Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-16
The Frozen south.

| tColumbia IS. CO State-iith)
Writing in overcoat and hat. with an
oil-stoye between the editorial feet and
| the other heating apparatus OF the Office
| striving painfully TO keep the interior
| temperature above zero. we incline to
agree with the soldiers OF the First
Rhode Island that 1.-THE Sunny South" is
for the time being what Mr.. Ilipling
styles a solar Myth" And this is also
the testimony OF the shiverlns palmetto
tree which keeps guard over the snow
drifts at Camp Torrance.
There Is only one plea TO be put up by
city like Columbia. with winter resort
aspirations: The cold wave ia unprece-
dented, and it extends everywhere. In
the nineteen years Of Columbia weather
within our knowledge. there has been no.
thing like this combination Of snow and
cold About Christmas, 1880. the tenn
peratlre ran down 10 or 10 degrees
above zero, for one night only, and the
streets were so slippery with sleet that
horses could not find fo0thold and bust
ness was suspended for a day or two.
That was a accommodating experience
for most Of the people Of the city. In
January. 1886, we had a week Of skating
but there was little n any. snow, and
the temperature ranged I'm the twenties.
In February. 1894. there was skating for
two days, and then a heavy SHOWS torm,
a thaw. and a freeze. which furnished a
crust 10 the snow thick enough 10 bear a
mans weight and skating was done on
this crust. Since then we have had
great and costly sleet-storm, and at an
other time a heavy fall Of snow, which
however, was unaccompanied by a very
low temperature. and soon melted.
The present episode IS unique i'm that
the snow-storm lasted more than two
days in very cold weather; that the snow
fall has measured about a foot, and has
been Of unprecedented density, and that
IL has been succeeded by clear weather
and the lowest temperature on record-in
the neighborhood of zero al this writing.
We have never known such dry snow in
the South; Il is as granny as grist. and so
gritty that sleighing and SEEDING lose
half their usual slippery charm. This is
to be accounted for Of course. by the ex-
IRENE cold which has given the snow
sleety grain. When the sun begins % ar
feet (which Il did not do yesterday-all
sorts of snow sport will be easier.
The whole South is swept by this cold
wave and IS bound in the same white
letters. Columbia, and Upper and Middle
South Carolina. generally. seem 10 have
been out Of the centre Of the storm track
for the weather here cold as it is, Is not
relatively as severe as IN other regions
OF lower ATTITUDES. The minimum in
Columbia yesterday morning was de-
grees. while in Charleston il was s, and
in Savannah and Jacksonville degrees.
Ordinarily the difference is from 10 to 30
degrees. But low as luese temperatures
are they do not compare with the as
record OF below zero In Western
Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi The
cold wave apparently swept from west 70 |
east along the border States, from the /
Middle West to the Gulf. and Up along /
the Atlantic coast, leaving us here IN a |
sort Of eddy.
II is altogether novel, 1t IS very interest
ny TO US southerners. and &c is IN some |
aspects quite enhancing. this Arctic eX-
Jerience. but. nevertheless IL finds MS
iadly unprepared for il. with draughty
louses. bailt for summer GOODNESS. ex-
POSED water pipes which freeze and re-
luce Us 10 melted snow for baths and
leverage. and low stocks Of wood and
oal caused by the near approach of
prine. we find our comfort these days
nd night very much impaired. Twenty
we degrees below zero IN the eXpectant
nd prepared North would not cause SO
auch hardship as is now felt IN the South
y even well-to-dO people. What then,
aust be the condition Of our poor and !
estitutei