Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-06
SLE|GH|NG At LAST,
The Earth Covered With a
Thick White Blanket.
LIVERYMEN ABLE TO GRIN.
Threatened Delay to Railroad Travel
for Awhile.
cnnr rIncn CNnTr CnnpM crDNEc
LIVERYMEN ABLE TO GRIN.
SOME FIRST SNOW STORM SCENES


an-about-town, as Jack Frost arrived IL
the city last night, scattering faky crystals
over street, pavement, housetop and the
whole vista. 1t was first class snowstorm,
too, not little furry which resolved ltseli
into mud almost before it reached terra
firma. Street railroads were blockaded and
goloshes and umbrellas were at premium.
Most of the population took refuge in
doors. The rich and comfortably clad glee-
fully planned for sleigh rides on the NOR
row, the poor and thinly appareled watched
the swirling crystals with rueful visages,
and the man who predicted an open winter
crawled into hole and pulled the cover
close shut.
DECIDED NOVELTY.
The first snowstorm of the season was a
decided novelty to the general public, and
was appreciated accordingly. The snow
mas been making frantic efforts to make the
rifle for the past 4S hours. On Tuesday
some exhibition flakes were sent down, but
they made no permanent impression upon
the ground. About 4 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, however, some very small, but
persistent CRYSTALS arrived and did business
Sc etfectually that the ground began to
whiten. The crowds that attended the
tbeaters found an inch of snow beneath their
feet, and the steady downfall continued all
night the prospects being for at least six
inches of snow.
SLEIGHING FOR SURE.
Good sleighing is assured and the livery
stable proprietors were getting their cutters
and itching palms in trim for a golden harvest
Per contra, the young man who had promised
a sleigh ride to his Sunday girl and who was
joyfuly counting npon an open winter, was
groaning in spirit and contemplating retrench-
InenJ and ways and means.
The beautiful got the horse cars in
trouble, and the long unused railway sweepers
put to work. The cables cars skated along
without much trouble. only that when people
signaled car it was pleasant to see it stop at
the next crossing. The tendency OF the snow
10 drift made trouble for the railroads.
The conductors the westbound trains
over the Pennsylvania Railroad arriving in this
city last night -tport that the storm was pre-
vailing all along the line as far east as Phila-
delphia. A all points on this side of the Ale
ghenies it was showing at about the same rate
as in Pittsburg, but about o'clock last even
ing the violence of the storm increased very
much from Altoona eastward, ana would have
the effect. if it continued of delaying trains
materially, as the snow was light and dry and
drifting badly none OF the trains OF last night
were beyond 10 or 10 minutes late.
SOMETHING OF A SENSATION.
With one exception all the traction and the
street railway companies had their snow sweep
ers out, and between the clash of the gongs and
the whirr of the sweepers, the few horses stand
ing along the streets almost scared out of their
harness The Citizens line sweeper created
somewhat of a sensation Penn avenue. 1t
threw snow 10 or L feet high and If pedes-
trlan got TOO close to examine the machinery
shower
dirt.
About o'clock as the sweeper was turning
out of Seventh street on to Penn avenue it
collided with Butler street which was on
the down trip. The side of the car was badly
damaged, the snow sweeper was thrown from
the track and one of the men who was riding
on it was thrown off and slightly bruised The
sweeper met with several other mishaps along
the line, delaying travel for a short space of
time at each stop.
The Central lire also tried THAR machine for
the first time. The other lines had their salt
cars out and kept the snow from becoming
packed in the rails.
ELECTRIC CARS STALLED.
The Second avenue line was caugh: Shy of a
sweeper and as a result the cars were laid out.
The first stop was made by one of the electric
cars in front of Observation-Disclosures mill, and
the ouly way to move it was for the conductor
to get out and sweep the snow away from in
front of the wheels The Pleasant Valley line
had no difficulty with their cars
AT the fire at Houngson's Smithfield
street. the four-horse sweeper the BirmIng-
ham line ran into a line of hose. The hose had
to be cut before the sweeper got clear of 1t,
At u o'clock the man who makes the weather
proCncstications said il would snow all night
and the indications for to-day are for CON
tinuauce of the 1eecY fakes. The snow was
dry and hard, and crunched under the foot.
He SAID it was showing in Ohio, Indiana, Mich
igan, Wisconsin and Minnesota The reports
from Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee were
for snow or rain. 1t viii! be colder to-day. with
a light snow.
All the livery stables were kept busy answer
ing calls for sleighs. At IL o'clock none of
them had put their sleighs out, but they said
they would get them on the streets this morn
ing. Out in the East End there were any num-
Der of private cutters out. Some of the owners
of fast horse flesh had their fancy one-seaters
out but on account of their horses not being
sharpened, they did not do any racing Nearly
all OF the asphaltum paved streets were COW
cred with sleighs about II o'clock.
SHEDDING ON THE soUTHSIDE.
The young folks of the Southside were bent
on not allowing to-days sun to cheat them ou:
of a sled ride. About so people congregated at
one OF ;he livery stables and secured two large
sleds, in which they started, about s o'clock
bound for White Rall, on the Brownsville road
Several other smaller parties went out and the
demand was very great for single sleighs. The
binding storm did not battle those who were
willing TO take chances on the grip and pneu-
monia for one good nights sport.
The street cars could not run on time owing
to the depth of the snow on the tracks The
snow plow was brought into service but it was
not very effective.
Some people would kick if they PLAYED. foot
nall aud. of course. there were those who had
to complain because it showed They had
complained all winter because of the mild
weather and the absence of snow; and when il
did come, they were not satisfied
One of the amusing incidents of the evening
occurred at the Plttsburg and Lake Erie depot
A street car halted, in which there were three
persons-two ladies and a gentleman. The
latter was the escort of one of the ladies'
AN AWKWARD MISTAKE,
ftHe and his girl occupied seat IN the front of
the car, and the other sat in the rear All
three left the car at the Lake Erie ,the gentle
man passing out hurriedly and raising his um-
brella to shelter his fair companion. The snow
was blowing terrifcally, and SO blinded the
young man that he did notice the girl in the
rear step from the car first. He carefully held
his umbrella over the young lady, and it was
not until he had walked over to the depot and
into the glare of the electric light that he dis
covered his mistake. Then he made a break
just Stepping down into the deep snow unas-
sisted. Apologies followed.
There were many accidents of a minor i'm
portance. People slipped trying to walk and
many developed more intimate acquaintance
with the pavements than it had been their
privilege to enjoy. There were a few serious
accidents. Colonel Samuel Dawson one of the
oldest members of the police force, fell on
West Carson street and sprained his back so
that he had to be removed to his home in the
Thirty-sixth ward.