Morning journal and courier., 1888-03-17
THE F1RsrTRaTN THROUcH

The immense snow drifts at Woodmont, Mill ford and near Naugatuck junction were dug through at last and the longest blockade ever known on the New York road is practically over. The army of snow shovelers who have been at work on the read have, however, more work to do as only one track, the up track, is clear The pioneer train through yesterday WAS drawn by engine 50 and Con- ductor Hermance was in charge. The mail car was packed with mail matter. The train left Grand Central depot at 1:30 p. m. Thurs day. It came through without delay to South Nerwalk, where it laid over until yes- terday morning, the road not being open at points beyond. Yesterday morning at 7 o'clock the train resumed it's journey and ar- rived at Bridgeport at 1. The gangs working up and down met at about noon and one track was clear from New York to New Ha- ven. Both tracks are clear from New York to Norwalk.
 At about o'clock start was made to send train to New York. It was made up and arrived in front of the depot to take passen- gers when news came that two locomotives were off the track between Stratford and Bridgeport. This changed the programme and wrecking train was sent down instead. There was but little damage done.
 The Shore Line road is now thoroughly clear and all accommodation trains vera be- ing run regularly yesterday. The first train in on this line reached the depot at an early hour yesterday morning. It was the through express from Boston which was due here early Monday morning. but was stalled at Ssybrook. The train was in charge of Con- ductor DeWolf, while Engineer Forbes held the throttle of the locomotive. Superintend- ent Allen of the Shore Line division was on board. Some of the passengers went to New York on the boat and others remained here. The train was met at Stony Greek by the gang of 200 laborers which under the charge of Assistant Superintendent Martin had sue ceeded i'll clearing the road from here to that point. This was the section of the road where the blockade was the most formidable. The worst drifts were mile east of Fair Haven station just east of Lake Saltonstall, while between there were three drifts five hundred feet long and twenty feet deep. The cut two miles west of Stony Creek was completely filled with snow and it took the two hundred men and three engines five hours to clear the track through it. The worst drift struck probably was near Lake Saltonstall. The three engines ploughed through a small drift and the first thing the train hands knew.they had plunged into a huge one beyond with such force that the forward engine and half the second one were buried completely out of sight.
 The first train from this city for New York left here last evening at about eight o'clock
 Three trains went up the Hartford division yesterday forenoon and two went out on the New London road in the forenoon.
 Assistant Superintendent Martin was with the engineer in the cab of the first engine. The shovelers had to dig down four feet to uncover the top of the cab and release the buried railroad men. Mir. Martin sustained bad cut on the eye from being thrown against the side of the cab by the shock. Otherwise no injuries were received.
 The Northampton division is partly snow bound but trains will probably be run to-day The biggest drift is at Centerville. It is q rouser. There were three hundred men at work there. The northern end of the road is clear and cars are running between West field and Williamsburg.
 It has been hard matter for the last three days to find lsborers enough to dig snow. They have been paid usually $1.75 to $2 8 day. Some snow shovelers who worked at shoveling sidewalks in this city made $5 day.
 The Air Line is still badly blocked Great efforts are being made to clear it. Trains will run on Monday.
 Work on the City Streets. Superintendent Doyle had four hundred men and one hundred and fifty carts at work clearing off snow from the great business J from below State to Temple, Church street from Chapel to George. State street from Chapel to Water. There were lively times. The snow was carried off and dumped at three points, the old Green, the vacant land near Union depot and Wooster Square. The men get $1.50 per day. The single horse teams are paid at the rate of s per day and the double teams at the rate of $5. The cost thrown upon the city by the storm for clean ing the streets will be from 5000 to $4, 1000.
 Atthe steamer Houses.
 The call men will be kept at the steamer houses for several days yet.
 The Mails.
 About eighty pouches of mail matter ar rived from New York yesterday via the steamboat. A large portion of it WAS for towns north and east of us. The trains from up north brought seven hundred mail bags and pouches to this city, a large part of which went on west.
 The Well Was Full of snow.
 Officer Nichols of the police force has we'll on his premises thirty feet deep. The recent storm completely filled this we'll and on the morning after the storm the officer was without water.
 Broken OF.
 On Orchard street near Chapel the top of large maple tree was broken off by the recent blizzard.
 The Horse Railroads.
 The Fair Haven horse railroad having made trial of running barges yesterday found that they were 8 failure, the roads be- ing so rough and full of ruts and hummocks that several of the barges broke down. They will therefore use 'busses to-day instead, wheels being better than sleigh runners in the present bad state of the roads. They have secured for the purpose all the omni- busses that it was possible to obtain yester- day.
 First Car From West Haven to the
 Green.
 The first car of the New Haven and West Haven horse railroad from West Haven reached the corner of Chapel and Church streets at twenty minutes of six last evening. It was appropriately lettered f'No. l." and it's appearance was sufficient evidence of the energy of Superintendent Ward and his men.
 Revival of Business.
 The big corset factory on Court street re- sumed work yesterday, giving employment to about fifteen hundred. Many of the large shops arerunning again. The Hooker car riage factory work will be resumed to day The Chapel, Church and State street stores did considerable business yesterday, as q host of ladies were out. The ladies were greatly interested in beholding the remnants of the massive snowdrifts. The city laborers were to be seen about town yesterday clear ing the crosswalks. The snow was thawing rapidly yesterday afternoon and in many places in the streets large pools of water formed.
 SnOw.BOund New HaVeners.
 The following New HaveneIs were snow bound at Bridgeport hotels: F. L. Bigelow, J. H. North, l.. Koon, J. M. Russell, Edward s. Perry, 0. w. Lockwood, J. T. Hurle, J. F. Krize, c. E. Merrill, Edward s. Smith, John B. Hubbell, M. Schener, J. B. Struther, F. H. Farnam, Professor Francis Wayland, N. J. Stratton, c. s. Bushnell, A. B. Thatcher, N. W. Perkins, Prof. W. P, Trowbridge, J. B. Mackwood, D. c. Pratt, c. U. Ford, s. H. Rosenberg, J. Rosenberg, Charles H. Futile, John J. Goodrich, w. E. Catlin, E. M As troder, W. L. Squire, W. J. Rathgeber, D. H. Grannis, B. M. Wright, E. W. Caring