The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-14
OUR OWN FRIGID ZONE.
THE NORTH KING HAS LAID HIS ICY
FINGERS ON THIS SOUTHLAND
And the Sunny Cline Of Yore is Now Only
aMemory-Consoled by the Excellent
sieighing-The Frozen River.

| Is an aesthetic memory, now laid away
with bicycles. hammocks, palm leaf fans
ard summer clothes. The king of the
frigid zone having made up his mind to
extend his dominion laid his Icy fingers
upon our fair Southland and with the
grip of Arctic greed swept us into his snow
bound territory.
With touch OF steel he has turned our
limpid streams into beds of crystal, and
wrapped the fairtst lands In winding
sheet of white, so close that none need
resist. All bow In humble submission to
the power OF his icelsndic majesty and
cry with cringing enthusiasm. all hail the
| frost king.
1t is indeed a rare experience for those
who ere wont to thick 81 themselves as
habtats Of a temperate cline to shiyer
and freez through three weeks Of Nova
Scotia weather. In point OF continuity
the present spell breaks all records, and
| the farther IL goes the worse II gets.
| Commencing with Christmas morn the
me; curry shrunk TO small proportions, and
| has continuously kept below the freezing
| point. There have been bright days wnen
| the sun thawed the ground, but in the
shade a frigid scale has been maintained.
| No such ice harvest has been made In
many years, and the people have settled
down TO the idea that Nc are to have
| hard winter.
The heavy fall Of snow which came
| Thursday morning like a stray blizzard,
maintains its crystal form and except
where removed bodily. remains TO cumber
| the th0roughfares snd block the traffic
of the city.
Sleighing reached the point Of ifs high
est development yesterday afternoon. and
Franklin, Grace, Main and Broad streets
were an almost continuous procession Of
flashing cutters and high stepping steeds.
II is safe to say that every sleigh IN
Richmond fit to do duty was in use yes
tefday afternoon. and such sport was
never before enjoyed in Richmond.
There were no accidents or unfortunate
mishaps to mar the fun. but the incorri-
gible. untiring, irrepressible small boy
was out in all his demonac mischief, low
ing nature and emboldened at his own sue
cess with snow balls took dsagreeable
liberties with the sleighing parties, and
peted men ana maidens without discrini-
nation, making n drive along the thor
oughfares a series of bombardments until
the outraged spirit was forced TO cry out,
Where are the Iolice?" One yCunS man
got even. Having run the gauntlet once,
he visited a grocery store and filled his
oyercOat pockets with eggs and returned
to the track When the boys opened fire
he responded with an egg. 1t went fairly
home end he was safe from further as
sault, though opportunity was given.
The boys have had full liberty and en-
joyed the snow only boys can. but
when they become hoodlums and forget
the rights of others, police supervision
would be the thing.
Coasting is splendid and worn out tracks
are soon renewed from the plentiful store
that bank the streets. Gentlemen who
pay fifteen cents In the morning TO h3yo
their sidewalks cleaned, as all good c.
zens should, even without the fear
Justice John in their minds, return at
down to find a first-Class tob0ggan
on the self same bricks. Per for lie
becomes philosopher and smiles a a let
smile. and is heard to say, l was ono
boy myself
Snow was never whittier or more Pc ect.
Every particle is an Independent G. ystal.
and it has come to stay until SOME more
potent power than a winters sun attacks
its vast proportions.
The river Is yet an unbroken waste of
white, and there is little chance OF navi-
cation being resumed for some days to
come. The Old Dominion and Clyde line
steamers are seeking port at West Point
and the Ariel is occupying a sheltered
mock at Claremont. Freight from the
steamships is being forwarded here from
West Point. and except to the people
along the river who depend largely on
the boats for their supplies, little incon-
Yenience is felt.
The merchants here complain, however.
that the mills and manufactures all
through the country are stopped and
much trade thus lest.
The only interruption of n manufac-
tory here by the ice was In the case
If fpla, ND mar
got their machinery clear and running
in good order yesterday for the first
time for a week.
The street-car service was excellent
yesterday, and the manner in which all
the lines have battled with adverse con-
ditions have met with public common
daton.
The trains were running more regularly
yesterday, but there were several txn-
tious delays 10 the mails. on both the
Western and Northern lines The delays,
however, are mostly due to the difi-
culties with connecting roads.
Business in all lines has been largely
curtailed by the general blockade. and
the city markets especially, show the eff
fleets Of the cold weather All sorts Of
market supplies are scarce and going
upward In price.
oysters are getting scarcer, and those
which sold al 81 per gallon are now
quoted at $l.25. and up to g. Fish very
scarce and the supply very ordinary.
R0ckhsh are retailing at . cents per
pound. and the few pan fish on hand are
sold at from 40 10 80 cents per bunch.
Mallard ducks. Of which few were
fered, sold at $1A per pair.
Dressed turkeys were held at 10 cents
per pound. Rabbits plentiful at j. cents
apiece. Chickens, live and dressed, from
% cents M according TO size.
Vegetables are getting scarce. Cab
bage are worth Il cents per head. and
Irish potatoes 90 cents per half peck.
Celery scarce at 50 cents per bunch. The
stock OF vegetables was small and indif-
ferent.
Beef and lamb have not advanced, but
pork is up to - cents for choice, and
pork sausage is Il cents per pound.
Lard which was quoted last Friday at
u IL cents per pound, sold yesterday for
Ii cents.
The best butter is still selling at 30
cents, although 40 cents is charged In
many OF the stores. and some grades are
held at IS cents
Eggs are scarce and stiff at IS cents per |
dozen. This is about as high as they |
have ever been in Richmond |
Yesterday was one Of the coolest days |
OF the season, and not even in the sun |
was there any perceptible signs OF thaw. |
The temperature went down rapidly at |
shutdown, and at midnight the thermom- |
eter at The Times ocefh REGISTERED 10 |