The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-12
THE GREAT SNOW BLOCKADE.
ADecided Improvement in the Situation
Around and About Chicago.
The City Threatened With Scarcity of Milk
and COal-The Present Condition Of
the Various Railway Lines.
CHICAGO AND VICINITY.


The announcement Effects of the Blockade
Beginning To BE Felt.
CHICAGO, Feb n.-To-day has witnessed
quite decided improvement in the general sit
uation of affairs brought about by the great
snowstorm The streets are well filed with
snow, but, on all except unfrequented thorough
fares. roads have been broken through and the
sidewalks either cleared by shovelers, or in outside
streets where there are vacant lots, paths have
been beaten down. In these sections. however,
pedestrians inclined to go in the middle of
the streets, where the walking is better. In
streets where there are car lines the snow has
been shoveled from the sidewalks and tracks,
and makes great ridges on each side, which it is
impossible to see over in some, places.
Much Inconvenience and no small amount of
suffering has been occasioned by the inability of
the coal dealers to supply their customers, large
and spall. A pair of horses which usually
draws two tons of coal can, under present cir
cumstances. draw only about half ton. This
fact, coupled with the extra consumption
caused by the extreme weather, has overtaxed
delivery facilities. Many persons have been
obliged to employ teams to haul enough to carry
them through, and large numbers of poor people
have been obliged to trudge between
coal yards and their homes with bags or baskets
to prevent their families from freezing. Many
manufacturing establishments are also running
short of coal, and unless the blockade is 500
broken they will be compelled to shutdown What
adds to the gravity of the situation is the fact
that large proportion of them have been get
ting their coal direct from the cars by means of
ThaSa w no NV
wagons, the haul in occasional instances being
several miles over the wind-swept prairies,
where the sand-like snow drifts and obliterates
the roads as fast as broke.
The railroad blockade is also beginning to be
felt by the dealers in milk aud other supplies
from the country and famine in these articles
is being looked forward to as among the posi-
bilities, if not probabilities. Even now many
of the smaller restaurants are unable to supply
milk or cream for tea and Coffee.
The thermometer registered Is degrees below
zero at o'clock this morning but it has been
gradually growing warmer as the day progressed,
and at o'clock tonight indicated 10 degrees
above zero. At 8 O'Clock light snow
began falling. In the present condition
of affairs but little will be required to undo all
that has been done toward raising the blockade
The railroad situation has decidedly improved
during the past twenty-four hours and railway
managers generally express oellef that all roads
will be clear and in good running order by Satur-
day, unless more snow falls or heavy wind in
creases the drifting. On the Alton road some of
the blockaded trains were released to-day, and
are slowly working their way in, This road
still has two trains showed in. The Lake
Shore is open, but its trains are late The Balti-
more d. Ohio sent out train this afternoon,
which will attemptto rescue it's blockaded rains
The Burlington sent its passenger trains out as
usual, and some of its trains have come in. The
incoming trains on: the Pennsylvania road are
delayed, but it's outgoing trains leave on time
The Rock Island is about clear. The blockaded
Illinois Central trains were released to-
day. The -Monon and Danvilie routes,
and the Panhandle are still in the
drifts. The Wisconsin division of the North
western has been blockaded at Palatine since
Monday, but trains moving slowly this even
ing. The Michigan Central is in fairly good con-
dition. The Cincinnati. Lafayette & Chicago,
the Grand Trunk, the Eastern Illinois. and the
Madison division of the Northwestern are still
snow bound. OF thirty four mails due on Mon
day twelve arrived yesterday and to-day; of
eighty-nine due yesterday, twenty six arrived to-
day; of forty -fire due to-day. fourteen came in
One third of the schools outside of this city
are closed