New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-13

NETYORK'S FIRST BLIZZARD.

Inat NcncfdDic anu 1ptiu"'i"t's
the Oldest inhabitant, is of no special value to
the community this morning. lie still may
have ingenious tales to tell of past events, but
he might as well be dumb. Newly orkcrs do
not need his assurance that he has no rccol-
lection to be compared with yesterdays cX-
pcrience. and that is the only subject that will
be discussed to-day Our disdainful Western
brethren whose cradle is the cyclone pit and
lullaby the blizzard have long sneered at
Eastern storms and laughed to scorn our ideas
of weather. But Mt last We are even with them.
Now ork has had its first taste of the genuine
article, and in spite of loss and suffering Is
rather disposed TO congratulate itself upon the
fact. OF course those prudent citizens who
stayed at home enjoyed looking through thelr
windows upon such a scene as was never visible
before on Manhattan Island; while those who
bravcd the elements felt themselves exalted to
the distinction Of personal achievement.
And what a spectacle the city was. Iraillc
and transportation stopped, business at stand
still the exchanges suspended court sessions
postponed banks letting their loans stand
lorsc cars, meat wagons and milk carts
stranded and solitary, telegraph wires dangling
and winding through the air, padlocks on doors
that haven't been closed save on a holiday for
no one knows how many years, files of peies-
TRANS struggling through the streets or flying
all abroad on the wind, and pavements, walls
roofs and spires hidden within mist of whnl-
ing. binding, suffocating snow.
There are some lessons that NewYork ought
to learn from such an experience as that of
yesterday. Nothing Is TO be gained oy
IL .tat;n mic nc
thcy now exist Their shortcomings are many
in ordinary times, but yesterday they were
helpless. The storm had taken possession Of
everything above ground and would not be
withstood, But what an argument 1t furnished
for underground transit and underground
wires! With only such protection as engineer
ing skill can readily provide beneath the sur
face the internal business OF tho city might
have been transacted without interruption. Fig
,lrcs are not yet available, but it is safe to say
that the direct and indirect loss inflicted upon
Ncw-York by yesterdays paralysis would rep
resent at least years interest upon an cnor-
nous investment. Underground railways in
any case must be bcncfccncc of slow growth.
and we shall have TO be satisfied if the present
experience results in crystallizing public opinion
into demand which will not be denied for
some available and comprehensive plan to be
undertaken as soon as may be. But the tele-
graphic facilities Of New-Yorll stand in
different relation. The law is on the statute
hooks. the method has been worked out. the
money is in the companies hands and 1t Is
high time to have done with tricks and subtcr-
fnges to avoid the plain requirements of duty
and of common sense.
We should be glad to see something done
for our suburban population in view of future
possibilities, and those who have pinned their
faith and devoted their money to a tunnel be-
meath the Hudson will now find new arguments
without delay. But after ALL the ferries did
their work yesterday with crcditable perSc-
ycrancc and Success and the unhappy travel
lers from Ncw-Jcrscy who lay in bed too late
10 catch the early and the only trains, and
those who were blockaded half mile from
the river and had to fight their way to the
boats, would not have been helped much by
avenue beneath the water.
As the days pass and the effects Of the great
blizzard are made known in detail multitude
OF picturesque and thrilling incidents will come
to light, and it is not at all unlikely that We
shall have to record many fatalities. 1t is
scarcely possible to suppose that such storm
can have swept so wide an area without over
taking those who were unable to withstand it.
In all the country round about the roads were
lost to view and neither man nor beast could
be expected to make Roadway long in blind
ness and confusion against such whirlwind.
We may even hear Of experiences similar 70
those which were lately encountered at the
West, of school children and teachers lost and
pcrshing And If happily such tragedies were
not enacted, VIC shall certainly be apt to learn
who went hungry and thirsty because their
bread and meat and milk were abandoned to the
elements or stayed ingloriously under cover.
On such an occasion it may be thought moth
ing worse than pardonable pride to remind
the readers of THE TRIBUNE and other papers
Of the fidelity which in spite of every obstacle
provides them this morning with full details
of the greatest storm New-York has ever WIT
ressed Many Of them would have thought
it madness to attempt to reach their places OF
business Yesterday, but hundreds of men strug
cled on foot through the blizzard from distant
homes, in Brooklyn, in upper parts of the city,
in Harlem and Ncw-Jerscy in order that the
newspapers might keep faith with the public.
Altogether 1t was a wonderful experience,
and one Of it's compensations is the satisfaction
of talking and hearing about it. Newfork
is used TO getting whatever is biggest Of its
kind and has now added one more to its long
list Of successes. For surely the blizzard was
a success. In its own way: nay more it was
triumph. never equallcd and never likely to be
MR. RANDlLL IND HIS CRITICS.