Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-12-27
TROLLEY ROAD BLOCKED.
Electricity and Sand No match For snow

Electricity and Sand No Match For Snow
and Ice.
The trolley cars experienced their first
serious setback this morning. the motor
men finding it almost impossible to make
any Roadway on the slippery rails and
snow. Sometimes car would stop. all
efforts to proceed resulting in nothing
more than the swift revolution of the
wheels, the car remaining at a standstili
Quite n good many pesple. who were in a
hurry passing to or from their work. found
it necessary to alight and continue their
way on foot. The snow while only five
or six inches deep seemed to cut off all
contact between the wheels and the rails
and electricity blazed and sparkled In the
snow drifts with every revolution of the
wheels.
The company's men worked like beavers
removing the obstruction, but the high
wind which prevailed until about 10
o'clock rendered their efforts almost use
less. The cars seemed to work better
when hitched up in pairs and on one occa-
| sion five OF them came into Exchange
place coupled together, which caused some
joker to remark that there must be an ex-
cursion from Naugatuck to Waterbury. 1t
would be difficult to tell on which line the
cars met with the most delay. The line
from center square to Smith & Griggs was
in bad shape; from this point to Manga
tuck travel was much easier. The schedule
was all knocked in the head and the cars
came in and went out regardless of sched-
ule time.
About 9 o'clock this morning a car was
N liking every possible effort to pull itself
past the junction of South Main and
Grand streets, and its slow progress
caused an employee OF the Traction COM
! pany to remark that he thought Mayor
kllduff could not ask for n lower rate OF
speed than that. If the company cannot
find some way of removing the difficulty
experienced this morning, the t:olley cars
will not be of much service to the public
! during the snow storms that may occur
from time to time between now and next
March. The cars were running fairly well
| by noon
A representative of the Trolley CON-
pany was asked this afternoon what was
the cause of all this trouble. He laughed
when asked if il was due to insufficient
power. The whole trouble" he said, ''Is
due to the resolution passed at the last
meeting of the court of common council
fOrbiddIng the company to use salt on the
rails in time of such a storm as this" He
thought it was a matter of pleasing a few
men and mountaineering the public. The
resolution referred to was signed by a
number of prominent horsemen and was
referred to the mayor
4 reporter called on the mayor
and asked him if he had taken any action
in reference to this petition. He said he
had not II haven't given any permission
to sprinkle salt on the Streets he said
and no one has asked me for such
permission" 1t seems to be the
general opinion of the employees
of the Traction company that
unless the company is allowed to use sal,
during snowstorms. the usefulness OF
the trolley cars will be seriously impaired
during the winter season. and the owners
of horses claim that il the business oil
| sprInbling salt on the streets is not dis
continued there will be serious complica-
tions between the liverymen and the city.
The telephone and telegraph wires came
of safe. the dry weather preceding the
storm saving the wires from holding
/ enough OF the snow to cause any damage.
At the railroad stations the trains were
late from fifteen to twenty minutes each.
upsetting the arrangements of quite a good
many people who hung around the station
and found fault with everybody. Nearly
every other man on the street had a shovel
in his hand and Street Inspector Kelley
men were hard at work K, eping the cross
walks free OF the drifting snow.
The storm was "A mild form of blIZZ ard
1t came from the southwest and its center
this morning was two hundred miles south
OF Connecticut. The New Haven weather
officials promise nothing better before to-
night. 4 severe cold wave will be felt il
this city Friday. attended by fair weather.