Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-22


To the Editor of the Gazette.
l send you sketch of what we New
Englanders have had to experience, and
congratulate you that you We in the land
of sunshine, ("Tished we all did") where
such weather is unknown. I have The
GAZETTE to read every week, and find
Texas enterprises items OF crest interest
to me. Resps ctfully yours,
EDWIN BARRETT.
a binding storm set in Monday morn
ing Q2th) at 1880, continuing to fall to
that depth that travel on nearly all of
the thoroughfares WAS with the greatest
difficulty, and on some impossible. At
IL O'Clock gale sprung up with the We
locity Of % miles an hour, increasing in
power till a. the rate of forty miles per
hour. By this time it had become athing
impossible for one to attempt TO breast
the driving blast OF falling snow and
wind.
People who had but hundred ysrds to
60 to get to their homes reached there
with the most extreme difficulty, and
many stopping wherever chance afforded
to shield and shelter them from the furi-
Gus storm.
A colored msn living in the outside
limits of Springfield, Mass, became be
wildered while trying to return from the
city and was found persisted some little
distance from his home.
Fuel was sn article truly indispensable
with msny, though many had to dispense
with thei precious article, as means Of
csrting coal in the cities and towns was
totally shut off before noon. One hotel in
Pittsf1eld (Msss.) had nineteen stoves but
rot one pound OF coal in their pins to run
them. The guests were forced to make
the best OF "cold comfort" as no cosl
could De transferred from the yards; Inc
storm raging at the rate of fifty miles an
hour, and drifts on Main street reaching
It's whole length, of fifteen feet in depth.
The horse car lines were totally blockad-
ed before O'Clock in Springfield.
Superintendent King endeavored to &C
commodste the many passengers by run
ding sleigh bsrges, but the impeding
storm forced him to give up, and travel
came completely to staudstill. Trains
on the Boston and Albany r lad were all
blockaded. Two trains but few miles
out from Springfield became snow bound
on the plsins; one train the cars were
heated by coal, while one was heated by
steam pipe from the engine. From
this train the engine was cut of, and
run on two miles to clear the track
and became snow bound also, and neither
could get bSck to the train to supply heat
to the passenger coaches Much suffer
ing was experienced among the passen-
gers, more particularly for the want OF
proper heat than for the real want of
food, which was supplied them after some
little length of time oy q party of forty
men, who carried it from Indian Orchard,
the nearest station, and also sufficient
cosl was carried by the same parry
to relieve their extreme suffering
A BABY was taken SICK upon the train.
DR.. Buck reached the train by tedious
effort and treated the child. Trains on
he B. and A, going west, were block
AIDED at Wssbington Summit and were
not relieved until Thursday night. Con-
siderable dissatisfaction is reported, but
no deaths through deprivation of food or
fuel. Two engines attached to Conduc-
tor Hlnett's train came through the first
trip from Hartford, Conn, on the New
York and New England road, Friday
night, Jumped the track near Springfield.
The engine bursting her cylinder-head,
scslding the engineer, fireman, and also
Conductor Hinett. Hinett died Friday
night st $50. He rsn between Spring
field and Hartford and had been stalled at
East Hartford for four days. The trains
nave made their regular trips Saturday.
for the first time since Monday, on the
New York and New England Road. The
Boston and Albany R0sd began to run on
their time Thursday.
Springfield, as well as Palmer, Monson,
Hartford and other large places of bust
ness, is completely snow bound, and will
not resume her old routine of trade and
travel before the later part of next week
Snow fell on Tuesday till depth of three
feet on q level was reached. Drifts rang
ing from SIX feet to twenty are piled here
and there. Large forces OF men are busy
removing the snow from the streets.
From 30 cents to 81 an hour is paid for
shovelers, and none too many for hat.
The hotels are filed with sno 1-bound
guests, who have been compelled to make
the best of the situation.
Springfield has not fully recovered from
the shock Of the terrible fire which re-
suited IN the loss Of nine lives by Jump
ing to the street below, from the fourth
story, being locked into the rooms and
uhobiO " 4CdSu tuC O1cfdlOEs i W. WGE6
burned TO death. A keen eye wss alert,
iuring the recent storm, in the
fire department In Springfield.
Yet, had a fire broke out, the department
could have rendered very little aid.
The roof OF the Whiting psper mill in
Holyoke, MSS, WAS crushed in M ndsy
night between and 6 O'Clock. The cause
was by the weight Of snow, which was
damp and very heavy. The roof was II2
feet in length by sixty in width. The
damage will be about sIs, 600. Fortunately
no one was killed. L. 81 Potkin was walk |
ing through the room, saw the roof start. |
Becoming terrified, stood still. Singu-
larry, the roof parted Ger where Mr.. Pot. |
kin stood, and left him standing IN
harmed. Seventy hands are temporarily
thrown out Of employment.
Mails are generally delayed, and back
towns will not reach their mail for some
time. Fears are entertained of q sudden |
"thaw," which would prove disastrous in |
the extreme. The weather is somewhat |
cooler, though signs of another storm are
apparent.