Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-03-16

The Storm without Parallel in Rut-
land,

The Storm without Parallel In Rut-
land.
Rutland seems to have been particular |
ly unfortunate in the matter of the storm. |
We condense from the Hcruld'S report
Even the streets runuing parallel with |
the direction of the wind were piled full OF
snow, which was generally nearly level
and marked only by wAvy lines running
fIom east to west Tue streets running
across the path of the storm, however.
We're To he compared with the others rs
the tempestuOuS ocean during heavy
gale with the surface of the lake rutll-d
by Il brisk breeze The streets themselves
We're 10 be distinguished only by the
houses that marked their lateral
limits and many buildings appeared
to have sunk into the earth to
the~Xtent OF one story at least during the
Night Ihe first pedestrians upon the
streets had Il sorry time OF IT, No sleighS
had been out, not even the usually early
appearing mllkmeu having made tracks
through the snow. Indeed, but two or
three milkmen came into town all day
ard they We're very seriously delayed.
Workingmen whose employment com
PEELED them to leave home soon after day
hight were compelled to force passage
through drifts varying IN height from four
feet to above their heads and many were
compelled, after struggling IN vain to
proceed in one direction, o change their
course and adopt all sorts OF eXpedlents
to reach their destination. Even those
who We're employed during the
night and wended their way home
ward with extreme difficulty between
3 and O'Clock in the morning, left no
tracks behind them, for the wind, appar
emily angered at seeing its power thus de-
fed, at once filled in the tracks until no
trace OF them remained. one instance
serves to illustrate the fact. a gentleman
cro ssed Merchants Row-whlch was far
from being among the more seriously
blOckaded streets-to the depot, at 43O
O'Clock, pushing his way through drifts
fully four feet in height. When he re-
turned, 20 minutes later, the path he had
made was entirely filled III and could not
be seen and he was forced TO make his
way anew thrOu h the same drifts back to
the sidewalk on the opposite side of the
street.
A gentleman whose occupation is night
work and who has been accustomed for
Il years TO walk back and forth between
hs residence on Park avenue and his
place of business on Merchants Row, had
an experience Tuesday morning that was
the worst he ever met. Leaving Mer'
chants Row about 3;l1 O'Clock, he made
his way through the deep drifts on
Groove street with the utmost difficulty,
IN many places sinking to his arm pits
in the snow 1t took him from 3:l5 to
} o'clock to rcaeh Park avenue ; and
the worst of hi journey was yet to
C me. He was mucn heated by the eXer-
tion required to reacn that point; and as
| the mercury was then below Zero he
realized that to turn back or delay was
full OF danger, He made a bold break In
to Park avenue, and managed to reach
the residence OF ID l., Morgan, when II
seemed 10 be impp -lble for him to pro-
coed further. Il alizlng the peril of the
position, the PEI pratiOn rolling down
his face and the severe cold wind blowing
| upon nm, he euueavored in every way to
find Il passage to his house, but short
distance beyond but an impenetrable
wall of snow more than 10 feet in height,
together with the darkness made 1t i'm
/ possible. He then determined to arouse
the inmates of Mr.. Morgau's house, which
/ he did, and was gwen an opportunity to
warm himself until daylight came. Then
he sauutered forth again, and by going
through the back lots reached his own
house half an honr later nearly exhaust
ed, and having frozen one ear badly. He
had been over three hours and a half III
going distance of little over halt a mile ,
and his experience during that time was
something he does mol care to repeat.
Sights never before seen in Rutland
were met ON every hand. Where the side
. walks had been cleared on the main
streets, huge banks of snow piled up that
rendered it impossible to see passers by on
the opposite side of the street, or to at
least see little more than procession of
heads moving along. During the morn
ING, a man on horseback rode along on the
sidewalk in front OF the opera house, and
not even his hat could he seen by those on
the opposite side OF the street On some
streets there were drifts reaching to the
| second.story windows of the houses; and
our case was reported where man had to
tunnel distance of eight teet from the
door of his house in order to reach tne
1, Ia la farm of -
White on the Clarendon road, 1t was
necessary 10 tunnel through 1rift Is feet
high to obtain access To the barn. On
some cross streets no attempt
was made to get through the
drifts, pedestrians taking to the
| fields 4 man who WAS sent upon the roof
of the HCrdd building Tuesday after
noon, to clear 1t of snow, found Il long drift
about 10 feet high which was removed
only by great eXertion. There was no ses-
sion of the public schools Tuesday,
teachers and pupils alike being unable To
reach them The shirt factory was closed
all day, the employees being unable to reach
it in the morning.
The storm at Milton djourned Town
Meeting.
The oldest inhabitant' is puzzled TO re
call any such snow blockade as appeared
here Tuesday morning. The sidewalk on
the north side of Main street was one con
tinuuus lritt and in door yards the snow
was piled from six 10 10 feet high. A
drtt IN front OF c. |, Ladd's store nearly
concealed from view the windows. In
other puts ut the town the storm was
propolJionately severe. At the postponed
Town meeting, which came together nj II
O'Clock, "A moderator was chosen, and ad
iournmeut taken for one week. Mr.
George Ashley has issued II leatleu attack
ing the statements of the auditors in the