The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-03
LOCAL MATTERS.
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THE SNOW.STOAM.
ds1' - ----- - :: ..Jsi EiE.<a. IS
INTERRUPTION OF RAILROAD TRAVEL
PASSENGERS BLOGKADED-TRAINs
BEHIND T1ME-THE MERRY JINGLE OF
THE SLEIGH-BELLs. .t -
/ The extent and severity OF the recent
snow-storm ia better and better realized rs
reports come in from along the lines OF the
principal railroads.. Between Greensboro
and Danville the snow covers the ground
twelve or fifteen inches on. IN average,
while in some places where it is'banked by
the winds4it is two or three feet. The
freight trains were on Monday all ordered
ON the side-tracks so asto allow as many en-
gines rs possible to be employed in keeping
open the track. The mail and passenger
train which left Charlotte on the 1st got as
far as Reidsville, and was there snnw-bound.
The most active exertions of the officers
OF the road, working under the direction OF
Superintendent Talcott here, were insuffi-
cient to keep the track open. This train
will probably arrive here this morning.
The train that left Richmond on the 1st was
compelled to halt at Danville, and was there
overtaken yesterday by the train that left
here in the morning. Thestrain that left
Charlotte yesterday morning will get here
this morning about or 7, and the road is
now open down to Charlotte, and further
South. Three engines, coupled together,
were found necessary to Open the pathway,
and it was difficult to supply them with
sufficient fuel.
The train from Burkeville arrived here
yesterday evening about the usual time, but
81 IN 70
sissippi and Ohio railroad, having been
notified that that line is blockaded by the
snow. At Christiansburg, on the Atlantic,
Mississippi and Ohio road, the snow is re-
ported to be eighteen inches deep, without
exaggeration. kilograms from various
points on that line state that the storm was
unprecedented, and that the ground was
already covered with snow to the depth OF
several inches when the snow of the 1stfell.
The Chesapeake and Ohio train from the
West arrived here last night. AT Alder
sons it is represented that the snow is two
feet deep, at the White Sulphur sixteen
inches,- and at Coviugton fifteen, and that
there was six inches on the ground before
the LIST. The efforts OF the company to
keep the track clear have been wonderfully
successful.
Travel on the Fredericksburg road was
suspended in despite Of extraordinary cX-
ertions to keep it open, and the first train
from the North was expected at late hour
last night.
Now that the tracks have been cleared,
travel and freight business may be safely
resumed, though Oh most OF the roads
speed must be slackened considerably.
A telegram from Lynchburg, received last
night, said: "Snow about sixteen inches
deep here, and from sixteen to eighteen
inches between here and Chattanooga" AT
Norfolk the snow is only about three inches
in depth.
The storm, OF course, delayed many OF the
trains coming into Richmond. The west
ward bound mail train which left Richmond
Monday on the Cheapeake and Ohio road
got into snow-driit about two miles east
Of Greenwood, which required all the skill
Of the conductors and trainmen to over
come. The train was cut up, and car by
car taken through. Finally it proceeded
through the tunnel at Greenwood and went
westward for mile, where it came to halt.
A drift as high as the engines smoke-stack
had to be encountered. This was finally
overcome; not, however, until one OF the
engines had left the track three times. The
tTalu TcdCueu Sthtlutoh 1t u a. AZ. $50
day. It was due at Staunton at 4:30 T. N.
on Monday. The mail train reached this
city last night about O'Clock. = rs-
The sleighing yesterday was the finest
ever known here. Indeed, a Canadian gen.
tleman said he had never seen liner any
where; and he was doubtless right in the
indirect but delicate compliment to our
balmy, italian climate. The snow was six
,,n1,a ~ NIL, luI
the hard-frozen ground, was of that slip
perry character well calculated to facilitate
the motion OF sleigh-runners. Probably so
many sleighs were never before seen upon
our streets. Where they came from is a
mystery. It is suspected that some had
been laid away since the great storm OF
1851: others were OF recent Importation,
brilliant in colors, trim in cut, and moved
as smooth as a swan upon pond. But
by far the greater number were everyday
yehicles-such as buggies, Disadvantages,
and wagons-transformed for the time into
sIeighs; and very comfortable and nice
most OF them looked. The young folks had
a joyous time. More young ladies were
out riding yesterday than any day for ages
past. They didn't seem to mind the cold =
bit. .. t.a...
There were some few disasters but they
only served to give Zest to the occasion.
Now and then a sleigh would run into a
bank OF snow and be upset, but in no IN
stance was serious damage done. .......
The ordinance in relation to clearing the
snow from pavements was mildly en-
forced. Hundreds Of householders per-
formed their duty to themselves and to their
fellow-citizens by promptly hurting the
snow from the sidewalks; others were ut
terly Indifferent about the matter. Some Went
so far as to express doubts about the cX-
istence Of an ordinance on the subject. On
out Of half-dozen cleared; on others all
but one front out Of an equal number would
be cleared. The obstinate man, in the lat
ter instance, was found to be quite as rea-
sonable q creature as the twelfth man on the
Jury, who said that the other eleven were
trying to hangit.
Some narrow pathways; were opened
through the Capitol Square, but the pave
ments around that piece OF State territory
were quite innocent of shovel or spade.
The snow was caking solidly, long to re-
main. it appeared. u:s",/ ,.1
IcE-BoUND.-The Old Dominion Steam
ship Company's steamship Old Dominion
left for New York. at 6 A. NJ. yesterday
She succeeded in getting about thirteen
miles down the river, but was compelled to
return on account OF the ice.
FATAL AccIDENT.-Yesterd morning {
daughter Of Thomas Giles (colored), who re
sides in rear of No. 1904 Franklin street
died from the effects Of burns received tho
day before. i 81