The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-12-06
LIKE A LION,''
Comes In the Maine Winter
Season.
AN OLD FASHIONED SNOW STORM
FOR A STARTER.

Stand-The Storm i'll Portland and Other
Piaces-Lots of Wind and Snow-More of
1t Promised To day.
Yesterday morning the first real storm
of the season of 1856 started in and up
to the time of the present writing is still
with us. 1t found the Portland & Cape
Elizabeth electric road not at all ready,
and that not in any degree the fault of
the company. Ice and snow followed
mud and "slush" so closely that there
was no time to put the track into condi-
tion. The mud had been so deep that the
constant line of teams had deposited it
from fourth of IN inch to an inch over
the track, and when the cold weather so
suddenly set in this mud became solid
and the road was equipped with very un-s
certain rails. Then the snow, probably
about four inches on the level was made
the sport and plaything of the wind
and it was piled high up over the tracks,
making the work of running the cars a
matter of difficulty and that difficulty
increased with the coming of night. The
snow plow of the company when set
up failed to work, sand as a result of the
combination of unpleasant circumstances
there was no end to excitement all day
and especially in the evening. For exam
pie one car went off the rail six times
near Pleasantdale, and last evening two
cars tried in vain to reach Exchange
street. They got within few rods,
but were compelled to halt, and then to
run back to Knightville. All thesesdiffic-
ulties in the way of rapid transit will
with q good plow and other appliances
there will bessno further trouble.
In this city and on the Deering and
Westbrook route the electrics worked
much better than had been expected and
Mr.. Newman expressed his qualification
with the way his line went through the
storm. He was especially well pleased
with the snow plow which did it's work
perfectly.
Along the line of the Grand Trunk the
storm was not heavy and there was but
very little wind, and all trains were on
time and no specials were cancelled. All
trains to Portland over both branches of
the Boston & Maine and the Maine Cen
tral, including the Mounatin division
were on time up to O'Clock, but the
Pullmans in both directions were from 90
to 80 minutes late
In this city the storm was obstructive
to business and pleasure. Few people
were out and they had to fight their way
along the streets. 1t was dull day in
all respects and it is pleasant to think
that there will be very few worse days
this winter. The wind seemed to take
malicious pleasure in meeting the pedes-
trian in the most unexpected places, and
while old sailors said it was an off shore
wind, the average citizen who tried to go
hom after business hours though it blew
from all points Of the compass, and that
conviction deepened when he tried to
carry bundle or two home.
Elsehwhere will be found description
of the day on the waiter front, and of
how the storm kept people from going
to hear Mrs. Booth, and SO there is but
little more to say here than this, that
as an opening of the winter season, it
was a pronounced success, clustering,
blowing, snowdying. hat-removing,
track-covering, eye-flling success. Win
ter has come in like lion.