New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-17
SEVEN INCHES OF SNOW.
FIERCE STORM SWEEPS OVER THE
CITY AND HARBOR
STEAMERS. FERRIES AND TRAINS DELAYED AND
TRAVEL. ABOUT THE CITY MADE DIFFICULT
HUNDREDS OF CARTS AND MEN
PIT TO WCRK-CLEARER
WEATHER PROMISED
r-,D To.p.y


WEATHER PROMISED
FOR TO-DAY
Raal winter wea ther came yesterday with a
snowstorm large enough to insure a white
Christmas and with a hurricane that recalled to
the minds Of many New-Yorllers the dangerous
blizzard of March, 1SSS. The wind had freshened
to a gale on Tuesday evening. and it continued
TO increase in violence in the night In the early
hours Of yesterday morning people were aroused
by the slamming Of window shutters and the
beating of the snow and sleet against the WINDOW
ranes. At laybreak the city was covered WIN
white mantle and the was sitting down
rapidly in the hurricane.
All the forenoon the snowfall continued with
out abatement while the force of the wind di-
mnshed so slowly that few persons felt the
change While the storm not accompanied
by the intense cold that prevailed at the time Oh
the great blizzard. the thermometer marked the
temperature below the freezing point People
who went out into the storm protected them
selves with their warmest wraps. Men donheu
their heaviest ulsters put arctic" overshoes
and wrapped comforters about their necks ana
ears before they left their homes
Although there were many stay-at-homes. the
travel in the city was heavy, particularly on the
cars were drawn by four-horse teams and went
slower than usual. Snow-ploughs and sweepers
went over the car-;racks at frequent intervals
Sidewalks and crossings were covered with snow
Few people were able to use umbrellas to pro-
tect their faces In the storm. Hats were blown
from the heads Of the wearers unless they we're
held on tightly Everywhere men and women
were seen staggering under the l,.ce or the
wind. and many fen the slippery walks.
Travel between New-York and Brooklyn by
way Of the Bridge was slower and more exasper-
atinc than usual because the electrical motive
power had given out on Tuesday evening and
the trains had to be pilotei by locomotives yes
terday morning. Few persons were courageous
enough to try walking across the Bridge In the
hurricane
Up in the lofty Weather Bureau Mr. Dunn
was able to predict a cessation OF the snowstorm
before the end OF the day and give prediction
FOR fair weather to-day He said the storm was
more dangerous on the ocean than on land. IL
started on Monday morning In the lower Missls-
sippi Valley and was central on Tuesday over
North Carolina The centre OF the storm passed
to the east Of this city early yesterday morning
and the wind hero shifted from the northeast to
the northwest at u n m. blowing toward the
storm centre Al ) a. m. the greatest velocity OF
the rate Of nfty-four miles an hour a regular
hurricane rate Mr.. Dunn said that out on the
ocean tho wind probably was blowing at the rate
Of sixty miles an hour. 1t blowing at the
rate OF from thrty-slx to forty-three miles an
hour IN this city during the day. and gradually
decreasing in force. Mr.. Dunn said that the
force Of the wind would continue to decrease In
the night.
WHEN THE SNOWFALL CEASED.
The actual snowfall ceased in the city at 3:3o
r. m although much snow continued to he
blown from the housetops. At 3:3o p. m. seven
inches of snow had fallen. The temperature In
the city had ranged from 20 degrees in the morn
ing TO % degrees in the afternoon. 1T will be
fair Tomorrow" Mr. Dunn said. "and IT will be
warmer by Friday. There is a promise of plenty
Of slush in the streets unless the snow can be
removed before the end of the week.
Considcra bic delay I'm the delivery of the mails
In the city was caused 10y the storm. Postmaster
DAYTON said I'm the afternoon that the most Inn
2ortant delay carly In the day was on the Erie
Railroad the mall trains on that road being de-
laycd several hours There was also delay In
th. mail coming over the New York Central in
the forenoon. and later In the day the mail
trains on all the lines were delayed In the city
,b. mail wagons we're not able to make trips be-
tween the General Postofce and the branch
stations on time and more delay in the distri-
button of the mails In the city was caused by
the blocking II the delivery wagons.
The telegraph and telephone companies re-
portcd that their lines were not much affected
by the storm and that communications were not
broken.
The incoming trains on the New-York Central
Railroad. and the roads running out through
,l...r 81
Station all brought in reports of rough weather
out In the country. The trains. as they crept
into the station. looked much like great snow
mountains themselves.
no accidents were reported The engineers
said they had to slow up at times. owing to
the difficulty in seeing signals through the blur
of snow but that the delay not of great
length.
The snowstorm was one or the most severe
thot have occurred since Colonel Warng be-
came Commissioner OF Street Cleaning, and he
said Yesterday that there would be trouble in
removing the fall from the streets. because the
storm had at the beginning of winter and
there was little hope for Il thaw. Employees Of
the street Cleaning Department could do little
effective work while the storm was In progress.
but the men In white uniforms were busy nearly
all dav trying 10 keep the crossings In n passabe
condition.
CLEANING THE STREETS.
G r. Furman the contractor who Is to re-
move th. SNOW from the streets this winter and
get ~ cents a cubic yard for the work. had
number OF carts on duty before noon. In the
afternoon he was making preparations TO set
1000 men AT work In the evening and he said
The. men would be kept at their shovels and
hrooms all night sweeping and png the snow
into heaps and putting snow into carts.
1t was being carted away from lower Broad
way and from Park Row. Fulton. Barclay. Cort-
landt. Liberty and Wall sts.' rapidly last night.
and there were large squads Of men busy heap
ing ND the snow In the Bowery and In a number
~ the streets uptown. The weather had moder
otcd so as to make the work comfortable for the