New-York tribune., 1899-02-14

WORST BLIZZARD EVER KNOWN IN THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL
RAILWAY TRAFFIC sUsPENDED-A COAL
AND PROVISION FAMINE IMPEND-
ING - TERRIBLE SUFFERING
AMONG THE POOR
AMONG THE POOR.

AND PROVISION FAMINE IMPEND-
ING - TERRIBLE SUFFERING
AMONG THE POOR
Washington. Feb. I3-With two inches less than
three feet OF snow on level and the mercury how
ering constantly near the capital II IN the
grasp % the most severe blizzard in its history
Tie snowfall which began on Saturday evening has
continued without cessation. the official measure
menl IN ff,y hours being twenty inches top OF
the heavy fail Of few days before Driven BY
high northwest wind # has dr!fted IN banks OF
from FIVE 20 egh, feet in depth suspending all
trafic tying up the streetcar lines cutting Of tho
city from all outside communication BY rail and
causing untold suffering among the poor
in TIE forenoon the car lines made heroic efforts
70 maintain service, but by p O'Clock practically
every line in the ciy was forced abandon the at
tempt As tho day wore the storm increased in
severity and the serious side OF the situation began
. 10 manifest Itself Nearly all the retail business
houses closed down and dismissed their clerks De
livery wagons which had ventured out on their
routes were f. numerous instances abandoned in
the streets. tie drivers unhching their horses and
making FOR shelter from the biting blasts OF wind
driven snow.
Ar The Capitol neither house Of Congress had
quorum and only handful OF clerks appeared AT
the various executive departments all OF which
closed early. dismiseirE their forces. Al the City
Hal the same conditions prevailed and no courts
We've held WHILE public schools made no attempt 10
hold sessions the few pupils who reached the
h1i lngs being promptly sent home The schools
Will remain closed tomorrow
SHORT OF coal AND PROVISIONS
Toward afternoon. when the railroad companies
we've forced - admit that Their trafic was practi-
cay abandoned. the city forced 10 the realiza-
iion that famine Of coal and provisions was I'm
pending. The price of everything in the eating
line went soaring skyward Al the markets prices
ve.e advano-d from O. 70 loo per cent when the
srerrirese m the eu,,,l,. s,4 ,-,,-,o~,.,... 20 A.
rosrd becarne manifest orders from nearby towns
poured In and gave fresh impetus to the advance.
The same copctons apply to the Goa supply which
is peilousy slender. Coal is being sold grudgingly
by the bushel and dealers say the stock hand is
exceedingly limited while the railroad conditions
/ make the o,.lool fo~ e,t-r,o,,,s oIoo,. '. 49, -
- " '' S''OI'' IL WAS nm
N'-'''- '"'e 'h !ie AFTERNOON that the gas supply
was being rapidly exhausted from the reserve
s-61- ,, i, ~o,4 pos 'Vy o, 'osI "as 80
'< ' " "''" '"Fe &" oe hutnahded most
carefully Consequently the pressure was reduced
Many 90 the street lamps we've not lighted WE
"-"' Company however as yet maintains
4 service
\ ,5. ,..r.o--, .to -,i. -. -. ,, -
af re- ~ty % ',.'re rtp2Tt & ~ ~ ne me CONDITION
population is r.t,fl1 In fhe e,i-eme Fyer1 effort
+. f.tre made ~ he at,tbori.ies 'tsr',t
5e-o.. auous 70 alleviate the suffering but owing 10
t-e terrible weather rft o. can be- ACCOMPLISHED
ere mas not been to-day moments cessation Of
f. is DANGEROUS 10, anv one hut a strong man -
v-.tIr, or.. Ner- rorso,a have been overcn1,e f,'
4. = n d las ed
H. It, r,e '' S isT f- ,,-' - go & 'nla h
bean loss ~ life .n ne adtac,nt country
a. rlr1tfaU re streets were deserted bv both
pedestrians ana teams The dr.rtinr snow Tas
,.-.lr r,oe+ ~ tbo nd ,.',.,as "a ~, 80
e,r..fe ir,.r,el..l'la arC foI-r in~s.s % ei,gfa
wagons endeavoring 20 break through with sup
horses nave been reeorted To- and ali day thcv
could be seen struggling under double bundles Of
..ae COMMUNICATION has not however. been seri-
not weight the wires.
rA>-crp r-pov r-pr
To-night oil the entertainments have practically
,, 'I 80 .r.,r 49,, a,d -, .t,.o
THEATRES o'a NOT open ther ooors ana al ' nose
fl If people gathered. one of the most serious
t~a- The Ere Department is rendered practically
useless hv reason " the deep snow and the low
water pressure which In high points OF the city
hrs failed entirely
The Potomac River r. frozen from hs source 70
Point Lookout. where g. empties into the Chesa-
reaRs The ice varies from ten 70 five inches In
I icauess. and navigation has been suspended
The Alexandria ferries forced to abandon
the.r trips several days ago. and tonight the Nor
70 ttrongt rains arrived here from the
west over he Penns ylvs MIA road during he day
a. IN rom p,tfa,,rr di,. here N GO o'clock tIis
rror,i,. arriving ~ + o'clock mis- afternoon All
ec gn ,rss b. oTv 6itbound train on the
PeaaslvaIia was extra. pulling out at go this
a.. orv through rains arriving from the east were
Nos 2 and r. the former dne a. a. 20 70 a ,d m but
ne rrr tr@iI 81 two coaches only. which
l.-s a. az - " h.lf b(,,rs iats An Ch.seneok ka
p- -. 80 80 ~ % jor,.l en6 th.re v-tre no
a. c,,, a. .e,, o,,. az trI,try over The south.rn
srI ne Atlantic Coast Linz The Atlantic COAST
at r. .. -, t.h 80 80 a, . ~ vssferdsv affer
Inv nv ~ -,lct.6 fas1 IN 3 snoWiayk sout6 of Al
hn'n II f'oF'eG l.'s i. siio" -. -,
SHa.oT.1 q. u" a7 IN i91', w., 80 besrd Sr"In
-NT"- O'h o. '' '~ ''' ~ W ~
WEATHER BUREAU BULLETIN
, ,r...A.. p,,-..,, ,ss,,sA o.. ,oror,,,g s,..,si
The weather bureau lsfued the ioHoWnE special
bulletin.
United States Weather Bureau