Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-28
SEVERE SNOW STORM
THE FLAKES FALL STEADILY
THROUGHOUT ENTIRE DAY.
EXTENDS OYER The WHOLE COUNTRY
A Depth OF Nearly Three Inches
Reached Here-Car-Lines Work to
Keep Their Trucks Open-SIeighs
Are Brought Out.

The cold wave which swept over this
city and vicinity on Monday abated
somewhat Tuesday night, but only to be
followed by severe snow-storm. which
came upon us early yesterday morning,
and ragged throughout the day and until
late last night.
The storm, which came from the south,
and was anticipated by the weather
prognosticators, made it's appearance
off the coast of Florida Tuesday, and
struck Richmond about daybreak yes
terday morning, bringing untold suffer-
ing TO the many unsheltered poor within
our midst, and knocking into cooked
skaters had been indulgng in.
The ground was frozen hard, and was
in a perfect condition to receive the
heavy flakes. which began TO fall about
$40 o'clock. Faster and more furious
came the feecy element until within n
very short time the bosom of Mother
Earth had been enveloped In a covering
of purest white Still the flakes came
down. and the snow on the ground and
on the housetops accumulated until,
when at midnight the storm began to
abate, they were covered TO a depth OF
two and a half inches.
HARD ON THE HORSES.
Naturally the snow on the streets was
trampled underfOOt by the army OF pc
destrans. who began to make their ad-
vent about A. NJ, and walking was
thereby rendered better, the frozen flakes
being packed tight on the sidewalks. In
the streets, however. this was not the
case, and the horses attached to heavily
laden vehicles Jared badly Any quantity
Of them fell on the slippery hiilsides, but
no serious accidents were reported.
With commendable energy the street.
car companies went TO work early in the
day, with their snow-plows clearing their
tracks, and so diligently did they labor
that at no time during the storm was
the movement of their cars very seriously
interfered with.
AS this was the first deep snow of the
winter I'm this city, and as SHOWS don I
usually lie on the ground long i'm Rich
mOnd. those people who own sleighs, or
who love the sport lost no time in bring
ing the vehicles from their stables. and
soon Franklin and the other residential
streets, and the better roads around the
city were alive with merry parties. who
were skimming over the frozen ground,
their merry peals of laughter according
most harmonlously with the jingling of
the sleigh-bells
riencing, though, did not accord with the
poverty that existed in many portions OF
the city, and while they made merry
over the snow. hundreds. even thousands,
of suffering poor crOuched around small
fires or sat with no fire at all, shivering
and praying for succOr from their dis
tress.
THE STORM is GENERAL.
The storm appears to be general
throughout the North and West, and
throughout some portions of the South.
but, so far as can be learned. il has not
interfered with railroad traffic or the
| telegraph service. All the roads center
| ing in Richmond report their lines open,
| and none of their trains are delayed by
| the storm. In the North and West the
| fall of snow was about the same as in
Richmond, and as far South as the North
| Carolina line there seems 70 be no ma
/ teriai difference In the depth. Along the
| lire of the Southern railway snow Is in
| evidence as far South as Atlanta, but on
| the Coast Line there is none south OF
| North Carolina. and in that State 1t only
| lies in patches.
RAIN MAY BE EXPECTED.
| 1t is not at all likely that the snow
| will lie on the ground long. Mr.. Edward
| Evans. of the local Weather Bureau, said
yesterday that 1t was probable that rain
| would follow the snow.
THAT cold spell that was in the North
| west a few days since Is acting pc
culiarly" said Mr.. Evans. "It has work
| ed its way down into Texas, and there
| Is very cold weather there. ! think that
| that chilly spell is waiting for this one TO
pass off. and will follow it to again lower
| the temperature"