Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-01-28

glcu nome from husslh, leaVlnB foV,-
900 dead men TO mark the track il had
taken, was very cold one.
"This is pleasanter than Moscow"
said the Emperor, rubbing his hands
over fire in the palace he had re-
gained after posting across Europe ;
the soldiers he had left behind were
literally frozen stiff in circles and
scores as they lay or sat around their
bivouac fires. In 1914 England en-.
dured a Winter Of exceptional severity.
A writer in London paper wrote
some time ago that ho that Winter
walked on the Thames from Horse
ferry road to London bridge and back.
The Portrieve OF Tavistock set out TO
take the oath Of office at the Quarter
Sessions, thirty.two miles away, and
as the annual Register records, was
stopped by snow and ice after proceed
ing twenty-one miles, and imprisoned
in little hamlet for twenty-six days
without communication from the outer
world. Soldiers marching from town
TO town were frozen to death on the
road. The snow driited in the streets
to such an extent that the shops were
closed by the middle Of January
London Bridge was blocked, but it
made no difference, for the Thames
was completely frozen over few days
later, when frost fair was opened on
the river and bullock roasted whole.
For many days there were no mails,
though the postofiice put forth oil its
powers to compel the overseers and
parocblal authorities to clear the high
ways, and sent agents down into the
country to dig roads, along which toll
ed mail coaches drawn by ten horses.
No coal could get TO London, and
when the householders' supply of fuel
gave out there was nothing for him
but to shiyer and wait. 1t was diff
cult even to reach the butchers shop,
where there were neither fowls nor
vegetables to be had. The children
had to be kept warm and amused with
in doors, whero all day long the lamps
were lit for the snowdrifts shrouded
the pancs. The waterpipes were all
frozen and people had to melt snow
within the tenders. The Solway was
frozen over for the first time within
the memory of living men, and the
crews of coasters and fishing boats
starved and perished Of cold at sea, be.
ing unable from the accumulation OF
ice TO make port. In the Scandinavian
Peninsulas the Winter Of lS49 was a
most severe one, in various parts Of
Norway on the End Of January the
mercury froze and persons exposed to
the atmosphere lost their "breath.' y
Five years and a day later the ther-
mometer in London registered 81 the
railroads and rivers were blocked, coal
rose TO an enormous price, and the
metropolis was threatened with dark
ness from the inability of the gas com.
panies to procure fresh supply.
The next Winter, when the allied
forces were shivering in the Crimea,
was to the full as severe. On the 10Th
OF January, 1855, the lakes were frozen
over . on the aasd % February ares1
were made on the Serpentine IN Hyde
Park, and in the fens 10 Lincolnshire
was established q traffic on the thirty
five miles long. The Spring was late,
and there was cold weather till the 26th
of June. In 1860 England experienced
probably her coldest weather. From
the 23d to Both of December the cold
was intense. At Torquay the mercury
went down TO zoe below zero. In
Hyde Park it was 10, and a letter
to the Times recorded that horse had
been seen with "icicles at his nose
three inches in length and as thick as
three fingers" sight by no means
uncommon in Lower Canada. The
Thames was partially frozen in its
tidal reaches, and from Teddengton
Lock to its most remote sources was
covered with ice from six to ten or
even twelve inches in thickness. Skat-
ing parties were arranged ior journeys
from Oxford to London and back, aud
the year in question will always be
remembered among skaters as the one
in which round heeled irons finally
superseded all others. On January 9th,
1861, there were bonfres and grand
displays of fireworks on the ice in ST,
James and other parks January,
1867, was another cold month, snow
and ice nracticallv suspendiup traffic