The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-03-23
The Great Blissard.


snow fell, in these great cities was the
deepest snow of the season and accom-
panied by such gale, great banks of
snow were heaped everywhere. The
Legislators at the nations capital were
making laws and no one outside of
Washington knew what they were
doing. Philadelphia was barrioaded
from the world. New York was wall
ed up by solid banks of snow. Boston
was cut off from every where except
London. The towns and cities along
the line of the New York Central were
buried out of sight. The Connecticut
roads were sn o wed under, and it was
like digging for the ruins of Pompeii
to get them out. Newark and New
Brunswick, within easy reach of New
York city, were as dead to the world
as if they had not existed. And then
to think of Trenton, close enough to
Philadelphia to be suburb, lost en-
tirely for two days! People within
ten miles OF the city might as well have
been in Omaha and New Orleans, for
in ordinary times express trains could
have brought them to their business
sooner than they could dig themselves
out of the drifts. Passengers who
started away in the storm remained
wherever their trains stuck People
couldn't get out of the city, people
couldn't get in. It wa. one complete
standstill with everything included but
the storm. That kept up its work un-
til the drifts in places ran up to fifteen
and twenty feet, and paralyzed tbe
trade of the East north of Washington.
All this, while annoying, was not
serious bey'nd its expeusiveness. Busi-
ness could wait, for one man was no
better off than another. But there
were other features not 80 lightly
thrust aside. 1t was not the passengers
in the 'Htalled" tram, forced to live for
forty. eight hours on soan'y sandwich
es, who were the real sufferers, but the
victims of the several railroad wrecks
caused by the snow and those of The
wrecked vessels along the coast Rare
ly has there been such tale of suf-
fering on sea and land, and the horrors
of Dakota are almost rivaled by those
of the Atlantic shore.
Yes, we have had one blizzard in all
its varied phases. Some there are who
will compare i, with the storm of l845,
but when the youngest inhabitant shaIl
have become the oldest he will still
cherish memory of the great blizzard
of 1888.
The force of the great storm was
spent in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, New York and New England
There was little snow south of Wash.
iugton. Eastern Pennsylvania caught
it heavily. West of Harrisburg it
caused no serious trouble, and Pitts.
burg and Buffalo were its western
boundaries. The storm made itself
felt severely in New York city and up
the Hudson river. The snow was
heavy in Connecticut and reached up
the New England coast beyond Port
land. Within the limits of Washing
ton, Pittsburg, Buffalo, Saratoga and
Boston the. railroads and telegraph
companies had most Of their trouble.
No one was looking for blizzard
1t had its origin away out in Oregon
shout FIVE days before. 1t vas harm
less enough until it struck in towards
the Atlantic coast. Then the trouble
began. Here its progress was barred
by great anti-cyclone wave of high
barometer which stretched along owe,
the ocean. Then came the clash. In
its approach to the sea the storm, be
fore feeble, was reinforced by immense
supplies of Gulf Stream vapor, anC
now it suddenly became a hurricane.
The history of one city is that of an
other. Sunday in Philadelphia wa
unpleasant because of the patterine
rain, but the weather was warm
Heavy overcoats were uncomfortable
even when night had ret in. The man,
who were tempted out with light cover
ing had cause to regret their mistake. Al
the night advanced the wind increased
Just before eleven o'clock the rain wa
falling in great blotches. A wizart
could not have knocked dozen apple
out of cooked hat quicker than thu
rain gave place to snow. The Msrcf
rain-storm had changed into a regula
bowling Dakota blizzard. At first th,
snow melted in the wet streets. Ther
it froze. Then the streets and side
walks became thick with it. Tele
graph poles changed into giant trees
Telegraph wires became cables larg
enough to hold the largest ships ha'
their strength equaled their size. The
swayed in the gale which was inoreas
ing every moment. Sign boards crrak
ed, Insecure buildings rocked. TIL,
branches of trees began to snap off an,
here and there trees came up by th
roots Telegraph p, lies followed. 500
after midnight the reports came int
the newspaper offices that the wire
were in trouble and in a few miuut,
nearly every telegraph instrument i
Philadelphia was silent. In one bou
,, , the great city had been cut off from a
! ! communication with the outside worlt
Meanwhile the late pedestrians wei
; having hard time of it. The win
! caught up the snow and hurled it wit
binding force through the air. III
y cutters were filed with it. Drifts b
!; gan TO form on the eide walks. TT
i night cars struggled over their rout'
and back to their depols and tied u
: BY morning not car was stirring
e few milk wag ms tried to make the
;. rounds, but for the most part dayligl
II found the streets deserted The me
= curry had fallen nearly TO zero. I'll
. . gale was climbing up to sixty miles ;
y hour, tie speed which it attained at
y O'clock. Philad, lphia was ow- bour
70 and was shaken TO h,r very foundatio
10 by the blizzard VIII oh was now how