house, a distance of at least four miles. The
transit to Huekleberry Island ard City Island
was readily made, and ma0y skaters were seen
far out on the Sound. Wagons were driven
upon the ice to the oyster beds. Holes were
made and the bivalves were put directly upon
the carts without the intervention OF boats.
From City Island to the Long Island shore
clear sheet of solid ice extended, and numbers
of persons prssed with SAFETY. Ice boats and
skaters fitted in all directions
The steamers City of Hartford and Bridge
port, bound to New York, were firmly wedged
in early yesterday morning, and after several
futile attempts to extricate themselves they
accepted the situation of their imprisonment
until change in the weather occurs. The City
of Hartford sustained some damage while try
inc to break through the ice field the captains
of both steamers went ashore on the ice and
took the train to New York. They report the
ice throughout the Sound as having accumu-
lated in almost incredible quantities, and state
it wouldsbe highly imprudent for any vessel to
attempt the passage.
At City Island many vessels have been ice
bound for weeks. Capt Leviness. navigator
and Sound pilot say, that such an icy era never
occurred within his recollection. Late last
evening from Throgg's Neck to Riker's Island,
there extended solid sheet of unbroken ice,
so thick that even steam navigation was lmpos-
sible. Yesterday morning the people of Mil
ford declared that the Sound was skinned over
with ice at sunrise, and as far as the eye could
reach nothing but ice could be SEEN
The ice in Stratford harbor is fifteen inches
thick, and a first class gunboat could not pene-
trate the barrier Not vessel has entered the
harbor since the cold term set in.
At Bridgeport the harbor, open constantly
during ordinary winters, is now very tight and
people are walking and driving over its surface.
The steamers have ceased running.
The harbor at Black Rock, one of the fIeest
harbors on the Sound, is closed, and may not
be open until March
Southport has given up all hope OF change
in temperature. A short supply OF coal stares
her people in the face, while her market boats
and freghters lie helpless at the wharves
Westport is sealed. Norwalk is closed, as the
monstrous piles of freight awaiting transporta-
tion testifies. Five Mile River harbor has ice
three feet in thickness, and off the buoy on
Smith Island reef. the ice is piled up IN WIN
rows twenty feet high.
Further down the shore, at Rye, the Sound
was frozen over and crossed, to and from Long
Island. A funeral procession crossed the ice
at o'clock yesterday afternoon from Hart to
City Island.
The brig Eudorus, from New York to Port
land, and the schooner Karet, from New York
for Salem, are frozen up in the ice just below
New Haven lighthouse. The schooner Annie
L. Mexican, from Jacksonville for New Haven,
with lumber, is at Southwest Ledge, in Long
Island Sound, She has been drifting about in
the ice for week past.