Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1888-03-21
THE BLIZZARDY EAST
New York, Pennsylvania and
Ohio Swept by the Worst
Blizzard Known.
Railroad Trainc and ether Business Gem.
pletsly Paralysed.. People Frozen 10
Death In the Streets.
New York Special. March 1871

The hardest snowstorm Of the year b,
FAR ragged in New York the 18th. II began
early in the morning, and at 8 o'clock there
was foot of snow on the ground. A high
wind caused snowdrifts, which in the
upper part Of the city were three and four
feet high. Traffic was almost suspended.
Thousands of passengers were blocked on
the elevated roads. The horse cars we're
unable to move. People who left up town
by the elevated roads were unable 70 get
further than EIGHTH strsst -, ~ mod.
Many OF the more venturesome descended
to the street by ladders and walked the
rest Of the way down town. People in the
suburban towns found 1t almost impos-
sible to reach the city SO severe were the
drifts.
The following day there was only a
partial resumption of traffic. The elevated
railroad trains ran only ut intervals, but
they were wholly inadequate for the re-
quirements. Most of the business men
Who came down were forced to walk.
Sleighs and carriages were in great de-
mand. The wind blew furiously and the
snow was badly drifted, being piled in
many places siI. and eight feet high. Sew
eral persons. it is reported, perished. Com
munication with Washington and NIL points
south Of New York was cut OF. The snow
was frozen so hard that plows could not
be used and gangs of men with shovels
and picks endeavored to clear the roads.
East river was frozen hard and many
Brooklynites walked across to the New
York side. Many trains were stalled be-
ar he u,xlc
Harlem roads. The officials said that
forty trains were showed in and the efforts
to break through the snowdrifts completely
failed. Not train reached the depot
during vne day. Ferry boats were only
run at long intervals. All eastern wires
were down, and communication from
Philadelphia by long distance telephone
said the storm was the greatest in over
thirty years. No trains were running, but
many were snowbound near that city. The
Chicago limited express on the Pennsylvs-
nia road was showed in seventeen miles
from that city. Business was suspended
and all the wires down.
The storm was the worst ever exper-
fenced along the hanks Of the Hudson and
along the West Chester shore of the sound.
The mercury at 2 A. NJ. at Dobbs' Ferry, ON
the Hudson, and ut Port Chester, on the
sound, marked zero. The gale swept with
fearful velocity. Railroad traffic on Long
Island was entirely blocked.
George D. barrymore, . we'll known
importer and dealer in hops, was found
frozen stiff in q snowbank on Seventh
avenue. He started for his Office and il is
supposed that he became exhausted and
dropped by the way unnoticed.
The body OF Annie Halpin Fisher, aged
al, = ~
way on West Thirty ninth street.
1t il said that Ave pilot boats were ashore
and full OF water at Sandy Hook and three
at Bay Ridge, together with q number Of
schooners and fishing smacks in Horse
Shoe, all driven ashore in the terrible gsls.
Fifteen pilot boats are at sea, and pilots
ashore fear for their safety. The stock
exchange was closed on account Of the
storm.
A Philadelphia special of the 18th says:
The severe storm which commenced in this
vicinity Sunday evening still RACES so far
"a the drifting OF the snow is concerned,
and the hurcu1ean efforts of the railway
officials SO far have been fruitless in get
ting the various lines into successful opera
tion. The wind has continued to blow all
day and the thousands of laborers who
have been digging at the mountains Of
snow and ice on the various lines leading
into the city had disheartening task. The
loss to the commercial interests Of Phila-
delphia cannot be estimated in dollars and
cents, and the time which will be required
to put railroad and telegraphic trafhc In ito
normal condition cannot even be ssti-
mated.
The wires Of the Western Union Tsle-
graph company, which were completely
between Chicago and eastern
points by the storm, are still in very bad
shape. Local officials have % yet no
means Of knowing the extent of the trouble.
There is but one duplex wire to New York
that can be used, while Washington, Bal
timore and Philadelphia sre completely
cut of from derect communication with
the west.