The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-01
THE SNOW STORM.
It's Effects Felt in This City
and. Vicinity.
Nj ALL S ELAYE D
Street Car and Ferry Travel
Seriously Impeded.

changed the appearance of the city as II by magic.
The clean, smooth streets hidden under thick
carpet of snow; cars became bockaded, though they
were now pulled by four horses instead OF two; the
log horns cismally blew from both rvers the ferry
boats delayed and obstructed and every once in
awhile you would meet some New Yorker so iond OF
the snow that be would plump right down upon the
sidewalk. A delightful day. thsti Snow everywhere;
gale bowling and screeching and speeding on at a
velocity OF nearly dfty miles pcr hour; tho rivers
overhung with fog, and pail of haze resting all over
the city The unintermittently mild, spring ike
weather of the last two months left evory
prepared Tor this violent and unlocked for
change for most people had made up their
minds that having had no winter worth speaking Of
thus far We should have none at all. II must have
proved, therefore. little OF surprise to these
thousands and thousands they took their
FIRST morning peep out OF window yesterday morning
10 behold, instead OF thee wonted blue sky and
the balmy soft sunlight, pail OF gray log, through
which sprinked In thick clouds Of slvcry flakes the
snow, and see Its whiring eddies, swept on by the
furious gale encrcle the slowly dragging horses the
mufflcd and wretched looking foot passengers. and
almost binding the little school boys and girls
they trudged along through the cutting gusts of snow
sIeet and wind. Later on the turned almost Ill
together Into sleet and cruelty pricked and every
face that ventured show itself in the cheerless
streets.
But there was also a funny side to this picture
Every time some slipped and fell into a snow
heap thsre a OF laughter from all the boys
standing by and IN the vicinity OF the newspaper
Offices the especially lively in this re-
spcct The newsboys bound to make gala day
OF IT, And thus, when some stage was fairly turned
round by the gust of tho gale, the drivers curses
would be turned Into laughter by the peltng of snow
balls which he received from the little ganins. And
when stovepipe hat went shooting the street
what gceful hurrah went up to heavenl " was
lively chorus accompan this screechng news
boys and swearing Of drivers to the rather mournfu
monologue OF the wind.
LOST HAT AND UMBRELLA.
Take any particular corner, like that Of Park place
and Broadway. No ono VINO crossed Park place at
Broadway yesterday noon Will BIO likely to forget
It, The fierce nor'easter, gathering full sweep as 1t
came rushing down across the Park and through the
little street on the north sido Of the Post Office had
brushed every flake OF snow away before 1t reached
the ground, and tho walk was slippery In the extreme
and hard to get over at any pace Now sud-
den gust, harder than its fellows. Away go hats and
umbrellas. Strong men double down to 1t and try
to stem the gale, but suddenly find them
selves drifting sldewise. and In spite Of all
they can do, instead OF going ahead up
or down Broadway blow straight tho street to
lceward. At the Post Office corner, under SHELTER a
crowd Of fifty men, boys and policemen had gathered
to enjoy abe iun. Hero comes dgnihed, substantial
looking citizen, all unconscious OF what's ahead.
Surely the wind won't trouble himi But look now
at his feet. Faster and faster the flying flakes CO.
TIL he breaks tearing run. no lding TO his hat
Ior dear lite, ana so, OF course, endangerng his
equilibrium. Across Broadway he is shot right
under the horses heads, and slap he goes
up against the Broadway Bank Building.
There goes another hat, and another See
hat IIo mt,n.
mans sou'wester blown down the back OF MS
neck and he dare not let the lines save 1t lest
the morse may wheel and break away. There goes
rubber blanket flying into the drift and all the shout
ing oil the jolly crow6c scarcely make HIM turn his
head to LOOK for it neat and quiet old gentleman
tries to cross Park place, bound south, when sud-
denly he loses his balance, and of he scuds tan
gent thirty feet or more down the place, before no
can recover himself The iron ROD nearly two inches
thick which holds up signboard is actually bent
clear down TO neary right angie
Here is one of these dapper ittle men, with tall,
splendid new hat HIS course a diagonal one from
the Post Office to tho north OF Park place.
