Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-12-04
Wednesday. Dec. A. 1889.
A Thanksgiving Blizzard.

rived Wednesday morning and lasted
until FRIDAY. Snow fell during al
least forty hours, and on the first day
of the storm, the wind, which blew
from the northeast, attained velocity
at times of 40 miles per hour. Thanks
giving day was about as dismal and
cherries day as could be made; the
wind howled dismally about the street
filing the air with clouds of snow
and piling it in heaps in front of bust
ness places and residence. Travel
was disagreable and very little indulg'
ed in, as the sidewalks were covered
with snow heaps. 1t was good day
to be IN doors in warm, comfort
able room, and watch the storm king
have his frolic.
Notwithstanding the storm there
was a good attendance at the churches
to hear the Thanksgiving sermons.
The mills were obliged to shut down
without any ceremony. Winter had
issued his edict for that purpose, and
man had to submit whether he was
willing or not. -Four propellers and
several barges and schooners were in
port, being loaded with lumber, the
captains of which had, the day prev
ious to the storm, anticipated good
weather for their last trip, but instead
of which they received the worst gale
they ever experienced at the close of
navigation. The change was great
one. The weather on Tuesday was
as pleasant as could be desired, and
the loading of vessels with lumber
was carried on without any inconven-
fence, there being no snow or ice.
Twenty-four hours after remarkable
transformation had taken place and
made a sailors position one that was
devoid of attractions. A vessel COW
cred with snow, with ice spattered
over her, and her sails snow decked,
does not present very inviting pict-
ure,
The storm was surprise to every
one. No one looked for or expected
a storm of this magnitude at this sea-
son of the year, and all agree that it
was the worst and longest storm ever
experience here. At the Comstock
camps the depth of snow is reported
at % inches.
Along the sides of many Of the
streets were drifts of snow, some as
high as five feet. In some places
where the sidewalks have been clear
ed of snow and the same shoveled on
the street, it looked as if the persons
on one side had declared war on the
other aud erected walls of snow as
defence.
Wagons were abandoned and their
places taken by sleighs. BY Friday
the streets were in good condition for
travel, and hundreds of sleighs and
cutters were out, and the music of
sleigh bells sounded merrily along
the throughfares.
During the early part Of the biz
zard the telegraph wires were broken
and could not be repaired during the
storm. 1t was thus impossible TO
learn where the steamers that were
known to be on their way here. where
laying. and many fears were express
ed for the safety Of the steamer City
of Alpena. All sorts of rumors were
flying about in regard to her. One
was to the effect that she had found
cred on Saginaw Bay. Another that
she was ashore above Au Sable. At
last it was learned that she was ut the
Sand Beach harbor of refuge.
During Friday. Saturday, Sunday
and Monday the weather was mild
and agreeable and the thaw took away
about half the snow on the streets.
On Monday night there was con
test between rain and snow, but the
latter won, leaving light shower to
aid that which had previously fallen.