Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-26
THE BEAUTIFUL SNOW.
It Looks Pretty While Failing, but II Inter
feres With Travel.

THE BEAUTIFUL SNOW.
Il Looks Pretty While Failing. but It Inter-
feres with Travel.
HOW IT AFFECTED HORSE CARS HrKprcs, cAss
AND PEDESTRIANS LAST MIGHT AND THIS MORN
rSa-A BONANZA FOR THE coLoRKp MEN WHO
SHOVEL OFT srpEwALxA
There was many q wet foot in Washington
last night, and this mornings showing of colds
and interrupted breathings and other signs of
the times is . very respectable one. This snow
storm is far superior to the other one in depth
and vigor, and in the awkward predicameut in
which it puts people, although it did not come
quite 50 unexpectedly. There WIS plenty of
growing before the bite, rs all day long the air
was misty with the struggling fakes that man.
aged to give tone Of dirty white to the land
scape that was unusually mournful. The de-
termiued fall Of good-sized fakes, which began
soon after dark was a great relief in many
ways, although it brought host of discomforts
along with it. In the first place it ended the
uncertainty, end then it put the pavements in
better condition for travel.
THE SLIPPERY PERIOD.
From to 2 o'clock walking was task and
driving almost an impossibility Horses slipped
around like mercury over glass, and many a
fine animal tumbled. The street cars were not
badly hindered, as the cobbles gave the horses
| foothold. but the herdics were well nigh use
less Gradually the route of the main line was
shortened until, Mt 6 o'clock, the red herdics
ran only to Scott Circle instead Of U street, as
usual.
The first hour Of snow made little difference
in the traffic, as the depth was not sufficient to
hinder either horses or men, but by 10 o'clock
the matter OF transportation became a serious
problem, and the wise ones away from home
began to move along. By this time telephones
stable numbers and, it is suspected, many a
| small fortune WAS made last night by the cab
men and hack drivers.
STRUGGLING no GET HOME.
It seemed as though at least half of Washing
ton were ont and struggling to get back. The
cars ran infrequently and in an uncertain man
ner. At IL o'clock blockades were q matter Of
course and passengers had become reconciled
to riding in relays. Two horses were just able
to drag full avenue car on a level BY "full
car" is meant a full one on a stormy night with
every seat taken, the aisle solid mass and both
platforms overlooking; and this was the copdi-
ton OF majority OF the cars last night On a
hill the poor animals were stalled every other
rod. making blockades Of from two to half a
dozen cars in line. Then the passengers in
the front car would get out and push.
THEATER-aoEns HAD TO WALK.
The theater-goers walked home, as a rule, for
by the time that they reached the streets all
the cars passing the theaters were crowded and
the drivers refused to stop. Cabs could not be
found for any money, and many young fellow
tucked his girl under his arm and plodded
| through the snow to her paternal mansion to
| make apologies and regrets. The impecunious
Young man found the snow blessing, for he
could make great bluff Of it, stand on a curb
cal fnr In xrifh W. NJ
| safety, since he might as well have beckoned to
| railroad train mile away.
As sort of aggravation. all Of the east-bound
cars, which were in little demand at this time.
were not only empty, but were provided with
double teams. The hill on 18th street was the
greatest trouble. There was not five minutes
during the early night when there we're not
more than two cars stalled, and sometimes
there were half dozen.
An excellent example of the benefits Of mod
| ern tramway facilities WAS furnished by the 9TH
street cars, which hummed along as if snow had
| no effect whatever on their motive power. The
slot between the tracks stretched up and down
| the street like the dark crack of an earthquake,
| and the cable ratified merrily on with a Christ
mas jingle in its tune.
THE sLEEr TODAY.
This morning the fakes had given place to a
harder sort Of snow that came down in straight
lines and gave promise of rain later on. Street
| car riding was precarious and pedestrianism.
though preferable, was no luxury. In the resi-
dence portion of town the sidewalks were moi
generally cleared by the hour for the move
| ment from the breakfast table to the office
| desk, and SO the plodders had to take to the
| middle Of the streets. Car tracks formed the
most convenient promenades, and all the
| morning they were like great arteries OF
| humanity, pulsating in one general direction.
Government clerks were universally late the
punctual ones being SO few and far between
| that the watchmen at the doors, late them
selves, stared in amazement.
HARVEST FOR THE SNOW sHovELKRs.
Snow shovels are in great demand, and the
prevailing tendency on the part Of the dark
third of washington's population seems to be
to clean off the sidewalks Of the other two
| thirds. The market rate for a two-window
house is quarter, house and side yard half a
dollar, double house and yard seventy-five
cents, and a corner house anywhere from a
| q dollar to two dollars, according to the assur-
ance of the shoveler.
WATCHING THE TELEPHONE LINES
The snow storm had not affected the District
telegraph or telephone wires today, but it is
feared that, in event OF the weather getting
| colder, ice will form and the weight will cause
many wires to cross and thereby interfere with
the service. The linemen are watching the
wires. especially those connected with the fire
perfect condition to prevent trouble in case of
fire.
FEW HOTEL ARRIVALS.
The weather had bad effect on hotel bust
ness this morning and there were but few
guests in the corridors The hotel clerks.
however, were glad that there was not so much
business, as it was almost like holiday to
them after the rush before the holidays max
ing out bills and settling up accounts.
TRAINS NOT MUCH DELAYED.
The storm has not delayed the trains on the
Baltimore and Ohio road to any great extent
All trains this morning came in on time except
the Chicago express, which was about two
hours late. While the snow has been quite
general the traffic has not suffered. The
Christmas travel this year was unusually
heavy, and if the snow keeps up it is feared
that there may be some trouble.
At the Baltimore and Potomac depot the
through trains are today over an hour late and
the local trains are nearly all on time.
EXTENT OF THE STORM.
The storm that is now giving Washington a
white Christmas is prevalent all along the
coast. The signal Office this morning printed
the following general synopsis of the situation
The storm that was yesterday morning in
Louisiana moved to the Ohio valley during the
day and Is this morning central on the North
Carolina coast, causing general and heavy
R.1lc -, IL AL