The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-02-16
THE GREAT STORM.
TIE WHOLE COUNTRY SNOW BOUND
Railroads Stopped, Malls Delayed, and
Business at StandstiIl -- The Worst
Storm Since the Blizzard
Of 1883.

night about 9 o'clock, and it kept
steadily at it until some time during
Monday night. For more than 4S
hours the flakes came down, surpass-
ing all records of the last I8 years.
The thermometer stood near zero,
and the wind blew, drifting the snow
in many places. All day Sunday the
storm continued, and the attendance
at church was very small Some of
the churches were too cold for com.
fort. AT the Episcopal church the
thermometer stood at 4o in the morn
ing, and 81 in the evening. This was
owing to no fault of the Steam Com
pany, who did all in their power to
furnish heat to all their customers, but
the unusual and extraordinary weather
conditions rendered it impossible to
send steam TO certain points where
the wind seemed to prevent proper
circulation. The Sunday papers did
not reach here until nearly noon. On
Monday the storm continued, and
though the Harrisburg mail reached
here on time, no Philadelphia mail
was received until after eight o'clock
at night. The Pennsylvania Railroad
abandoned all trains east of Altoona,
and it is the most complete tie up
that road has ever experienced. One
train from Harrisburg reached Altoona
eleven hours late. The Limited Ex-
press, from Chicago, was obliged to
stop at Altoona, and the passengers
were cared for at the hotels. AT
Williamsport only one train on the
Philadelphia & Reading got through,
and that was four hours late. The
trains on the Pennsylvania were sew
eral hours late, and on Monday all
trains east were abandoned. Trolley
roads in all the cities were blocked,
and travel was suspended. By a
heroic effort the ID. l.. & w. kept
their passenger trains moving, but
freight and coal trains were aban-
doned. Up TO Tuesday morning no
express matter mad been received by
the U. S. Express Co. here, but pack
ages from Buffalo came through all
right, the storm not being so severe in
that section. At Scranton the ID. &
H. road was tied up, also the Central
Railroad of New Jersey. All trolley
lines were blockaded, and business
was at stand.still.
All the trains on the Bloomsburg
division of the ID. l.. & w. went
through, but all behind time. No
mail from points below Northumber.
land was received here Tuesday
morning.
The Bloomsbury & Sullivan ran
trains all day Monday, not more than
an hour late. Though drifts three fee,
deep were reported on Tuesday morn
ing, the trains got through all right.
The business of the Court was very
much interfered with on Monday, ant
the Court had to adjourn fol- want o.
work. Jurors and witnesses were un-
able to reach here, and some who
came, went home without being form.
ally excused, because they had no one
to attend to their stock, and protec,
their families. The Court recognized
the unusual conditions, and permitted
the continuance of many cases on ac
count of the storm. The public
schools held but one session on Mon
day, and closed at 1880. The stores
were deserted, and no one venturec
on the street, unless compelled TO &c
out. Some of the old residents saiC
they had never seen anything like it
On Tuesday morning everybod.
was glad to see that the snow fall haC
ceased, and that the sun was shining
once more. There is now fair pros
pect for period of good sieighing
and there is also prospect of biz
freshet in the Spring, should there be
rapid thaw.