The times., 1899-02-12
zero WEATHER and
A BLINDING SIORE
outdoor Activity Paralyzed by
Cold and Snow.
Traffic Blocked and. Suffering
Among the Poor.
Onicinl NeteoroIogists Predict Thnt
the severe Conditions VIII
Last Several Days.

The Capital is all but buried in snow
All last night and early this morning
binding storm ragged, which made walk
ing almost an impossibility, blocked traffic
and added nearly half a foot of white Gov
ering to the already burdened streets. A.
a result the city is snowbound and the
misery of the poor is indescTibabIe.
Three of the street car lines were forced
10 suspend operations last night and hard
ly two-1C0rc vehicles were able to move
around through the dense blizzard OF
binding snow. Pennsylvania Avenue re-
sembled scene in Labrador and pedes
trians were as scarce as street cars.
The extreme cold of the past few days
has caused intense suffering among the
poor of the city. There are hundreds OF
families who are actually freezing and
starving today. These people are not
heard of because they cannot stand upon
the street corners and vail for aid. They
are destitute and know not where TO find
relief There is no means of obtaining aid
ewing TO the monopoly held by the Asso-
ciated Charities which, when appealed to,
frequently fails to realize that it is posing
as a charitable organization. With the
amount of misery now being experienced
IN this city by the destitute, II is shameful,
say the charitably disposed people OF
Washington, that the miseries of the poor
during the zero weather cannot be relieved
in even a few cases by great so-called
charitable Organization.
Hundreds of Sufferers.
There are hundreds of people without
fuel during the weather and as many with
out sufficient clothing and food Last
night was bitter one for the poor, and a
week OF severe weather is still in store
for them.
The present cold snap. which has already
lasted nearly a week, will continue for
several days longer, according TO indica-
tions. The brief change from zero weather
to snow which occurred last night viii be
OF short duration. second cold wave is
predicted 10 arrive here tomorrow after
noon and will remain until Wednesday.
At present the city is helplessly in the
grasp of the abnormally cold weather. The
streets are packed high with frozen snow,
and misery is apparent everywhere. Only
those who are compelled to be out appear
upon the streets, while dwelling houses
are struggling brayely against the twin
terrOrs. defective furnaces and frozen wa
ter pipes.
Weather Records.
The local record for low temperature
was broken on Saturday morning, when the
thermometer on the Weather Bureau reg
istered Is degrees below zero as the min
imum temperature. II is said that the
temperature in the low sections of the city
was five or six degrees lower. This is the
lowest temperature registered here since
the establishment of the Weather Bureau
in 1870. On January l, 1851, a minimum
of Il degrees below was registered and was
he record unit Saturday morning.
The wind changed to the northeast last
night, and there was a slight rise in tenn
perature. This is only temporary, how
ever as il Will grow colder until tomorrow
afternoon, when the mercury will again
pass the zero mark. There is thus far no
prospect for warmer weather or a thaw
and as these conditions prevail in nearly
every part Of the country, the weather
men are prepared for long clear spell Of
zero weather this week.
The strange feature of the cold wave was
that previous conditions were completely
reversed. Washington has long been re-
garded as possessing wonderfully mild
climate during the winter. and when Bal
timore, Philadelphia, and New York were
freezing, the Capital was snug and enjoy
ing mild weather.
The Coolest of All.
coldest place in the East for three DAYS,
and was nearly 10 degrees colder than
cities away up in the frigid New England
States. On Friday, Washington WAS y de-
grees colder than Baltimore, New York,
and Philadelphia; 10 degrees colder than
Boston, and II degrees colder than Port
land, Me, and only 3 degrees warmer than
Chicago.
The officials at the Weather Bureau ex-
plain this by the statement that Washing
ton lay in pocket OF cold air and there
fore experienced the worst of the cold
wave. The readings for yesterday from
midnight to y IN. were as follows. Mid
night, degrees below zero; 2 q m Il
below; a. IN, u below; a m, 10 below;
a. m, 10 below; 10 a m, zero; - m.
above zero; p. m, 6 above; / D. m. Il
above; p. m, above; p. m. above;
10 p. m, above; u m, above.
Cloudy. With snow
The Indications for today are CLOUDY
weather and snow, with slight rise IL
temperature.
The Weather Bureau officials believe thai
the records made during the past four days
will not be reached again within twenty
I've years. Nearly four inches of snow fel
last night and this. added to the frozei
masses already on the ground, gives thi
city a decidedly Canadian appearance.
Motormen, drivers, and those compeIIe,
TO labor In the open have suffered greatll
during the past four days long list O
frostbitten cases has been treated at III.
hospitals, and the prospect of more zerC
weather is not relshed
The cold snap has blockaded the rivel
and navigation is suspended. Only a few
OF the big steel boats have attempted tc
move and these have been battered arount
in terrifying way. The Alexandria ierr,
has ceased running and the smaller craf
are frozen in close TO wharyes In som,
places the ice is ten inches thick
The cold wave which will arrive her,
tomorrow from the West will bring III,
temperature 10 zero in Texas, Arkansas
and Tennessee, and will cause freezinj
temperature in Florida and the West GuI
Coast
The coolest place in the country yester
day was Williston, y. D., where 10 degree
below zero was registered