The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-01-06
below Zero.

nat pdTtlCuhf&ttOpic Va sCOHrOipueivaA ~
weather" has been invested with new inter
est, within the past week. 1t has demanded
all attention and made every one acknowledge
its claims Last Wednesday night we statet
that as the paper went to press the mercury
declined below zero By three o'clock IN tn
morning it had dropped to 4 degrees below
zero, and at half past six o'clock it was eIgh
degrees below Throughout Thursday thu
weather was intensely cold. The streets wers
almost deserted Pedestrians wrapped VI
head and ears, hurried along when forced e
leave the fireside, and even the sleigh riders
were compelled 10 abandon their sport though
the streets were in elegant condition,as smooth
as glass and hard as flint The snow had beer
packed close and the tracks were iced, so thai
the spirited rough-shod horses sped like the
wind. And the coasters were driven In, bull
not until several had had their ears nipped by
the frost Thursday about noon the tempera-
ture moderated, but the mercury still lowered
about and below zero In the afternoon II
commenced showing, and Capt Marquis had
his force of handsout, throwing the immense
snow banks that lined the pavements into the
middle of the street in anticipation of another
fall which it would have been extremely diff
ficult to move. It was almost impossible for
the men to work but sufficient force was
kept at it to accomplish the object.
Thursday night, or rather Friday morning
the lowest range of the thermometer was
reached. At some places in the city the mer-
curry marked 10 degrees below zero, and at
others 29degrees: This was colder than ever
before known in this section, and coming as
it did with an immense snow fall on the ground,
made it particularly severe. 1t is little curl
GUS, however, those who were out early both
Thursday and Friday mornings, did not suffer
as much the last named day as the first, though
the cold was more intense. This is accounted
for from the fact that they had gotten more
accustomed to it.
Quite a number of men and boys had their
ears frosted coal oil was frozen in burning
lamps, water pipes were burst, gas lights went
out, trains were delayed, and generally incon-
yenience and suffering resulted,
OdluIudl IlOTulIlS MAS uloiC iilOuCldoC, euC
thermometer standing at degrees below zero
at seven o'clock and during the day much
milder temperature was experienced and bust
ness became more lively. Sleighs were flying
along tie streets in every direction and coal
carts and wood wagons and sleds were plying
busiy. The coasting was splendid, and al
most every hillside presented an animated
scene Large jumpers capable OF carrying
half dozen persons were built, and whirled
down the steep decline with the velocity OF
the wind. Men. women, boys and girls, and
the various intermediate ages, joined in the
exhilerating sport, and if, perchance, they were
launched into snow bank, as was frequently
the case, a merry laugh was all that told of the
misfortune, and moment later the tumbled
ones were slowly climbing the hill again eager
for another swift descent. Pavements and
streets were alike taken up by the sleds, for in
all directions the snow had packed and frozen
over, and as the hills abound about Staunton
there was no scarcity of tracks. A few skaters
were to be seen, but they seemed to navigate
with more or less difficulty, and that mode Of
locomotion did not become popular.
:, On the railroads the trains labored along
three or four hours behind time, at every cut
and curve encountering huge drifts and snow
banks, whilst the frozen tanks made 1t difficult
to get an adequate supply of water. Numbers Of
the employees were badly frosted. Feet, hands
and ears were frozen, and in some cases perma-
nent injury will result. The oil in the head
lights was CONCEALED at times, and difficulties
unprecedented and undrcamed of had to be
contended with.
Those who were i'll provided for such sever
ity, must have suffered terribly, for in close
rooms with fire, plants and flowers were killed
Miss Mary Julia Baldwin's splendid conserva-
tory was badly injured, many the rare exot-
les being ruined and others more or less dam
aged The steam which permeates the build
ing froze in the pipes and the frost made quick
work of the rare morsels.
In various sections of the county, the mer-
curry ranged from to 80 degrees below, and
the rivers froze hard where even slight skim
of ice was unknown before.
As consequence wood has advanced in
price and many of the farmers have made
heavy sleds, it being found losing business
to attempt to drag wagon along the snow
bound roads. The coal dealers are about the
only ones that have been benefited. Their
carts are going early in the morning and late
at night to supply the unusual demand made
upon them, and whilst other branches of trade
are almost at stand still, the coal yards are
thronged with men and wagons all day long.
Last week train of some half dozen sleds
came in from Pocahontas. They were loaded
with various kinds of produce and if they had
been weighed down with gold it would have
hardly repaid the drivers. Some of them came
very near loosing their lives in their attempts
TO plough through the great drifts that piled
up in the mountain gorges. In crossing the
river, one OF two of-the sleds upset. and the
men who were on them were thrown into the
stream, drenching themselves and freezin e
stiff as soon as they emerged from the water.
Ears and handsand feet were frozen, and some
of them will bear the marks of their trip to the
starting point of another and longer journey.
Saturday night some three inches additional
of snow TELL On Sunday the sun came out
with more force thansfo aweek past, and the
snow began to melt. About noon some por-
lions of the streetand pavements began to get
sloppy, but as the sun declined and it's rays
slanted, the wet places began to CONCEAL and
the trickle of the water down the gutter
ceased. But few persons, comparatively, ven
tured out to church, for owing to its being
Sabbath, the snow of the night before had not
been moved from the payements, and walking
was disagreeable. On the less frequented
streets only single path was broken, and as
the worshippers filed home from church the
procession was decidedly of the Indian style
Tuesday it commenced sleeting and contin-
ued all day and night, making the streets very
slippery and the extremely precarious.
Taken altogether, nothing in the records
kept, or experience of individuals has equaled
the severity of this spell of weather. 1t will
pass into history as memorable, and there is
many one who never wants TO see its like
Ear.;n ssAs9 ia = "a 13dI @thf
New Hope Items
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