The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-22
NEARLYAFOOT OF IL.
Snow Covers the Land, North,
South and East.
STREET RAILWAYS IN TROUBLE.
The Beautiful Clogs the Wheels OF Trade
and Trafic-Htgh Wind Down
Eound-Trains Delayed.

niggard hand, for be did not rest from
pouring down snow until he had wrapped
this corner of the earth in a white bianKet
ten inches thick. He furnished fun LOT
the boys at ~snowbaliing and sled-riding,
work for the poor at shoveiing snow ana
material fer thought to the street railway
managers. It also gave many persons .
valid excuse for staying at home oy the
ire instead of going down to business a.
the risk of their backs.
The storm seems 10 have been general
throughout Western Washington and Ore
gon, from the Skagit valley south. From
ten inches at this city it tapered off to sax
inches at Edmonds, two at Everett, until
at Mount Vernon and Sedro there was
none at all, the furthest northern point
where any fell being Clear lake. The
W Sound country had q high cold
WIND, which must have been as uncom-
1ortabie as the snowstor.n. On the south,
Portland had four inches. followed by rain.
Up dreen river there was about six inches
on Sunday night and more On Tuesday
and yesterday, indicating that the Storm
extended as far east az south.
Only the street railways that had cars
running all night were III shape for BUSH
ness anywhere near the usual time for
starting In the morning. All the cable
lines were kept open in this way, and by
the use of salt TO melt the snow and sand
10 give the wheels a, grip on the track,
traffic was kept up, although no pretense
was made Of observing the regular
schedule On Madison street three cars
We're running all night and a force of
shovelers cleared the snow away from the
whole width OF the tracks, so that cars
came pretty near running at the usual in
terTals. On Front street the same meas
ures were taken, but cars only ran irregu-
larry. getting through when they could
anc not beginning To run till late in the
morning. On Iesler avenue shovelers
were ut work all day and cars began run-
Ilns NJ o'ciocS III the morning and ran
on schedule time, except that one car was
dropped cut.
On the consolidated electric lines a snow
riow was run over all the tracks all night
tuesday and cars started ut the usual
time IN the morning, but did not observe
the regular schedule, as it was found
necessary to run doubie-headers in order
to overcome the obstacles which the snow
offered. The snow frequently cIogged the
wheels and caused 4 stop, and three or
four ears were tlerailed by running into
snow thrown oil the track bv passing
teams. On this system alone two tons OF
salt were used III melting the snow off the
rails. and sand was needed to give the cars
astart. Less effort was made 10 keep omen
the lines where passengers had q COM
peting line to fall back on than to those
which are the chief reliance OF the residents
OF the district. After having shovelers
al work all morning. the Third street line
got its first car started at 3 20 in the after
noon, but only ran them every hour to
Lake Union. The Rainier electric line
ran q snowplow ahead of its first car tn
Lake Washington, and from 6 O'Clock in
the morning ran on schedule time from
South Fourteenth street to the lake. the
track down Washington street being con-
sidered too slippery for safe operation. M
cars ran on the Commercial street electric
line, but tho Grant street COMPANY got
moving by dim of industrious shoYeIine.
The West Street & North End line had no
cars running all day, and Ballard was cut
oil, but a snowplow was run over the line
last night, and cars will run TODAY AS
usual.
Jhe James street cable road was kent
open by the running of cars all night and
shoveling all day, but on the other
branches of the Trunk Line system cars
did not run till after 10 O'clock in the
morning. A snow pillow was put in front
oil a construction car and run over the
lines, others were drawn by horses aud
yet others pushed in front of cars. Rv
this means the way was opened for traffic
but cars only ran about every twentv-sva
minutes and sand was necessary 10 give
the wheels friction. Salt was used nv tho
sackful- BY , O'Clock the Lake Washinp-
ton line was in operation as far as the
Walia WaiIa addition and the Reaeop uill
line as far IS Frederick street. hut tbay
were opened all the way through later in
the day. On the cable cars the wheat.
were only kept free from snow by the con.
stant working of the shoebrake. Int :,
the electric ears the friction melted III.
snow. a car left the track at Squire ava.
nue. about L O'Clock, but no damage was
done.
The railroads got of easily, the line, .o
the north suffering no delay to trains
Northern Pacific trains were late in com
ing in. partly III consequence of DELAYS N
connecting trains from the East ana
South, the overland from the East due a.
Tacoma at 10 4. IN. not arriving until sn
II. The snow was followed by n vi,s
storm III the valleys cas-; Of here. and
drifted so much along the Columbia 3
flItE IuL2u oatA tA4aS tie fsANStfl ger 1Tas.,
leaving Franklin in the morning stuck in
n snowbank, and was delayed by havipg
10 wait to be shoyeled out. Coal trains were
also somewhat delayed.
The telegraph lines suffered slightly. the
Postal wires to the south being down n.-.
of the day and the Great Northern lima
north Of Whatcom heing torn down hv
falling trees, but all damage was repairaS
before evening.
The city will take no steps 10 clear awsv
The snow from the streets. In ex~planat;onH
OF this Chairman Rinehart. Of the board ~
nubl;c works, said yesterday:
IL would DO Impossible 20 do ANYTHING with
the present force of city work men. which Ia.
lately been reduced, in s paroxysm Of eeoDoe.y
u fourteen. Besides this a heavy fal Of snoyS
Is Of such rare occurrence IN Ills city ths, n,
preparations have been mste TO hsnafs
II. Each property owner should te Compelled
"a clear away the sidewalk III front OF his n-spa.
3ses. but further than this the city Is posertss.
':he snow must lie removed from The roofs of The
city buildings II IL becomes any deeper.
Work at :he schools was seriously in.
terfered with and there was r haIf hoisdaw
in o. the inability of Ina
teachers 10 reach their respective Schools
The teachers at the Fremont, Latona and.
Columbia schools found that the stress
RAILWAYS were not running YESTERDAYS
morning. Gurneys could be obtained to1
,ake them 10 Fremont, but the e0mpany
pnsitEyciy refused u attempt 20 send their
cabs To L.atona or Columbia. Some teach.
srs succeeded in reaching their schools ons
foot hut there were not enough either Of
teachers or pupils 10 warrant the exercises
--x.fr.,aI II. ffe affaTnIa- 3