The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-02-17
BLIZZARD
OF 1899
A Strong Rival Of the Big Storm
Of 1888.


pend Operations-Monda Quiet
Holiday Comparison of the Re-
cent Storm and the Blizzard of
Eleven Years Ago.
Not since the memorable blizzard of
1888 had there been such a disastrous
storm as that which prevailed from
Saturday last to Tuesday. Meteorolo-
gists say this latest blizzard is the result
of the blending of two storms-one from
the Gulf of Mexico and the other from
the Northwest. Whether or not this
was responsible for the climatic condi-
tions, it is certain that the effects gener-
ally were such as to set nation talking.
While no fatalities or cases of extreme
suffering have been recorded locally,
this fact must not be attributed to any
merciful feature of the storm, but rather
to the fact that those persons who could,
remained indoors during the fierce battle
of the elements. There were few per-
sons seen on the streets Monday, and
few delivery wagons laboriously drawn
through the snow by foundering horses
were the only vehicles noticed That
Morristown got its full share of the storm
the residents will quite readily admit
Trains on the D., L. & W. Railroad
failed to arrive on schedule time Monday
morning and from that time up to Tues
day night were from half hour to four
hours late. One train that arrived from
New York ON Monday morning was
composed of two cars and three engines.
Another train made up of four locomo-
tives and three cars was used all Monday
night to open the way from New York.
The biggest drift on the railroad between
here and New York was at point near
Convent Station. The Morristown mails
were delayed just as the trains were.
Not a train has been run over the
Rockaway Valley Railroad this week.
and residents along the line were several
days without receipt of mail. The Whip
pany River Railroad has troubles of its
own, its five miles of track being i'm
paSsable.
Superintendent Reasoner of the Morris
and Essex Division of the Lackawanna
is to be congratulated upon the beat rail-
road service within radius of forty
miles of New York. The east bou4d
trains from Dover, via Morristown, were
run as ''double headers" and consider
ing the terrific storm, afforded reasonable
accommodation to the travelling public
and the delays were shorter than were
expected. The Dover accommodation
train east, on Monday night, which was
schedule to leave at 6 "A left Morristown
at s. 80, reaching Newark an hour and
three quarters later. An occasional east
and west bound train was also run on
the main line.
The Pennsylvania Railroad abandoned
the running OF trains beyond Newark on
Monday afternoon, the last train west,
| leaving Newark for Railway shortly
after o'clock. The big depot at Mar
ket street was cold and cheerless, while
little or no information could be obtained
until after midnight when the weary and
cold would-be travellers were informed
that no trains would be run before 7 So
Some camped in the depot, while others
sought the nearby crowded hotels.
The large rotary snow plows which the
management had given the public to un-
derstand would always be in readiness
after the blizzard of 'S8, were not on
hand, consequently shovel and broom
brigade numbering several hundred were
at work in the vicinity of the depot, and
to keep them in provisions the larders
of many hotels and restaurants were
emptied of provisions. One OF the latter
refused an order from the company for
five Thousand sandwiches, bread being an
exceedingly scarce article. An official
of the road when interrogated concern
ing the utter collapse of its passenger
| traffic said: ut was not thought in the
morning that the storm would be severe
until after forty-two engines at Jersey
City had their tanks frozen, which 30
crippled the service that the road could
not be kept open"
Coal wagons made their trips about
town notwithstanding the storm. The
storm did not last long enough to really
cause serious inconvenience in mer-
chants deliveries Persons accustomed
to buying cream and milk from out-of-
town dairymen went without those COM
ODDITIES on Tuesday morning.
The attendance at the churches in
town Sunday was small, and several
local events were postponed on Monday
Precautions were taken against fire,
there being five horses in readiness to
hitch to the Hook and Ladder truck and
to each of the engines.
! lu6 buOWldll lIOu r. III. SATURDAY
night was 10 inches, the precipitation
being 0.96 inch. From that time to Z
o'clock Monday night the snowfall was
10 inches and the precipitation 1.18
inches, making total snowfall of %
inches, and total precipitation of 2.14
inches.
Last Saturday the thermometer was
8 degrees below zero at a. M, and 10
degrees above at 2 and p. m. On Sun
day it was degrees above in the morn
ing, and 10 degrees in the afternoon and
evening. On Monday morning the mer-
curry registered degrees above. In the
afternoo on it was 10 degrees above, and l
degree colder in the evening
The blizzard was naturally one of the
chief topics Of conversation during the
week, and many persons have been busy
making comparisons with similar events
in former years. That talked of most
was the blizzard Of 1888. which in many