The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-15
THE ICE BARRIER.

DEPARTURE OF A vAGRANT sEAL-AMUsNG
SCENE ON THE EAST RIVER.
Notwithstanding the mildness OF the tempera-
ture and the calm atmosphere OF the last two
days. the icy oostructions In the rivers and bay
have diminished In quantity but little. The char.
acter OF the ice has however, changed greatly.
and in place Of the solid crystal outtresses which
have frowned defiance to the river craft for the
past week there is now only spongy mass OF
broken fragments. Yesterday ushered In great
Improvement in river navigation, and the work
ing classes, to whom Sunday Is the only day OF
rest and recreation. appreciated greatly the In.
creased facilities for river transit. Great hopes
were entertained during the early part OF the day
that thaw would intervene and terminate this
unprecedented season Of ice.
During the latter part OF the afternoon the
weather disappointed the anxious observers,
and tie cold northwest wind, with rapidly fall
ing thermometer, blasted the too sanguine hopes
raised by the mlldness OF the morning. Should
the glacial era return, as is prophesied by many
philosophers, Manhattan Island Will surely be
among the first localities affected By the Icy
feud.
After the unparalleled experience OF the present
winter IT Is easy to believe almost anything. and
many shivering soul that has been forced to
wait for hours In the middle OF the river,
HEMMED IN BY ICE,
with cold, will readily accept the jictum OF an
eminent professor OF natural phenomena. whose
theory that the end OF the word will be caused,
not By fire, as the orthodox believe but by intense
cold and gradual blotting out OF our planet by
the accumulations Office.
ON THE EAST RIVER.
But little difficulty was experienced by the
ferries in the East River. Trips were made dur
ing the entire day with tolerabe regularity.
From Fulon street the ice, up the river, extended
nearly from shore to shore, and to a casual
observer it seemed to offer an almost impossible
barrier. In most instances, however. the cakes
were small and easily brushed aside by the pad
dies OF the steamers Occasionally large noe
would make its appearance, but Its spOngy tex
ture rendered the work OF demolition compare
sivelJ easy. No serious inconvenience delay
was caused at any Of the ferries. The line from
the foot OF Roosevelt street TO Williamsburg had
probably the most difficulty in aking trips. The
boats p!uckiy dashed into the ice and, with
lew exceptions, succeeded IN making nearly
schedule time. At Fulton Jerry the boats were
obliged to MAKE a detour nearly every trip but
| managed to ply regularly. The worst blockade OF
the river was at Catharine street about half.rast
| two p NJ. continuous mass OF ice extended to
the Brooklyn side and no channel was visible.
Yesterday being Sunday the juvenile popula-
ton, released from school restraint, were out in
force eager to take advantage OF the facilities Tor
river skating. Not TO have been on the ice In the
East River Is one OF
THE sADDEsT THOUGrs
that can harass the mind OF the youthful denizen
| OF South street. AS the slips remained frozen
nne chance was given him yesterday to retrieve
his reputation. About two p. NJ, while the
HERALD reporter was gazing admiringly at
the panorama presented by tbs floating bergs
near Fult IN Jerry, number OF small boys, each
! provided with one skate, softly descended into
! Fulton slip. BuckIing OH their skates the small
Boys proceeded to have good rime porty
policeman soon appeared upon rne scene and
| commanded the rash youths TO desisr from their
perlous sport. The guardian OF the puolic peace,
! sad to say, was treated with contempt, especially
by one young American Of about lourteen sum.
mers. who little anticipated that Nemesis was
swiftly following. This young gentleman took or
mis- solitary ska e, and expressed MS determlna-
ton to a cruise about the slip on one OF the
numerous floating cakes. With plank Tor
paddle
started on his slippery craft, and threaded his
way among canal BOATS and barges to the great
Bot alas the brittle ice, impatient OF It's unac-
customed work, suddenly went TO pieces. and the
young nero sunk beneath the waves. He soon
made landing and clampered safely upon the
wharf, where he exclaimed. with animation,
HERE'S lark" The reporter looked Tor the lark,
but unaole TO see IL, although there were
many gulls and other aquatic birds III the vicinity.
swiftly dyestlne himself OF his clothes, which he
LAID out TO dry, the youthful Arab remained for
nearly an hour Win no protection IRON the cold
save very thin and remarkably snort shirt. he
seemed 10 ENJOY the situation, so IL may De pre-
sumed ne was 'accllmatedh
ON THE NORTH RIVER
much Improvement was manifest. The ice was
heaped up in large masses on the New YORK side,
but The centre OF the river Was quite clear. On
the jersey side there no ice at all, and both
steamers ana sailing craft ran with eGse as lar
down as Communipaw. seal was seen drifting
down on the cub tide last evening. IL was proba-
a
Saturday. The North River ferries were not en-
oarrassed during the day and ran with much
greater regularity.
the ice accumulated curing saturday night, FORM
Ing noes OF at least eighteen inches Ia thickness
The Inman steamer City OF Antwerp anchored or
the Quarantine ON saturday evening aDd found
at nalf-past seven anchor was weighed, and under
lull head OF steam the powerful vessel attempted
to lofce ner way up the Day. Caught IN the Zoe,
however. her efforts were OF no avail, and she
drirted he plessiy tor several miles
BELOW THE NARROwS
before extrcaton became possible. The steamer
Utopia VI the Anchor line, was caught about the
into collision with the lDman steamer. fortu-
nately no serious damage Was done 10 either YES
eleven O'Clock A. NJ, and ner picturesque appear
auce attracted many idiers to the wharf, An icy
armOr bound her from stem 10 stern. The rigging
was coated with ice, small ropes looked like crjs-
val cables and pcndant rom every avalaOle spot
the lccies nuHg long ana thics. One Of the ON.
GERS OF steamer stared thai the passage had
been the most severe OF the season. from Shin
necock Bay nearly To New YORK the sou |. shore OF
Long Island was imprisoned by sold icy letters,
/ extending IN some cases ten and twelve miles out
TO sea.
LATE LAST EVENING
huge 1oes, detached from the banks OF the upper
hudson by me northwest wind. noated down the
North RIVER, ming IL nearly rom shore 20 the
oshef ana Impeding the progress OF the ierfy-
pOals Inc plots anticipate another blockade,
anu. as enormous quantities o. ice have accumu-
lated up the river, a continuance Of the nOrJherly
wlnu VIII surely bring most OF 1T to tue neighDor-
hOOd OF the city. From the loot Of Fourteenth
IL. D.e 90 W.
last week, an immense extended 10
WITHIN a lew hundred eet OF the Evslan Fields
/ The iODOken Ieriies we're the only ones v eatly
Affected by the new blockade at CnrIstopher
I street only one boat, the Chancellor Livingston
attempted TO run. From Barclay street the poats
ran regularly until nine O'Clock. The Hacsensack
arrived at the New YORK sip at n quarter past
( nine ana made several unayalllng attempts TO
reach the wharf. Inc Ice n8g dr1ted into the slip
and had there hOzcn last After many