Evening journal., 1893-01-23
OTHER BLEAK WINTERS
When the Mercury Dropped
Below the Zero Mark.
GROUND WAS FROZEN 8 FEET DOWN.

Closed for over Two Months and There
Was Shedding, sIeighing and Ox-Roast-
ing on the Ioe-Fruit Crop Destroyed
by Hail.
A. G. Brinton, one of the Court House
attaches, who has been making researches
for historical purposes, has CLEANED the
following facts concerning previous hard
winters:
De vries' ship was frozen up in Win
gerts kill. down the Delaware river,
between 3si and 80 degrees north lati-
tude, from January II to February 3,
1G33
Governor Prentz says in his account,
at Tinicum, that, In 1914, the weather Is
as cold here as it is in the north Of
Sweden
In 1867 the ice formed so thick on the
Delaware in one night that deer could
cross over near Tinicum, which condition
the Oldest Indian had never seen or
heard Of before
On January IA, 1860, BeelSman said
owe are blockaded with ice IL broke
up on February g. He also writes on
December If, 1851, "the river froze over
In one night" The winter of 1882 was
more mild.
In the winter Of 1897 it was very cold
and the Delaware and Christiana were
nearly frozen solid, Persons could with
safety cross anywhere. In 1888. 1857,
1881, 1897 and 1904 the weather was ex
tremely cold.
In the winter Of 1904 it was very cold
aud over three feet Of snow fell. It lay
on the ground so long that deer and
birds froze TO death in great numbers
because they could not get food.
In the winter Of 1879 the snow fell to
a depth of over three feet. The crust
was so hard that II bore sleighs and
horses. The Delaware was frozen over
all winter and up TO March 10. People
in the country had TO live. In some
cases, on deer and birds, which had
frozen or starved TO death. Many cows,
horses and other animals perished.
On March n, 1860, occurred the great
est fall OF snow known since the first
settlement. In sheltered places, where
no wind caused drifts, 1t was seven feet
deep.
Mason & Dixon were surveying the line
between Pennsylvania. Maryland and
Delaware. There was a dephth Of over
three feet. The first part of the month
was 30 damp and hazy that for eight
days It was impossible to see the North
star
In f77O the river was closed by ice on
December IS, and remained closed until
/, January Is, mi.
In f779-sO the winter was terrible.
The Delaware was closed for over two
/ months and shedding, sleighing and OK.
T. roasting were the pleasures The ground
9 in the naighborhood of Philadelphia was
70 | frogon IA IA denth of five feet
The latter part of the winter of 1917
was so cold that It extended TO the Gulf
= States.
9 On February 1e, 1910 the thermometer
registered degrees below zero.
1916 Is known as the year without
y summer. Frost and snow were common
, In all the months of the year. June was
the coldest ever known for the same
season in this latitude.
= In that month ten inches of snow fell
= in Vermont and seven inches in Maine.
Z New York had three inches. The crops
: did not mature and corn was so scarce
4 in Chester county, Pa, that 1t brought
81 bushel
e The fruit crop was destroyed by hail
= In 1924. The hail was accompanied by
I, heavy winds.
n n On January TO- 1927, the Delaware
n was frozen over at Chester.
y On January 10, 1881, there was one OF
u the most severe snow storms ever known
81 here. The roads we're completely
blocked. The buildings Of Fort Della
ware were burned and the people on the
I, island suffered very much as communi
- cation with the mainland was cut OIL
- In 1884 the Delaware closed. People
~ drove on theice from Chester 10 the Navy
~ Yard, Philadelphia, in two-hors'
sleigh.
"a May 7, 1916, snow fell for two days
OF Roaas were blocked, the p, w. & b
u trains were stopped for two days anC
Wilmington had no mail service during
that time
The year 1888 was remarkable for
Is drought, lasting from July to October
ar and the ravages Of grasshoppers.
In March, 1856, people went on the Ice
" from Marcus Hook to the Jersey shore
As On November lS, 1888, a three day snow
y storm began. over twenty inches fel
D. and there was sleighing for six weeks OF
is a stretch. A sudden thaw washed ava.
n many bridges.
e On March 8, 1853, the Brandywin
froze over in one night. The ice was 8
ho strong that people could walk over Bar
e. ley mill dam.
ne Twas Once Ten Degrees Below.
Sa On Sunday, January z 1866. cold wav
set in and drove the mercury to /
degrees below zero.
On March 20-21, 1868, violent sno'
storm; twenty-five inches on the leve
ne and roads blocked by drifts.
The winter of 1915 was remarkabl
er because the Delaware was frozen over s
it. hard that people could walk on the IL
at frcm Chester TO New Jersey.
ny The winter of 1880 was called the cold
de est since 1856, The average thickness Q
ice was six inches, while the averag
be snowfall was twelve inches.
yn terrible blizzard ragged on March Il
1888. Railroads were blocked, telegraph
communication was cut of, and the te
rible wrecks at the Breakwater occurred
'ed On March q, 2S 1891, about thrt
he feet of snow fell in upper ends
ad Brandywine and Christians hundred.
lde In 1852 the ice on the Susquehann
Der was so thick that Ithe ferry barge W,
10 stopped and rails were laid on the /,
Jr and continued until February "a. o