The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-12-23
PARIS IN THE SNOW.
The Kind of Winter They Are Having on
the Other Side of the Water.

Paris Correspondence Of the London Standard
The aspect of Paris at the present m ornent Is
more like u Siberian town than the gay capt
tai OF Francs Such u sudden and copious
fall of snow Is not within the memory of those
born I'm the present century. The town
throughout is wrapped in an ermine mantle.
varying from three inches to three feet In
thickness. Tho roads are no longer visible
from tho paveuents. The cobbler's shed and
tho Presidents palace wear the same appear
ance. and altogethe there IL m equality and
fraternity In this last demonstration of M
ture which ough 10 satisfy the craving of tho
most ardent believer In the advent of the uni
versal republic.
Tho snow ceased falling this morning. and
1t was well IT. did. or we should have been
nearly cut off from communication with the
outer world From all parts we hear Of the
ailway and telegraph services having come
to deadlock, while In Paris ioeomotlon out
of doors IL almost impossible. The authori-
ties arc doing their best To remedy matters
but tho sudden demand on their energies Is
superior TO their means, and unless n rapid
thaw sets In we are doomed to live and move
about q Ia Rusac for some days TO come. Al
ready many OF Tho happy possessors Of car
riages have turned them into siedges. but
they are naturally few In number, and the
general public arc forced to remain at home,
or brave the dangers and hardships Of the
streets II they go out. Only small number
Of cabs can he seetl on the streets and the
fares tho drivers ask for tho smallest dis
tances arc beyond eredenee. ! heard one Jehu
demand no less than twenty francs for n dis
lance Of three milea The steamboats, on tho
Seine. which enter considerably into the daily
traffic Of Paris. have ceased dying, while tho
majority OF hamWayR are closed. The only
vehicle traffic which has kept up Nh appear
anco Is that of tho ordinary Omniblses. How
over not more than half the usual number OF
them arc running, owing to the extra number
OF horses required but the company deserves
ly unprOvided for
The majority OF persons whom duty calls
Out-of doors are forced to rely on their legs.
Walking, though attended with some danger
and labor, is n performance not devoid OF in
tarast to tho Phrisian, uHnCCustomed to the
atmosphrrical necessities of Northern cimes.
Tho authorities not being able to remove the
snow have swept It aside. on the pavements,
but the roads SO far are untouched. To come
down to town. therefore, you have to walk as
It were. between small snowy mountains,
which IL braCng and not too disagreeable
exercise, but when Won want to cross road
you have to trudge knee-doep In snow, and
occasionally you miss your calculation Ms to
the curbstone which IL hidden. and you sud
denly lose your centre OF gravity. This Is not
the only danger to be feared. You also run
the risk Of being half buried under nm ava
lanche from the house tops and balconies and
II you arc forced to pass through the glass
covered areades, you may receive n pane of
plate glass. overladen with snow, on your
head. Many accidents of this kind have oc-
Cured In the arcades on the honlevards to-
day. But those who go In carriages are ex-
posed to almost ~ many dangers MS those
who GO on foot. On all slides you come across
carriages and horses in distress In many
cases the animals have broken their legs, and
tho vehicles. having been upset. are lying in
tho gutter. The skaters are, of course, de-
lighted. and are amusing themselves on the
lakes in this Boulogne Wood while the frost
lasts But tho parents are the reverse Of
pleased, and for various reasons. Apart
from the broken legs and arms which their
children meet with this snow blockade has
doubled md trebIed the household expenses
The market gardeners and dairymen being I'M
able to reach Paris, vegetables are Mt nm enor-
nous premium. and of milk and butter there
was little or noue to be had to-day.