Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-12
The snow->torm OF 1852.
RICHMOND. VA, January III, 1889.
,o T'dftnr 80 tho DfsDatph

RICHMOND. A., JduuaEy IL lcNJ'
To the Editor Of the Dispstch:
Dear Sir,-ln answer 10 your inquiry as to
who will write an account OF the great snow
storm oi 1857, will give you aiew points, as
now remember then, and leave TO others to
give fuller particulars:
Il commenced on the 18th OF January.
was % that time, as now, living in the city,
and nv father, then Assistant City Engineer.
was living at Marion Hill, just below the
city. / had been married only few years
aud our second child Was about two years
old. 1t had been our practice to spend
day and night at fathers every few weeks,
and lust previous 10 the date OF the storm
the weather had not been such as we could
take child from home, and the inter-
val had been longer than usual be-
tween our visits. On Saturday the lfth
there was a change and the mild tempera-
ture induced us 10 60 down and pay the de-
ferred VISIT. The thermometer on sunday
morning did not indicate \ very cold atm0s-
plere. aud we began 10 get ready to come 10
the city 10 attend divine service, a. was our
wont Before We were ready to start, how
ever, a change In the temperature adm0nish-
ed Us that It would be colder, and before we
could start the wind commenced blowing q
gale from the southwest, the sky became
thickly overcast With clouds. and snow COM
menced falling in very small flakes. From
that time until or o'clock the next day |
have never seen snow fall more rapidly. The
thermometer began falling about IL O'Clock,
aud by sunrise on Monday morning It had
fallen 20 l4o below zero. The wind had
been blowing perfect gale during the whole
time, and as a consequence, the snow was
very much driftcd, and 10 regular or certain
deuth could be given.
About II o'clock on Monday morning my
father and | both having business which re-
qured our attention here, determined to
START for town. 1t was out oi the question
TO think OF attempting the tripln his buggy.
for no horse could get along through the
immense drifts, even without having to draw
vehicle. We knew that by picking our
way and avoiding the huge banks Of snow
we could accomplish the task. think that
II took us nearly three hours TO do what was
a task ordinarily OF about fOrty.fye minutes.
When we reached my house Qn The lower
part OF the city) 1t was many minutes before
we could get into IL by reason OF the bank
ing OF the snow across the doorway,
which had to be removed as best
we could with hands and feet the
shovel being in the house, which was locked
up. IL was prODaDly ten uaYs DsioIe Ine
track was sufficiently broken for vehicles
70 pass the roads, and during that time my
father and myself would stay one night al
my house and the next at bis, the walk
being 90 tedious that we were unwilling 70
take il more than one way each day. As TO
bow long the snow remained on the ground
il Is utterly impossible TO say, for where The
drifts were deepest there II stayed longest.
| well remember that piles Of il were Wing
in the streets ~ late a. the middle OF March,
two months after II bad fallen. The snow,
"a | have said, was greatly drifted. In
many places It reached nearly up 10 the
second stories OF the houses IN certain loca-
lions. / remember, especially. that on the
corner Of Nam and Nneteenth streets,
opposite the old Union Hotel, where there
was double-tcnemeut frame house, used az
that time, | think, ~ Dwelling, the snow
was so deep that The occupants had TO
abandon egress through the front OF the
house and pass IN and out through the
rear doors.
/ could mention many instances IN cop-
nectOn with this storm which came under
my observation, but lear 10 tire you.
WM. Ii. PLEAsANTs.