The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-02
AN EASTERN STORM.
Eight Inches More Of Snow
Makes a Blockade.
CAR LINES HAVE A HARD TIME,
Some OF Them Tied Up-No School To.
day-Storm General Over the
Northwest.

neatly ali day yesterday, until there were
twenty inches Of snow on the level. which has
practically suspended traffic. Nearly all the
stree, car lines were blocked last night and foot
travel is 80 badly impeded that the schools will
have to shut down today. The temperature
rose considerably yesterday, but still it was very
cold for this climate. There Is no possibility OF
the water pipes being gotten in condition for
some time to come and probably half the in
habitan,s Of the city are compelled to melt snow
for their water supply. To add to the hardships
OF the situation, there 10 danger OF q coal
famine, the railroads being so nearly blocked
that IL s with the greatest difficulty they get
sny freight through at all.
Tuesday night the temperature began rising,
ana about IL O'Clock q heavy snow began fall
ing, which continued at Intervals all day
Wednesday. Alpheus Byers' official weather
observations for the twenty-four hours preced-
ing o'clock last showed: Maximum tenn
persture Is. minimum 10, mean 225, snowfall
IS inches. being equal TO IS OF an inch OF ram
fail: wind, north; cloudy weather. This shows
amuch higher temperature than for the preced-
ing Gay, but the heavy snowfall, added TO what
was previously on the ground, made the streets
we'll nigh impossible. BIZ; few teams were on
the streets aside from those engaged hauling
coal. and not many people were moving about
who found II convenient TO sit By warm fire.
The only street car lines running i'll the city
last night were the James street cable, this end
OF the Madison street cable. the Yesier avenue
cable and the electric lines of the Seattle Con-
solicited, with the exception OF the Lake street
line But al the companies were making
preparations last night to open their lines this
morning and expected to be able to get their
cars started at at early hour.
The Yesler avenue line was opened yesterday
morning with Il snowplow which was drawn
behind a dummy. On the pillow were seated
two men with hoes. which they dragged along
just inside the edge of the rails to loosen the
snow for the fange OF the wheels. This was
done e. o'clock, so that by the track was all
ready for the resumption of traffic The Con.
soiidated company kept big piow running all
day and this way managed to keep all OF its
lines open, with the exception OF the Lake
street line. Ii took three cars to push the
plow along and 1t was transferred from
one line to the other In regular order. The COM
psny does not contemplate making any attempt
70 open the Lake strest line until the weather
changes so that its other lines will give no
further trouble. The Lake Washington end OF
the Madison street cab.e line was shut down
owing - the contraction of the yokes SO that
the slot became too narrow for the grip to run
In. The 81 will have 70 be wedged SO as to
spring the yokes back This will delay the
resumption of traffic on that end OF the line for
several hours, but the company expects TO get 1t
open some time today ut the furthest The city
end of the line was kept open with considerable
difficulty yesterday. The Front street cable line
had TO shut down last night on account of the
slot closing in tho same way. but the company
expects to have it open today all right.
On the Grant street electric line snow pillow
was kept running all Tuesday night. bu. it
broke down early yesterday morning, and then
The cars had TO stop running. 1t was being re-
paired last night, ana will be put to work early
this morning, so that the line will be open for
traffic at the regular hour of starting the cars.
The Third street line was shut down, bur big
snow piow was built last night, and will be run
out over the track by means of ten horses this
morning aud the line put in shape for opera
tion The Walla Nalla branch of the trunk
lines WAS opened yesterday, but IL was found
impossible 10 keep IL open without a snow piow,
% one was made last night, and the company
| expects TO have all its lines In operation by
| O'Clock this morning The only line Ii was ope-
| rating last night was the James street cable
| The West street line will be opened this morn
| ing with a big steel plow the company Was
building last night The West Seattle cable
line has been shut down for several days. and
the ferryboat is making very poor time. having
| to use salt water in her boilers, which causes
/ great an oyance in addition TO the delays.
| But We lew of the smaller boats made their
| rsg,lsr trips yesterday There was very little
| tram at best and besides it was blowing a
/ heavy gale out on the Sound. Steamer Quick
i step reported a boom of logs having been seen
Il OF Ali point as she was coming in The boom
was ali broken and the logs were being tossed
about In every direction. The boat had quite a
III time getting through than.
III Capt Collins, of the steamer Utsaady, which
Il Was wrecked on Monday evening near Twelve
II Nile point coming in, was in the city yesterday,
Il and stated that the boat was not completely
wrecked as reported. But her house has been
Knocked off aud she is lying on the beach. She
had on 1000 sacks OF osts, belonging to q
man In Anacortss, and they were all
los. They had not been sold. SO the
consgnor Will be the loser The way
the boat come 70 go ashore was the accumula-
Ton Of ice on her stern coming across from
Kingston. so she had 10 be run on the beach to
asold sinking outside. She grounded in three
iset OF water 50 that all the crew waded ashore,
bat two of the men had their fingers frozen.
They were terribly chilled when they reached
Rouse where they could get warm.
Il Superintendent Barnard said last night that
Tie schools would be closed today, owing TO tbs
hardship on children attending. Besides, the
wafer pipes are frozen Up in many of the school
buildings and there is no water supply.
The following storm dispatch was received by
eApl J. 4. Hatfield yesterday from Signal Officer
fsgue, OF Portland: Hoist northwest storm
ssaal at u O'clock noon; storm of Washington
cast moving southeast The weather forecast
'oF the iwenty-loUr hours from 8 O'Clock last
| hight was: snow. followed by fair; warmer"
III A. = Aherna,hy, who 10 one of the oldest
residents OF the North Pacific coast, SAYS that
| ne has never known but one colder snap than
US present. That the winter OF 1872
III sAen the Columbia river was frozen clear over
of 4 distance % sixty five miles below Portland
4ae sEow was five fset deep.
II Tue total snowfall up 10 last evening was
nearly - inches. Will be seen by the follow
III "g weather summary for the month of Jauu-
III Ky Maximum temperature for the month So,
II - 'ae -f'h minimum, 5, on the 3l>t: mean
II us totsl rainfall and melted SNOW , 81 inches;
II greatest P-ec p;ta;ou IL -ihours o. OF an inch;
4 'ao"tA'.. - inches. clear days, :: fair DAYS 8;
h ooa4Y DAYS. 10; highest wind on the 3o;h, %
II n!ies per boar
H me "a inches snowfall for the u hours pre-
.ce,as , O'Clock last evening was rot included
II u ms above summary This would MAKE the
Il ,ota, -, ,ncae- '--0
II lie ,hoct 81 the severe cold and heavv snow
III q '"e iaSl 'Hehiyiour hours Was shown hv the
nA'Aed decrease Il business transacted in the
SSnF o'nees al tAe courthouse Yesterday
III Like OF no business vas done IN the comfy
nsssurcr's office outside OF r5utI1a yo-k .r,
treasurer Phelps SAID that il vss to- an,
| ess ior this season or the wear tat ha hss
HOWE since ne had been IN the orcs
III The number OF papers s!eA j., - ,,.,
II saditors cf.ice was very small! 50 r.. -,
Aaa Probably decided TO hold the d.c,,rcs,,,s
II V'e' ior day rather thar 10 face tie .astnar
II hsnFy l. Parsons was prevented ~ +h,
Il weather from attending when the c... -.
an Drought by Collins Bros was caI1et =,
sa9re Lang.ey's court, sa3 the case Va, CONT