The New York herald., 1876-12-19
THE SNOW STORM.

red signal Dag thrown the breeze from the roof
OF the observatory The Equitable Building a. three
O'Clock sunday afternoon gaze notice thata storm
was approaching There was portentors stiffness IN
the arr and tie sky assumed uniform hue OF dead
gray which, when the sun had set, permitted not
srgle ray OF starlight TO pepetrae. Al hafpast one
O'Clock yesterday morning .'out OF the bosom OF the
air, o. ciou d-olds OF her garments shaken"
IN starry fakes light fall OF neccy snow descended
The air mild and became warmer aftcr daylight so
that she half melted. and whom the pressure
OF early pedessr,ans' feet brought 10 bear
upon 1, turned into that most disgusting o! COM
pound-slush. People who had retired carly on
The previous night before the fal. began, and IN tho
morning stepped unsuspec,ingly ous upon the stoops
o. their houses. found themselves suddenly sitting
upon the sidewalk, without knowing exactly how they
there, and with nd,stnct idea that they had
been Witnessing pyrotcchnica! exhibition, anc had
been simultaneously kicked N the back by mule
The result OF these aud similar incidents Will be found
recorded in another column. in the form OF list Of
persons whose legs and arms were shattered by falling
upon Teacherous steps and sidewalks At ten O'Clock
In the forenoon the snow turned into sleet and IN
creased the discomiorts OF travel louriold Pedcsr-
anism was rendered nearly Impossible by the
driving wind which made the ICY drops almost
cut the wayfarcrs skin. The result rush for
ellers, whose sseamng great coats and dripping um-
brcllas relieve the trip from the charge Of
inslpidi,y II they did not add TO its comfort In
little whilo the sleet filled up the hoows IN the tracks,
making the pull heavy to necesstate the use Of
four horses to each car instead OF the usual two,
and causing the densely packed vehicles 10
slip oil toward the sidewalks every few min
utes. Much profanity was evoked by these mishaps
from the unfortunate passengers, who were obliged
to leave the and stand In the drenchng weather
while the cumbrous conveyances were pushed and
lifted back into their proper places, or Tor The sake Of
expeding the matter, put their shoulders to tho
Wheel Not the street railroads alone, but the steam
lines were ,nconvenienccd by the storm. The freezing
Of tho slippery mass upon the rails made progress SO
slow that many OF the trains arrived behind time.
The fast mails due a. eleven O'Clock arrived behind
time moro than an hour, and the Washington postal
train due at o'clock, did not arrive until af,er
twelve. Shortly before O'Clock the temperature
had become high that tho sleet was turned into
rain, and tho Climax OF dismal and generally uncom-
Portable weather was reached. BROADWAY re-
somblcd immense trough of susb, which
continually churned by tho feet OF
tho ceasccss throng which trudecd along tho
sidewalks, wadcd through the crossings and siipped
stumbled and grumbed everywhere. huflled in Tho
si,my mass tho wheels OF hacks and omnibuses rolled
along without their accustomed rattle, and heavy
log filled the and gave sort OF unreal, ghosty
look the half hidden and silent moving vehicles.
On the North and East rivers tho heavy mis-. hung
like pail, impeding navigation and rendering II any
thing but safe. Tho BROOKLYN and Jersey Guy ferry
boats wore Obliged to run at longer intervals and 10
find their way by The sound OF whistles or bells As
tho afternoon and darkness Tell the aspect
the city became really iunerca and the constant toll
ing OF bells along the river front heightened the dole
iul effect.
The effect Of the upon telegraph wires dis
astrous and at an early hour Of tue day they were
broken by tho weight Of ice which had collected
upon them. Before noon all communication was cut
or between the Ponce Central ONCE and tho various
send every available workman they had 10 assist
pairing the damage. Tho rain and sect freezing
around the wires made them look like gitering silver
strings OF some gigantic harp stretched Tor the
Ice King to play bis w'ntry airs upon Tall buildings
were ies'ooned with frozen drapery aud
and projection, whIe the fronts OF the
edilccs were coated with gtterng sheet of half
inch thick. Beautiful beyond the power OF words
to describe the effect OF the frozen sieet upon the
lcaess In the parks and along the moro retired
streets st. Paurs and Trinity churchyards were like
the fairy leo gardens pictured in Northern legends
The pinnanes and mouldngs Of the Gothic strucurcs
werc decorated with points and ngurcs which cleaned
like silver in the heavy AIR. The ornamental iron
fences with painted rails afforded brilliant scope Tor
the necromancing touch Of the ice witch. which turned
all TO beauty.
Tho turf within was respondent gitterng glory.
vrcous enamel was upon all the ancient tombsones
there, and here hardy IVY vine sprayed out It's neccy
tendrils making very marvel OF fantastic nagrcc
FAIRY fancy never rcvced In so rare scene OF deli
beauty and artistic finish as was vouchsafcd New
Yorkers yesterday Over the parks, like gossamer
vail OF immaculate wool, the beautiful snow settled
down, bringing 10 the wealthy antcipatlons OF nappy
merry times the poor the reality Of the ricors OF
winter.
About Ave o'clock tho evening the weather be-
came colder, and the vaporous dcuge which had iaen
upon tho city became crystailizcd into snow nakcs
which descended for about three hours Then sharp
wind from the northeast sent the clouds flying and
made the weather cold and clear
sHIr Ashore IN rHE rSG.
Tho ship J. B. Wheeler from London, with sugar.
got ashore Governors Island yesterday morning in
tho fog She was relieved OF portion OF her cargo
and toated of aftcrward-
FRosrMrTEN sEAMEx.
DR.. Heber Smith. Surgeon Of tho Port, yesterday
sent Seamens Retreat, at Staten Island, Robert
Haymon, OF tho brig Robert Gcary, and John Green,
Of the barkentne sweeney. seamen. who were FROST
bitten in the Storm Edward Slade Of the barkentne
Abraham Boden was sent 10 the Long Island College
Hospital at Brooklyn, suffering from the same cause