New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-14
TOUCH OF ARCTIC WEATHER.

Every metropolitan journal TINS week mas
had chapters of Arctic literature. New York
IIarbor has been another Smith Sound block
odod with grinding foes and walled III by what
cxplorers might describe rs unbrokcn iields OF
,onn, icc. Sergeant Dunn, looking out from
hi, oogno of vantage toward staten Island
might easily have imagined himself to he ser
rcant Brainard at Cape sabine surveying the
imnassabe ccbound ford separating otarya-
tion Camp from the provision caches OF Little
ION Island. Or if he had watched the London
steamship Massachusetts, drifting from her an
chorage and struggling hclplcssly in the ice,
the strange spectacle might have suggested
comparison with the Jeanette nlpped by inc
foes off Wrangell Island and entering upon
her long northwcsterly cruise. Ferry passen-
gers who left st. George carly in the morning
and did not land at the Battery until the
afternoon had ample leisure for tracing a re-
somblance between the snow-hooded and Ice
nauopled Liberty and the tabled Queen OF the
North whose mystic spell has drawn many
daring soul into the abySmal Polar night.
But probably not one Of them, after being
wearicd and harassed by his unwonted winter
experience. was able to appreciate the potency
Of the fascination which Arctic adventure exer-
ciscs over those entering the Ice Queens realm
There is far moro prose than poetry In snow
bound New-York. Such week as that now
ending serves to demonstrate tho helpless
ness Of a great city when confronted with the
conditions of an old fashioned winter. Com
mcrce has been paralyzcd by the ice blockade
in the harbor. Not only have mail and rail-
way trains been delayed and the ferry lines
81, ut oil Iilf
even great steamships have been unable 10
reach the open sea, and craft OF all kinds nave
been frozen in the bay and river Ice. IL is
estimated that fully $50 of the 500 towboatS
in constant service in the harbor have been
disabled by injuries received in battling with
the foes The transportation OF coal, lumber,
Grain. provisions. and merchandise Of all kinds
la, been practically suspended on the North
River. The Long Island oyster trade has been
temporarily broken up, the fish markets nave
been nearly empted and the meat and milk
supply has been heavily reduced. Indeed the
sum Of the Inconvenience and hardship caused
by this unusual burst Of Arctic weather already
aunroximatos the disastrous results of the great
March blizzard
II is only in a time like this that the de-
IL
unimpeded transit facilities for supplies OF food
and fuel is fully appreciated by the public.
New. York practically lives from hand to mouth
and has to be fed and warmed from day to
day. The pulse of the town can be felt III
the market. and there arc now unerring lndi-
cations of low diet and imperfect circulation.
Moreover. the health of the city depends upon
the orderly exercise of various municipal func-
lions by which it is kept in wholesome san
itary condition. The streets cannot DO prop
orly cleaned in such weather as has prevailed
this week. With the garbage fleet icebound
and cut off from approach to the dumping
grounds the city refuse is accumuating at the
rate of 5000 loads day, and there is no
practicable method of getting rid Of it. In
these and many other ways the powerlcssneSs
Of New-YoIlx to withstand prolonged siege
of Arctic weather has been already demon
srated. During recent years discomfort has
prevailed because the winters have been mid
and Open and many thoughtless people havo
formed tho habit Of incessant complaint over
the deterioration of the climate. The old
fashioned winter, now that it has been repro
duced in earnest, is shown 70 be about the last
thing that New York wants. II was eXhllarat-
ing in the Knickerbocler period, but it is in
tnlarlhle noW