The times., 1899-02-14
AIDED, and there is no hope for a resump-
tion of traffic until the wind modeiates.
CLERKS REMAINED AT HOME.
Only Few Ventured Out in Yes
tcrday's Blizzard.

Only Few yentured Out in Yes
tcrday's Blizzard.
| The several departments of the Govern
ment in Washington presented a some-
what deserted appearance yesterday. The
| corridors were empty, there were no visit
| ors and in nearly all of the offices the few
| clerks who brayed the storm yesterday
morning spent great part of the day gaz-
| ing through windows at the binding drift
and wondering how they were going 10 get
| home
Telephones rang increasingly and livery
+ stables were called up, harangued. and
| pleaded with. but in few instances could
| they be persuaded to send horses and car
| riages, or sleighs even, through the banks
of snow which rendered the streets almost
| impossible. 1t finally settled down TO
case of walk for everyone and walk every
one did
| Nearly all the White House attaches were
on hand with the exception of Captain
Loeffier. the Presidents doCrkeeper, who is
convalescing from an attack OF the grip.
Two thirds of the force could have been dis
pensed with, however for there were only
two visitors during the day. They were
Senator Mcmillan and former Governor
Rich. of Michigan. who called in the Sen
| ator's big double sleigh. Assistant Secre-
tary Cortelyou, who resides in Northeast
Washington. Cld not reaCn Ine W nlIe
House during the day.
A force of workmen was kept busy all
day shoveling the drifting snow from the
walks and sweeping it from the big portico.
Although these men worked necessarily,
the snow frequently piled up on them in
banks across the walks.
In the State, War, and Navy building
great many clerks and other employees
were absent. in all three departments. but
their ahsgpre will hp charpnJ ct
them. Yesterday afternoon Acting Secre-
tary Meiklejohn issued the following Or
der:
The employees of the War Department who have
been absent today account OF the storm
will he excused and tine time will not he charged
against them. All employees will be permitted
10 leave the department at o'clock today, and
the female employees Will be excused until the
storm abatcs and travel is resumed.
Similar action was taken in the State
and Navy Departments. The clerks on
duty were excused at O'Clock and the
employees of the gentler sex will be permit
ted to rest by their firesides until the
street car companies are able to overcome
the snow and weather has settled down
TO something like normal.
Most of the clerks who did present them
selves for work yesterday morning resided
in the central part of the city and even
they were late. Those whose residences
the breezy heights which surround it, de-
cided that a walk of five or six miles
through the storm was not TO be considered
in comparison with the comfortable sensa-
tion of sitting in front of a fire at home
and watching the storm through windows.
No trouble was experienced in keeping
the State, War, and Navy building well
heated yesterday, although during the two
or three days last week when the mercury
fell several degrees below zero a number
of complaints were received. Chief En-
sineer Baird, in charge of the building,
said yesterday that thirty tons of coal and
five cords of hickory wood are being burn
ed every day to keep the building warm.
The hot water warming plant in use in
the building is the largest in the world
and in ordinary weather even. twenty tons
of coal is burned every day.
The plant was designed and installed by
Gen. t. l.. Casey. who constructed ii to
warm the building in zero weather. His
calculations We're exact, but he did not
expect that the Thermometer would oc-
caSionally register considerably below that
point. However, by forcing the fires in
the engine room and utilizing all the
CRATES in the big building, it is kept at a
very comfortable temperature.
In the Treasury Department yesterday
the clerical force was reduced over one
hali by the non-attendance of those whom
the storm kept indoors. In the Bureau OF
Engraving and Printing only 400 of the
loo people employed there reported for
duty. The same order was issued in the
Treasury Department as in the State, War;
and Navy Departments. however and the
time lost will not be charged against the
absent clerks. The Department OF Justice
was also decidedly short-handed as was
the Interior Department, the Pension
Office, the Postoffice Department, and the
city postoffice.
Those Government clerks who solved the
problem of how to get TO work in the
morning. however found themselves con-
fronted with an even more serious one
when it came time for them 10 go home.
The street cars were not running; neither
cabs, carriages, nor sleighs could be had
under any consideration, and the storm
had been increasing steadily during the
day and was then raging more furousy
than ever. The ladies especially were ap-
prehensiye but finally all decided to walk
and those of the feminine gender plunged
through the snow as brayely and as sue
cessfully as the men.
In most cases, however, the latter gal
lantly conveyed the ladies and all man
aged to get away. It is supposed that all
reached home safely. inasmuch as no Casu-
alties had been reported from them Up to
late hour last night.
| Secretary Alger was not at the depart
| nent yesterday, being snOwbounI in New
| York. whore he went on Sunday. Sec
retary Long braved the storm and appeared
to delight in il II evidently reminded
| him of New England weather. Secretary
| Hay was at his office but left soon after
| u O'Clock. Secretary Gage is in Chicago,
but the rest of the Cabinet officers were
on duty some time during the day. General
Corbin was at the War Department in the
| morning and left early in the afternoon.