Evening journal., 1893-02-06
SNOW, SLEET, STORM.
A Miserable Day for Walking
and Business.
TREAoHERoUs, CLASSY SIDEWALKS

Pedestrians Compelled to Use the Mid
die Of the Streets al Day-EIectris
Cars Roll Along Merriiy and do q
Thriving Business-TeIegraph Wires
Disabled.
The cold wave dlssipated itself today
into z snow storm followed by hail and
rain aud the elements ragged until shop
! ping and pedestrianism has interrupted
and eventually stopped, except in cases
where shoppers did not object to rsking
life and limb In fact it turned out,
about o'clock, to be the worst day Of
the season
About an inch Of glass.like sleet COW
cred the sidewalks and, where sawdust
or ashes were not used. II became impos-
sible TO walk even from front door to
the street The only safe way was to
crawl. although some pedestrians man
aged to reach the street by cropping as
though they were in pitch darkness. 1t
was indeed amusing to see the persons
who had business out Of doors cropping
about as though ready to spring up again
as soon as the sidewalks Jumped up"
to hit them which was of frequent occur
renee.
Cropping About as In Darkness.
BY holding themselves In constant
readiness for fall Of this kind the
shock was not half so great as IL would
be when their feet would suddenly start
on an upward journey while they were
thinking about curtailing expenses for
the ensuing month. One farmer labored
in vain on a slanting pavement near the
EVENING JOURNAL Office for fully two
minutes, making his way toward a store
door, but took one step forward and then
slid to PAGES backward Another man,
more advanced In years, attempted to
walk slowly on the east side of Shpley
street pavement. He fell Before he
could get back into the street be had
fallen four times and the fourth time he
lay PROSTATE on the pavement as If badly
hurt He was lifted TO his feet and then
carried to the street by two younger and
surer footed men.
Electric Railway business Booms.
Il was a red letter day for the electric
cars. They rolled merrily along as II
the day was nothing unusual, though
they were crowded nearly all day. In
fact this was the only means of sue
cessful travel all day and the passengers
people who did not hesitate to squander
I 3 cents, looked out upon the slipping
D and sliding walkers and laughed at the
D unusual activity Of their feet
One thing remarkable was the effect
produced by the trolley wheels contract
with the trolley wire. The wire, be-
tween cars, would become coated with
sleet. Then the trolley wheel would
. roll up. flashing like lighting and oc
= casionally producing a lasting light
{ which seemed TO have the full candle
u power Of three arc lights. The flashes
e made the wire fairly sizzle and the
i melted sleet ran from the wheel in
B small shower, making it appear
/ as though the glare was melting the
. wire. The flashes and brilliant lights
r not only terrified 81 irited horses all ovel
% the city but frightened many pedes
!, triaus who recalled so much about the
8 fatal live wire. Several horses, fright
ened by the flashing aud sizzling, started
to run away on Market street. but werI
caught by passers by.
r Faint Sounds From Car Gongs.
, Patrons Of the West Fourth stree
Z branch Of the Wilmington City Railwa.
Y chose walking in preference to riding
I up the hill between West and Tatnal
streets this morning. The feeling
huiNUk lhtm WIS luhN Nut cur coulu no
D. reach the top Of the hill on account o.
!, the sleet. The gongs on the electri'
cars are covered with sleet and only
y faint sound was heard from them The
u sharp, ringing sounds we're entirely
I. missing Pedestrians throughout the
% city took the middle of the streets.
Trouble with Telegraph Wires.
J, The telegraph companies are having
q considerable tro1ble on account of tn
sleet II forms on the wires and thl
force Of the wind break them. Dispatche
from all parts of the country are thu
delayed.
y Notes OF Storm and sleet.
Paul Jordan, boatswain of the stean
p yacht Almy slipped on the ice at th
n Harlan and Holllngsworth compan ys
u yards and sprained his right ankle
n The employees Of the boat yard of th'
I. Harlan and Hollingsworth Compan,
Y we're unable to 60 to work this mornin
,. | on account of the ice and sleet