The New York herald., 1877-01-05
OUR POLAR EXPERIENCE.
Yesterdays Snow and Ice Troubles in the
Streets and on the Rivers.
STREET CAR AND FERRYBOAT MISERIES.

The storm king still maintains his grasp upon this
great city, and ice ana snow in the streets and
rivers and on the houses still afford occasion Of annoy
auce and discomfort 10 all who are compelled 10 be
outside OF comfortable home. Tho same deplorabe
lack OF public spirit In the departments OF the city
government Is still shown as has been noticed since
the fall OF on New Years. night, and tho dirty
and slushy still lies IN the streets unmolested by
the broom OF the public sweeper The little snow al
ready removed been carried away by private citi-
zcns and corporations
on THE HORSE CAR LINES.
The streets travcrsed by the horse cars have been
kept fairly clear OF by the OF snow
poughs and sweepers, and the Second, Third ana
Fourth avenue lines have down TO two horses TO
each The Avenue B, Avenue D. Sixth, Eighth
and Ninth Avenue companies still four horses and
the Church Street aud South Ferry line and the cross
town lines up town still find IL necessary to drive TWO
horses instead OF one TO each car. The Broadway
stages were compelled all day yesterday to use four
horses eech
WIND AND WEATHER.
The temperature yesterday was few degrees
colder than the previous day, and the wind blew
stronger Tho signal Office in This city yesterday
morning reported that alta quarter TO eight the wind
in this city was travelling at the rate OF s miles
per hour. at halfpast ten IT had increased 10 II
miles, the thermometer at the same tmc was IL above.
At Cheyenne, W. T., the wind was blowing at the rate
Of 2S miles an hour; at Oswego, N. T., 20 miles;
Philadelphia Pa, 10 miles; Rochester. N. T., IL
miles; Washington, D. c., miles; Sydney, rs miles;
Boston. 13 miles, and At Father Point 20 miles
Snow was falling at Rochester, Montreal, in Canada,
and Michigan.
THE RIVERS
The leo in tho rivers during tho past two days has
nean exc
day hardly any water TO be seen dense werc
the masses Of ce II Is not OF very heavy charac.
ter, but packs two and trce ieet deep, and conse-
quenty tho progress OF the ferry is very slow
It lie utterly impossible for sailing vessel to come
TO tho city either via He'll Gate Sandy Hook
without the assistance of steam. All the vessels
which were anchored in the rivers have been towed to
their docks. Some halt dozen vessels which received
pilots outside several days ago have not yet made
their Appearance having, no doubt hauled on during
the storm OF the Ist inst and been blown still
further of by the strong norwesler which succeeded IT,
Although po such wholesale detsntion OF lerryboats
occurred yesterday, IN tho East River on Wednes
day morning when ten icrryboats became jammed in
the floating ice. yet the delays were numerous espc-
cialy IN the East River, 10 the annoyance OF the
many professional and business men OF this
city VINO live IN Brooklyn: The south
half TO hree-quarters OF an hour in crossing. The
usual time is about ten minutes The boat Columbia
Of the South ferry became jammed between the masses
Of floating ice yesterday morning. and was half an
hour before she could be extrcatcd Detentions were
street ferries and at the latter ono OF the boats was
compelled to to the slip alter rutless effort
to penetrate the thick masses Of icc
On the Hudson River, owing TO tho great width and
straight course of the river the detention Of ferry
boats much less frequent although in the even
ing, during the ebb tide, when the ice was floating
down from above the city, the boats occupied con-
sideraby more than their schedule time in making the
passage.
The large quantities of ice in He'll Gate and clus.
tered around the northern end o! Backwe's Island,
afforded serious obstruction TO the sound steamers,
hn Hin ufo unthn FINN
their trips in anything near their schedule time. Tho
State OF New York forced her way through the ice
early in the morning and at tho present writing NO
accidents have becn reported.
WILLIAMSBURG FERRIEs
All through the evening Williamsburg ferries
perienced great difficulty in making their trips the set
OF ice being toward the shore from the Navy Yard
toward Hunters Point With the incoming tide. at
moon, large cake, extending to either side OF the
river for considerable time, bockadcd the Roosevelt
and James slip ferries About one O'Clock the
pilot OF the Montana, william McAllister,
determined running the blockade, aud with a full
head Of steam dashed his boat against the ca
To his delight he found the field be rotten though
some eight inches thick. He compelled 10 back
three times and only then succeeded in slowly forging
his way ahead. The passengers crowded the bows IN
spite Of his requests to 10 asern, and thus help him
in the emergency by giving light bow and more lev
eragc, but the excitement was 100 great on ooara
hours The Monianas success encouraged the Idaho
anu Nevada, OF the same line, and the Fulton and
SsdSea SspuS toward him to assist in su.nap ny
cake. The result was that when the ice was broken
the boats wero all togcthcr-lvo in space less than
hall Greetings were exchanged by the pas
sengers cach who will long remember such an
usual rcncontre
All through the late afternoon tho ice nterfered
with the regular running oil the boats, and tho difficult
ties great that at half past nine L. NJ they
were wIthdra from the Roosevelt street line aud all
passengers taken TO Grand street In this city. THIS
Terry was then found to be scarcely any better,
but the shorlncss Of the route made 1t moro
practicable. The boats occasionally carried up
far Filth street and then getting into the slack water
hey crept down along the shore TO the slip side
The Grand street. Williamsburg and the Houston street
ferry companies also much impcdcd, out did not
meet with SO much impeachment as did the others
consequence OF the slight protection afforded by tho
Hook. The moving leo spent it's greatest Iorce at
point below the starting point on the Williamsburg
side, thus giving them the bcnont OF its set of. The
trips Of the boats, however, were irregular all the
evening
Tho drift Of in the North River heavy last
evening that the Jersey City ferry boats were greatly
delayed. Trips made with difficulty every half
hour after hafpast seven O'Clock. The ferryboat
pilots say that tho ice Hoes the Hudson during me
ensuing month will be the scvercst known Tor years.
The scbooners at anchor on the river from Bedoo's
Island to Weehawkcn were brought to the docks
the Jersey shore.
the SITUATION AT MIDNIGHT.
The East River fairly choked with ice las: night
which had sci up the river with the evening flood tide
IN ponderous cakes, or rather Sheets forming nearly
impassablo barrier Up to eleven O'Clock the ferry.
boats had continued to plough their way
across by carefully picking their way,
now running into strip of comparatively clear water
and pushing dogeedy through fold OF Ice cakes
grinding and humping along as they were carried up
stream. The eleven O'Clock boats from Hamilton and
Fulton ferries were not SO fortunate however Almost
Immediately after leaving the slips they were caught
IN u rcsistess foe, which carried thom along with
Its flood, at times opening sufficiently to permit them
to gain n little, ana then sweeping then out OF
their course as before. Although tho heavy
wheels were able TO crush through or drive
aside the mailer cakes broad sheet would once IN
n while make dead set fer the boat and push
1t sideways up the river, while its pad
dies were heplcssly churning tho wator
to foam. from the shore the huge boats
presented a curious spectacle their lights
dart to and fro, Ike will OF tho wsps, when
borne to tho one side the other by the current or
their wheels, happened for tho moment TO get
the mastery.
TIE BELATKD TRAvELLERs.
on the Shore in the ferry houses the bclatcd trav
eers had gathered in crowds and were awaiting half
IN amusement hall in vexation, the arrival OF the
boats from the Brooklyn SIDE Some grumbIing
loudly, others beating impatient tattoo with their
heels, and considerable number had taken in the
situation and ranged dumb line