Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-02-23
SWEPT BY A BLIZZARD.
TT RACED FROM NEW YORK
TO OMAHA.
Came Out of the Southwest With q
Front of n Thousand Miles it
Rushed Across the Country Sea
ward-Snow, Sleet and High Old
Winds

ward-Snow, Sleet and High Old
Winds.
A blizzard nearly five times creator in its
area than the historic storm of March, 1888,
swept up from the Southwest and ragged with
great severity throughout the Northern,
Eastern and Western States. Its front WAS
thousand miles wide. From Virginia
southwark the country was wet from Nir.
ginia northward 1t was white.
New York escaped anything like the sever.
ity of 1898 but the snowfall was easily tho
greatest of the season. and tn" snow and
moderate wind of early afternoon became
hail and wind of cvclOnic force at midnight
The storm area was a vast irregular pear
its southern edge resting upon Florida, ITS
northern boundary at EtstPort. Me. reach
ing Davenport. Iowa. to the westward and
falling far of the Long Island coast TO tho
eastward. The main storm passed on 10 tho
eastward of the Delaware Capes and centred
beyond them.
A new storm centre was then formed in the
rear of the first disturbance, its centre being
between Cleveland, Ohio and Detroit, Mich,
with an unusual snowfall in all the country
thereabOuts.
In New York City it clocged up the street
railways, and it was with much difficulty
that the cars could be dragged over the hid
den rails. The surface cars went by in tow
of four horses, and the cable lines were
taxed to their utmost capacity. The section
of the Third avenue cable road from sixth
street TO the pOstoffice was whore
the effects of tho storm were
most felt. The wagons all the way down
the avenue delayed the ears at intervals, and
many of the passengers, becoming disgusted
with the long waits at every few blocks, got
out and walked From Gcand street 10 the
CITY Hall the elevated railroad tracks formed
a sort of dark tunnel, and to prevent acri-
dents guards with red lanterns were sta
toned along the track to warn the Eripmcn
when anything was in the WAY.
Traffic of all kinds was impeded and the
inconvenience to pedestrians was 80 great
that none but those who were compelled to
yentured on the streets. Railroad traffic was
demoralized. All tho trains were behind
time and tho mails from the South and
West, where the storm got in Its
fine work, were greatly delayed.
Great difficulty was experienced IN
getting in telegraph messages from the
South and West. The storm played havoc
with the trolley cars in Brooklyn, Jersey
CITY, Newark and the suburbs. Those in
Long Island City were almost completely
stopped Those who returned to Long
Island CITY after the theaters let out had to
walk home. The snow pIows in use made
little headway against the storm.
On the Long Island and New Jersey shores
the storm had a free sweep. The sea ere
ated by the wind dashed htGh upon lhe
beaches and did considerable damage.
All along the shore Of Lake ErIe the storm
ragged with great fury, and. tho heavy OF
shore wind in driving the water with tre-
mendOus force up the lake. caused the cut
ting off of the entire water supply from the
city of Dunkirk, n. Y. One could walk out
drv shod to the nearest crib, which is six
hundred feet from shore to shore, and at the
outer crib. fifteen hun lred feet from shore,
tho usual depth of nino feet of water was
reduced to three feet, leaving the intake
pipe above water.
Reports from along the Hudson River near
Kingston say that largo forces OF men were
put to work storing the ice crop, but that
owing to the severity of tn" storm work had
to be suspended.
The blizzard was the worst which ever
struck Chicago. ILL.,, so far as the weather
Bureau records show Tor tWenty-three
wears. Street traffic was greatly impednd,
and walking was accompanied with great
danger to life and limb. Many persons were
injured by being blown to the ground against
walls and street posts by tn" wind. Inc
velocity was eighty miles an hour. AT
the corners where ''sky Scrapers are
built. especially the Monadnock and Annex
block. dozens of women were lifted on their
feet and blown to the ground or else pushed
across the street until they came IN violent
contact with walls, posts and other ohsiruc-
tfons. The driving snow made signals on
railroad tracks practically useless and caused
a collision between two freight trains on the
Lake Shore tracks near ScVentY-nlnth street
and Stony Island avenue about noon.
The worst snow storm in years ragged all
over Kansas and Missouri, and not a single
train in the two States was on time. The
snow averaged from Il foot TO two 1eet on
the level High winds accompanied 1t and
at some points in cuts it is twenty or thirty
feet deep. At many places the schools were
closed In towns with street railways the
service was parayzed. This was particularly
true of Kansas City, Leavenworth, topeka
and Fort Scott The snow was dry and the
telegraph service was not injured.
Nebraska was snOw5Ound i'll the strictest
sense of the word. For twentyfOur hours
terrific blizzard prevailed throughout the
State pilng the snow III enormous drifts.
With few exceptions Omaha traffic Of every
description was suspended. Trains in every
direction were abandoned. Reports from the
interior show stock i'll good condition, and
farmers are pleased with the immense snow
fall as it assures fine winter wheat crop.
Adyices from the interior Of Wisconsin are
70 the effect that the storm ragged everywhere
and that railway travel was considerably i'm
peded.
A high wind-stOrm passed through Central
and Southwestern Kentucky. Reports OF
damage are received from many interior
points.
The storm ragged violently all over Ohio.
In a binding snOwStOrTn. Whlch raSed
all the morning freight train No. 40, west
bound and eaSC bound light freight No. %
on the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad
came into collision two miles west Of Belle
vue. Ohio Both engines and several freight
cars were smashed and pilee up in confusion.
Both engineers, a fireman and brakeman
were killed.