Bravcy he launches out but the wind whirls MIN on
and on ana no breaks into dead run, dollar
hat being pulled down nearly his ears in his
frantic efforts to keep it from soaring sKyward. Now
he is across put trying to evade bank, and TO
bring up III good shape over he sprawls all tours
the beaver making burrow into the neigh ing
drift, ana the crowd laughing and yelling uproar-
lousy
THE MAILS.
The mails were seriously delayed. Tho mails from
the South, due at fifteen minutes after ten did rot
rcach the Post ONCE till halp eleven. The mails
from the West and Southwest over the Pennsy vinia
central, due at hiteen minutes alter eleven,
hour and ten minutes late. The North aud West
mails over the New York Central and Hudson River
road due at hal-past eleven, one hour oehInd,
perilous feat was performed by the workmen
engaged upon the Brooklyn Bridge in lashng the
strands OF each cable together at a limo when thc
storm WIS at its height and gallo blowing over the
river reached u velocity OF sixty-nve miles an
hour In the middle OF the bridge tho received
the iu force OF tho wind While seated IN Their Trail
SWINGS they were swung hther and thithcr with even
greater force than had moved the cables. Every
oil their pcrous foothold was covered with snow,
scet and ice, but they fortunately Cd their
giddy task aud returned safe ana SOUND.
Probably those best pleased At the coming of tho
storm were tho dealers In seighs; Tor VINO m Tins has
proved thus lar the most ruinous season on record in
New York They now rejoced at last, for hand
stand idle ana unnoticed.
STREET. CARS DELAYED.
Those who vented their SURPRISE rim the inter.
noon al the suddcnncss aud severity OF the Storm
should have reserved their thunder Tor later stage
OF the day. While pede strains aud wayfarcrs gcner
uy had sufficient cause OF complaint during the bust
ness hours OF the day with tho condition OF
the weather, their grievances could APP
homes until late hour IN the evening.
Not IN long time. certainly not during the present
season, ala The residents Of this city so practically
realize such immediate necessity for rapid transit.
The OLD system OF surface horse cars, like all
rlckcty nstitutions, only demonstrated their made
quato arrangements to meet tho demands of
tue travelling community when the weather
proved exceptionally uniavorabe. As a matter
oi course, the 'eadiDg thoroughiares crowded
with vonicIcs ana pedestrians. The severity OF the
storm was ielt in all directions. AT the ferries on
The horse cars on the public there was
general desire manifested 10 get reach OF tho
bhnding seet. THIS desire was, only appeased when
those whose business took them abroad mad re nchod
The friendly shelter OF their own domicilcs II was
however curious 10 note the largo number OF people
who seemed TO lake pleasure IN podding through
The snow up TO late hour OF night as II tho storm
had "A peculiar fascination for certain Glass VINO
made the most oil tue occasion. Between the hours
Oi four and seven In tho evening travel on
the various lines OF horse cars had reached
us maximum numbers BY some singular conci-
dencs the severity OF the was at ther height
during these hours. The Third avenue cars, as n
matter OF course, were densely packed with living
freight. Before the had well reached Pr nj np
House square ANXIOUS wayiarcrs boarded the down
town vehicles, packing tho already overcrowded
their desire TO get ing room during their
journey up town. Every car looked nike mammoth
sardino box. Men, women and cnildrcn wcro packed
together wherever they could nnd room
enough 10 stand. Every effort was made by
tho companies 10 keep The tracks cleared
from the snow, and iOr TINS purpose snow
ploughs were used with but Indifferent results. All
tho teams uoubed, and, as u consequence, half
4 hA nt uEnH sn l.nLA