Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-08
THE COLD SNAP.

The Unprecedented Weather ConbihueU
Yesterday-A storm ApprOaching-fh ne
Cautionary Signals Ordered Up-Ihe
Freeze-up in the City.
The freeze-up in Savannah on Sunday
was regarded by the "oldest citizen to be
one OF the most remarkable on record.
The atmospheric conditions were very
little changed yesterday morning, but
during the forenoon the weather began to
soften. and a little after y O'Clock cold
rain began TO fall, freezing as it fell upon
the ground, and covering the side
walks and doorsteps with a treacher-
Gus glare of ice, and making lclcles
upon the caves. The rain con-
finued at intervals during the afternoon,
making the day cold and drizZling. Early
in the morning the thermometer registered
245 degrees. About noon 1t was 81 degrees,
and at 10 O'Clock at night the Signal SER
vice Bureau reported 30 degrees.
The plumbers had a picnic and were
busy all day with burst pipes and pumps
and hvdrants but the annOyances OF the
freeze up were remedied as quickly as
possible. The gas meters in many houses
were frozen, and the company has advls-
edlv published a warning to consumers
to protect the meters with blankets or
other material during the continuance Of
the cold SPELL Similar weather has not
been known for years, and only in a few
instances within the memory of the pres
ent generation Of Savannahians has it Oc-
CURED, and il is not likely to occur again
unless there is a reyOlutionin the weather
bureau.
At O'Clock the following telegram was
received at the Signal Office:
WASHINGTON. ID. C.. Jan. 4. 1881.
OBseruer, Savannah:
$40 p. m. up signals Savannah, Section IL.
storm central near New orleans, moving
northeasterly, high easterly winds, with rain
and snow. HAzEN.
The Tybee telegraph line was broken
down, and communication was interrupt
ed after . O'Clock. Reports by tugboat,
however, stated that from 4 O'Clock the
wind was blowing from the nOrthward
and rising to a gale. a heavy rain fell
during the entire afternoon and was fall
ing at dark. The streets in the city were
lonesome lastnight and business was dull.
Pedestrians who ventured out on the Slip
perry payements felt their way cautiously
along, not daring to take uncertain steps
for fear of an uncomfortable fall.
The demand on the wood and coal deal
ers during the day was simply stupendOus.
| Everybody appeared 20 be short in their
| fuel supplies, thinking that there would
he no cold weather during the winter.
| But in this they were mistaken. There is
every prospect that it will continue some
days yet, and it is probable that there Will
be much suffering among those who are
lily provided with the comforts of home
during the cold DAYS. Several cases have
already been reported, and unless the
weather mOderates to-day intense suffer
ing viii prevail. The rain last night be-
Gan to fall early in the evening, and con-
when it was coming down in torrents and
freezing on the walks and on the ground.
The indications for to-day are: Rain, fol-
lowed at night by clearing weather,
warmer followed in the southern portion
by slightly colder weather, nOrtheasterly
winds, becoming variable, falling followed
in southern portion by rising barometer.