The San Francisco call., 1897-01-29
Eastern Traffic Clogged
and Business Almost
Suspended.
Much Suffering IN Baltimore,
and Chesapeake Oyster
Boats Frozen Tight
Florida Vegetables and Fruit Bitten
Heaviest Storm IN New Eng.
land Since 1888

ida was visited this morning by the c0lo-
Test weather of the winter, the mercury
7 falling in Jacksonville TO 21 degrees and
ITO 80 degrees at Tampa, in the southwest
central portion of the state. Vegetables
as far south as Sanford were badly hurt,
but not entirely ruined. O;anges and
other semi-tropical fruits wsre not dam
aged to any considerab bic degree
The fortunate feature OF the freeze was
that it was of short duration. The lowest
temperature was reported in the State at
o'clock this morning, and by 9 o'clock the
weather had greatly moderated.
BOSTON, Mass, Jan. 28-Not since the
blizzard of 1888 has there been a storm of
such severity throughout New England as
that which has prevailed during the past
twenty four hours. All sections report
heavy SHOWS, varying all the way from 10
to "a inches on the level, while the high
winds have in many places piled up drifts
to 10 feet in height.
Country roads are everywhere rendered
impossible, while steam railroads, cleo
trio railways, telegraph and telephone
service have been pretty thoroughly de-
moralized. In many places schools have
been closed, portions of mills shut down
and business OF all kinds practically sus-
pended.
The storm in this city developed very
nearly into blizzard. The snow fall has
been bout a inches, causing great inter-
rupton to streetcar and steam railroad
traffic, besides practically placing an en-
barge upon all ships hereabouts. With
the exception of two or three schooners
which came in this morning the 1bor
has been barren of arrivals. Ferry-boats
are making their trips, but are greatly
hampered by the thick snow.
All sorts of rumors have been a6oat in
regard to vessels being ashore at Nahant,
Winthrop, Galloupes Island and other
points below, 6ut diligent inquiry has
{ failed to confirm any of them.
Rockville, Conn.,, reports fall of 81
\ inches of snow and drifts from five to eight
feet deep.
BALTIMORE, ND, Jan. 2S.-Sleighing
is always a novelty in Baltimore and to-
day thousands took advantage of the op-
portunity 10 enjoy the unusual pleasure.
The most severe Storm of the winter oc-
CURED yesterday and to-day. The snow
fall has been heavier than any since 1888.
Ice has fastened itself upon the waters OF
the rivers and Chesapeake Bay and is Civ
ing trouble to shipping interests.
Vessels are locked in by the Ice. A num-
Der of oyster boats have been temporarily
abandoned, their crews walking on the ice
to the shore.
A great deal of destitution in all parts
of Baltimore has been brought to light by
the cold snap and every police station is
being overrun with men, women and chill
dren in search of food. clothing and fuel.
Many cases of distress have thus been
discovered. Reports from Western Mary
land counties indicate the heaviest snow
storm and the lowest temperature of the
winter.
LONG BRANCH, n. J., Jan. 2s-Re-
ports from up and down the New Jersey
coast show that the prevailing snowstorm
is the heaviest in several years.
Besides the snowstorm the weather is s.,
thick with fog that the strongest marine
glass cannot penetrate it deeper than 100
yards. An uncommonly heavy sea is run
ming at Atlantic Highlands, The surf is
rising over the broa walk at Ashbury
Park and washing sand mp in the ram
parts. The snow is so deep that all traffic
on wheels is stopped.
Trains running into Long Branch are al
delayed, and wires are down from Barne-
gat City to Atlantic City.
At Sea Isle City the ,seawalIs of several
cottages have been destroyed by The
Astorm. Business is nearly suspended in
Ncean City on account of the storm. The
. biggest fall of snow and fog envelops Egg
Harbor.
NEW YORK, N. Y, Jan. 28.-New York
awoke this morning to face the heaviest
snowfall IN this region for years. Il
started In with determination the evening
before, and Kept up continual downfa,i
until the city was buried at 10 A. NJ. to-Ia1
beneath robe of even ten inche.. But
the snow was dry and the wind was not
strong enough TO create any heavy drifts
and other blizzard conditions. For this
reason IL readily yielded to the feet and
-eduoed discomfort 10 the lowest notch.
The storm started on the Atlantic
Coast near South Carolina. 1t struck a
Geld steady breeze from the north. This
made New York the storm center. While
snow was falling all over the middle At
Iantic States, this region got the heaviest
dose by far.
1t played havoc with all kinds of traffic
clogged surface tracks and congested thor
oughfares Crowding and yelling truck.
men, nervous and pushing pedestrians,
the loud grinding of snow plows and the
determined work of the cartmen and
shovelers made up the regulation tableau
that always comes with metropolitan
storm.
Cable lines were troubled with slippery
cables. which made progress slow and
Ihslting on them, so that large amount
Aof passenger traffic was diverted to ele-
Waited roads.
Suburban trains were behind their
schedules and trains on all lines were an
hour or two lale. The snowfall in this
vicinity was the heaviest since the his
toric blizzard of 1888. That record -bre aker
scored ~ feet on level, while the storm
of'to-day has 10% inches to its credit. The
storm practically closed the port this fore