The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-02
The Omcial weather.
Iwashingion Pos,.l
The FOIOmNt tIUtCUs
Alexandria GaZette.l

The ice.blockade in the river is now
complete, aud this morning, as FAR as me
eve could reach, nothing but vast field OF
ice. upOn which a number OF boys doued
here and there were skating, could be
seen. The scene presented was dreary
ore, and nearly every branch of business Is
affected by the suspension of navigation:
The steamer Beaverton. which runs be-
tween this city and Shepherds, succeeded
in keeIinC n track omen between the TWO
points and made one transfer OF cars. WIN
this exception not steamer has moved
from its wharf.
Old river.men say that there is no telling
when navigation will be resumed; That II
the weather was to commence to moderate
now it would be several weeks before all
the steamers would be able to resume their
trips.
4 large number OF laborcrS have been
thrown out OF employment by the ice
blockade.
Frederick burg-Twentytw Degrees
Below Zero!
Fredericksburg star
On Wednesday night an old-time polar
wave struck this place. and on Thursday
morning the thermometer indicated Is de-
grees below zero. "Did YOU ever realize
such cold weather." was frequently asked.
This question, however. was answered by
the weather on yeste dry [Fridayl morning,
when the thermometer indicated - degrees
below ZerO-t1e coolest weather experienced
here for many years. The ground at pres.
est is covered with snow TO tue depth OF
twelve inches.
Colder Than within the Memory OF
Man.
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
December 30, 1880.
To the Editor Of the Charlottesville Chroni'
Gle:
Dear Sir.-I have one Of Green's best
registering thermometers, which indicated
this morning 80 below zero. or 80 below
the freezing point. | have been close OBJ
server for more than TWENTY-FIVE years, and
| feel sure that such thermometer has
never shown so low a temperature in this
locality during that period; nor do be.
lieye that il has done so within the memory
of man. The lowest can recall is $40.
Very respectfully, q. PEYToN.
The Returns from StauntOn.
fCorrespond.nce OF the Richmond Dispatch.l
DECEMBER 81, 1880.
The very severe weather we are expe-
rienclng in this part of the Valley is unpre.
cedented in the recollection Of most OF the
citizens. Some Older persons remember
similar spell in 1899. when the snow re-
NAMED on The ground from December 9TH
10 the following February.
Since Tuesday there has been another
heavy snowfall, which lasted until late
Wednesday, and as there has been very
slight thawing there must be about thirty
Inches OF snow on the ground in this To-
han m
where else in the adjoining counties. Per-
sons who have crossed the AlleGhanies from
Highland and POcahOntas report bitter
weather, but not more than twelve or fif-
teen inches Of snow. The mercury began
to fall rapidly Wednesday night. At mid
night il was 20 below zero, and by sun-up
it had come down 40 lower. AT 8 A. NJ. a
gentleman took bis thermometer 10 the city
reservoir, the highest point in the city, and
il corded 80 below ZerO-the lowest tenn
persture ever reached here in the memory
OF the oldest inhabitant, but this morning
II was 100, and in some localities 15o below
zero.
Seven two.horse sleighS reached Staunton
Wednesday night from Sugar Grove, Pen
dletOn county, which is across the Ale
gbaneS. forty miles ON StauptOn. They
were loaded, one thousand pounds each,
with yepisOn, buckwheal.fl butter,
fowls, rabbits, 'possumS. squirrels, maple
sugar, &C., and had terrible journey OF
two DAYS through the mountains. One
sleigh was upset in North river, over
turning their precious load in The wafer
and giving he two men in it freezing
bath in the lev water. Three OF the men
in the party had their feet badly frozen,
but they sold and bartered off their loads,
and started back home this morning in good
spirits.
Another party from Poeahontas brought
tiity-one saddles Of veniSOn, weighing 1,4S7
pounds, which was bought by one firm.
The deer and one very fine bear, which
they bad also, were Killed by three still
hunters. who had little difficulty in tracking
them up and killing them IN the deep snow
of the mountain bOllows.
Sportsmen are getting very uneasy about
the birds, which, IL seems likely, will he
pretty well killed out before spring. They
can get nothing except what they can PICK
up around the straw.sfacks ana III renee
corners. and The hawks are preling hereby
upon them. A gentleman IN The country
on Tuesday found cOyey Of twenty mud
died together in the snow, TOO weak 10 n.y.
He took them home and put them in
coop. and will feed them until the winter
breaks. FENN.
Lynchburg Chilly.
correspondence OF the Richmond Dispaichl
DECEMBER 81, 1880.
The thermometer marked last night and |
This morning a lower degree Of temperature |
han has been experienced In this latitude |
within the memory OF the Oldest inbabllant.
The lowest reported grade of-the Fahren-
beit thermometer during the night was 70
below zero. and this morning at 7 O'Clock it |
was still 20 below zero, OF course ice has
already formed that will enable our dealers
10 ill their houses with the domestic artl-
Gle; and the James river, even yester-
day, was frozen from shore to shore.
The soda.water and ice-cream dealers re-