The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-12
THE SNOW BLOCKADE.
Some Serious Trouble Being Felt in Chies-
Mails Etc.


Mails, Etc.
quite decided improvement in the gen.
ersl situation Of affairs brought shout by
the great snow storm. The streets are we'll
filled with snow, but on all except un-
frequented thoroughfares roads have been
broken through them, and the sidewalks
have either been cleared by shovelers, or on
outside streets where there are vacant lots.
paths have been beaten down. la these sec.
tons, however, pedestrians are inclined
to go in the middle of the streets where the
waking is better. In the streets where there
are car lines. the snow sh0Veled from the
side walks and tracks makes great ridges, on
each side, which il is impossible to see over
IN some places Much inconvenience and
no small amount of suffering has been o3cs-
stoned b2 the inability OF the coal dealers 10
suDply their customers large and small.
Pairs of horses which usually draws two
tons of Goa can, under the present cirCum-
stances, draw only about half ton. This
fact, coupled with the extra consump
ton caused by the extreme weather,
has overtaxed the delivery facilities for pri-
vSte families. Many persons have been
obliged to emf 10y teams to haul enough to
carry them through the snap. and large
numbers OF POOR people have been obliged
to tIudge be W. en- the coal Yards and their
homes with bSgs ana baskets to prevent
featuring establishments are also running
short of COAL and unless the blockade is
soon broken they will be compelled to shut
down. What adds 10 the gravity Of the
situation is the fact that a large proportion
OF them have been getting their coal direct
from cars by means Of switches. These
must now be sopplied by wagon, the
haul in occasional instances being sew.
eral miles over wind swept prairies,
where sand-like snow drifts obliterate the
roads as last as broken. The railroad block
ade is also beginning to be felt by dealers in
milk and other supplies from the country,
and famine in these articles is being
looked forward to as among the possibilities
II not PROBABILITIES. Even now many of the
smaller restaurants are unable to supply
milk or cream for tea and coffee. The ther-
mometer registered lSo below zero at S
o'clock this morning, put il has been
gradually growing warmer as the day pro-
gressed, and at 8 O'Clock to night indicated
10o above zero.
At s o'clock light snow began falling. In
the present condition OF affairs but little will
be required to undo ali that has been done
toward raising the blockade. The railroad
situation has decidedly improved during the
past tGen:y-four hours, and railway man
ayers generally express the belief that all
the roads will be clear and in good running
order by Saturday, unless more snow falls or
heavy wind increases the drifting. On the
Alton Road some OF the blockaded trains
were released to-day and are slowly working
their way in. 1t still has two sno we'd IN.
| The Lake Shore is open, but its trains are
late. The Baltimore aud Ohio sent
, eE1f,---. trains tkig. -aft~-pooH = szifch
will attempt to rescue its blocked trains. The
Darlington sent its passe niger trains out as
usual, and some of its trains have come in.
Incoming trains on the PennsylYania Road
are delayed, bat its out going trains that
leave on time. The Rock Island is about
clear. The blockaded Illinois Central trains
were released to-day. Monon and Danville
routes and the Pan Handle are still in drifts.
The Wisconsin division OF the North.
western has been olockaded at
Palatine since Monday, but trains are NOV
ing slowly this evening. The Michigan Cen
tral is in fairly good condition Cincinnati
Lafayette and Chicago, Grand Trunk and
Eastern Illinois and Madison division of the
Northwestern are still snow-bound. OF toe
thiTty-four mails due on Monday twelve
arrived yesterday and TO day; of eighty-nine
due yesterday twenty-six arrived to-day: of
forty-hve due today fourteen came in. Oae.
third OF the schools outside of the city are
closed.