New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-29
PRICE THREE CENTS
UNDER A BLANK ETOF WHITE
IN TWELVE HOURS ABOUT TEN INCHES
OF SNOW FELL IN THE CITY.

THE LARGEST FALL IN HALF DOZEN rEAHoS
COMPARATIVELY LITTLE DELAY TO TRAFFIC.
AND MAILs-THousANDs OF MEN AT
WORK CLEANING THE STREETS
COST OF THE WORK.
NewYork awoke yesterday morning "a hnA
herself covered with blanket Of snow thicker
than any she has lain under for several years.
and even then every minute was adding 10 the
weight and depth OF the covering. II was not
wholly a surprise however. for on Wednesday
afternoon a few stray fakes gave warning Of
the white assault that was to follow. and at $50
o'clock in the evening IL was showing heavily.
Soon after the hour Of noon yesterday the storm
was practically over for. although the fakes
still fell. they did so In discouraged sort OF
way. and 1t was evident that they had done their
worst In twelve hours from the time the storm
began there fell about ten inches Of snow. .
depth that eclipses any record for the last half.
dozen years at least
In way the heavy fail reused memories Of
the blizzard OF 1855 when the city lay helpless
for days: but as a matter Of fact yesterdays
storm did not approach in severity the that
has been remembered the record breaker OF
the metropolitan winters In the blizzard about
two and half feet OF snow fell level. More
than this. heavy wind accompanied It that
piled the white banks up frequently many feet
high. Fortunately yesterdays storm was with
out any wind OF consequence. or II would have
given infinitely more trouble TO the people Of
the city.
NOT ALONE IN THE STORM
New-York was not alone in the storm. The
snowfall began gently IN the Carolinas. but
increased in violence as 1t travelled northeast
until the Middle Atlantic States and the North
far west tie lake regions were buried
under a heavy covering OF white. New-York
City and the county near by suffered most ~.
verely but the temperature being reasonably
comfortable never under 20 degrees above zero.
and the wind being light, there was no great
inconvenience in travel and there was no wide
spread suffering. At noon yesterday the storm
began to slacken. and three hours later 1t was
practically at an end
The delay travel In this city was not OF
great consequence. All the cable and horse cars
and elevated trains wee anywhere from few
minutes to half an hour late at the height OF
the storm. but few longer delays than these
were experienced. The big snowploughs OF the
cable roads and the elevated road were put as
work early Wednesday evening, and they were
run almost without ceasing until the last make
of snow had fallen nearly eighteen hours later.
The trains on thu Brooklyn Bridge were over
crowded in the morning hours. and the sta
ton a, the Brooklyn terminus OF the Bridge
was damned with waiting passengers from
to . O'Clock About S30 just the busiest hour
something got out Of order, and not train was
run for nearly halt an hoIr. to the great dis
gust and discomfort of the patrons Of the road.
The ferryboats running Brooklyn and New.
Jersey reported little trouble In making their
sims and their trips were delayed no more than
they usually are when there Is a heavy fog on
the rivers. The suburban trains. too. were ZOE
the most part nearly on time. the big piows nav.
ing been run all night with good results Out On
Long Island the trains were more exposed TO the
fierceness OF the storm and some OF them were
late but no serious delays were experiences
here.
TRAINS FROM THE WEST
The trains from the West were not so fortu-
nate Many of them were much behind their
schedules. The Superintendent Of Mails at the
Postoffice building said that all Of the incoming
mails from the West were anywhere from
half an hour 20 three hours late. The trains
from the East on the other hand, were all on
time. In the Of outgoing malls the super"
intendent allowed fifteen minutes more time
than usual for reaching the several railroad
stations and all such mails went out on time.
All incoming trains bore heavy loads of snow.
The engineers had stories 10 tell OF heavy drifts
and binding sheets OF snow that completely MO
signal lamps.
owing to the absence OF any high wind. the
telegraph lines were scarcely affected by the
storm, and last night Il vas said that they were
in perfect condition
The work OF clearing the city streets Of the
snow vas begun before it grew light yesterday
morning and before the storm gave any signs
OF diminishing. Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Fur
man. the snow contractor, said that more than
1000 men were employed in cleaning on tho
snow. He said that as usual there was some
difficulty In getting enough carts. but not -
much as heretofore. The office OF the contractor
at Chambers and Centre SITS. was besieged all
day by small army OF men seeking employ.
ment, and most OF them got what they wanted.
The storm was expensive matter 10 the city.
but il was a godsend to several thousand men
who could get no other employment AS hereto
fore the contractor. acting under orders from
Colonel Waring. began work In the business
part of the city, and gave his first attention to
lower Broadway and the streets leading to the
ferries. These streets were practically clear a-
most before the snow ceased falling. 1t was
said last night that the snow would not he
moved from the Boulevard and the driveways
for several days. in order to afford the delights
of sleighing to those who enjoy that sport. All
last night the thousands Of laborers were tong
at the task and lower Broadway presented q
scene OF animation that Is extremely unusual
during the hours OF night.
A TRANSFER MADE.
The Board OF Estimate yesterday granted Q
transfer OF 100000 from the Street Cleaning De-
partments sweeping account to the &C.
count Chief Clerk Thomas Doe or this depart.
ment said the Department had set aside $40.
900 for snow, out that 'na' SUM "ou'd nos
nav the expenses necessary for removing the
present snowfall. thus making the transfer men,
toned necessary.
II grew colder after the end OF the Storm but
at midnight the weather prophets predicted for
to-day a slightly higher temperature and fair
skies New-York ought 10 enjoy some rare
seighing during the next few days. although
the skating Is effectually disposed Of
The storm was a test OF the underground troll
lev in this city, and the railroad men said that
the underground trolley stood the test well. AZ
the office OF the Metropolitan Traction Com.
many IL was said that the cars In Lenox-ave.
ran all right and the electrical conductors In
the conduits did not appear to be affected seri-
ously by the snow. When the trolley cars were
SET running in Lenox-ave.. the engineers said
that. while II was certain that the underground
trolley was better than the cable In ordinary