The Portland daily press., 1888-01-30
AMONG THE DRIFTS.
Colder Weather In Portland than for
Seventeen Years.
The Work OF Digging out the Bur
led Streets.
Primitive Methods Of Getting Water
for Man and Beast.

All day yesterday and last night scores Of
men and teams were busy hauling away the
snow from the bl0ckaded streets and yet In
many parts Of the city there are streets
where no team has passed since the storm
In many places no effort has yet been made,
to clear the way. but all possible has been
done to open the more important thorough
fare. The greater part Of one side Of Com
mercial street is still blocked and on the 9TH
er side across the railroad track, which Is
now open, the travelling is very difficult.
Unless a heavy rain falls soon and car
ries the snow away many Of the country
roads will be imlassable for weeks yet 10
come. So solid is the snow that 1t Is more
difficult to make path through it tnan 1t
would be IL IL were a foot deeper, and as
light as that Of previous storms.
Saturday morning a locomotive with a
snow pillow In front Of 1t. advanced on the
drifts on Commercial street and went through
them In way that greatly interested the
spectators. At one point huge drift was
cut into two parts, each Of which was left
standing In the shape Of big white pyra-
mid In the roadway on either side Of the
track. Then the people. In the partial
cessation Of business caused by the storm,
had chance to see something amusing to
them, but probably not so to the workers. A
line Of teams, each loaded with two big rolls
Of paper from the Warren Mills came along
and each team stuck After much digging
each one was started on its way again. but II
was long time before the last team saw
the other side Of the obstruction.
Yesterday the digging out Of Congress
street was appreciated by those drivers who
did not fear the cold, and all the afternoon.
from India to Vaughan streets, the sleighs
were moving swiftly to and fro. and with the
addition Of the small army Of shoyellers and
their reinforcement Of trains, the .scene was
a lively one.
The men with shoyels devoted their atten-
ton to the vicinity Of Market Square and
soon had made preparations for the advent
Of the horse railroad company's big plow and
scraper with teams Of six and eight horses
attached. Preceded by squad Of men with
picks. who started the work. the big ma
chimes commenced uncOvering the rails.
while knots Of spectators forgot that the
thermometers in neighboring do0rways reg
istered somewhere below zero, in their inter-
est In the progress Of the work.
The water famine is a thing which people
are getting perforce, somewhat accustomed
to. People on Pine street have seen several
good looking and spirited horses being rid
den about, and there has been some discus
sion as to why the animals were exercised in
this way. But the truth Of the matter Is
that the horses were being ridden TO water.
They came from stable on Vaughan street
and were taken to the drinking trough at the
Butler school house. In other parts Of the
city, people have been forced to water their
horses in the same way. Many families OBJ
tain their water for domestic purposes by
melting snow. Those who live in the upper
stories Of houses are, in some cases. able to
get water by going into the cellar and draw
ing it from the lowest possible point, but In
many places none can be had even in the eel
lars. Others bring their supplies long dis
tances.
Thermometers on many houses yesterday
morning registered 2Oo below.
Thursday afternoon, In the height Of the
storm, the mail carrier between Portland
and Bowery Beach left the post Office In this
city at $780, and drove TO the post Office at
the Beach, arriving there early in the even
ing.
The city had 119 men and 70 teams at work
Saturday, and the horse railroad had large
number.
At the Office of the United States signal
station in the city last night the observer
said that q inches Of snow fell on a level
during the last storm. The cold weather Is
also something remarkable. For II years at
least or during the time a weather signal
station has been established in this city, we
have not had such a long, cold spell Of
weather as we have already experienced.
The records for II yearslbaeklwere examined
yesterday and it was found that the only
cold period Of weather In this vicinity that
could be compared with the present cold
spell was in the month Of January Of tho
year 1886 and In December. 1872 We had
four days then, beginning with the 11th,
that averaged about 70 below zero. The
18th was the coolest day, 1t being 124 below
zero. After this there were few somewhat
warmer days and then followed three more
of zero weather. The coolest day In the
month Of January, 1883, was Il above; in
1884, 80 below; in 1885, 3.20 below, and in
1886, 14o below.
The mercury has stood as follows during
the days Of the present cold period, which
began on Saturday, January 21:
Date Below. Date. Below.
o.