The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-02-18

business Practically
Suspende e dit Was
Truly a Case of Shovel
Fears of An Ice Gorge
at Port Deposit.
The eople of Cecil county are once more
getting back into their regular daily routine
after truly ''od time" snow blizzard eXper-
ience on Monday and Tuesday, and business
which was practically suspended for that
time is fast resuming its wonted channels.
Cecil county was indeed completely snow
bound and Elkton and the various other
towns cut off from all outside communica-
ton except by telegraph and telephone.
Wednesday was the day Of revival in the
county seat aud the mail carriers and pers De
from the outlying districts began making
their way into town one by one.
The Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti-
more railroad was bockaded up to midnight
on Tuesday. the last mail from the south
reaching Elkton early Monday morning, and
one from the north shortly b fore noon that
day. From that hour until Wednesday morn
ing no mails arrived and for the first time in
many years the people experienced the no
little Inconvenience of being two days with
out newspapers and letters.
1t was snow, snow, snow everywhere, and
any poetic thought that the beautiful sight
might inspire was dashed quickly to pieces
by the reality that it was II case OF shovel and
hustle to get out of it. Arms were soon
moving and from the clearing of the side
walks great barriers of snow reared them
selves along the streets, and in contemplating
the scene the oldest inhabitant was forced to
admit that '99 was truly a record The town
authorities had snow shovel quickly out on
the streets and force of workmen cleared
ways wherever the snow had banked.
As the result Of the several falls the snow
had piled on the level to depth Of fully
"a inches and which was a menace to
the safety of numerous buildings-and ac-
cordingly there was hurry on the party of
tine owners TO Bel lueu CltdEcu.
CLEARING THE ROADS.
The county officials started forces of men
early Wed esday morning opening the Elk
ton Chesapeake road, and at noon Jim
Wharton reached Elkton with his stage from
Chesapeake City. Jim drove four horses
and had hard pull to get through. Harry
Miller, mail carrier on the Elkton -Lewisville
route. got into Elkton early Wednesday
afternoon, after determined fight against
the snow barriers.
Miller secured two men to help him work
through. All the way from Lewisvile to
Andora they made the trip across fields, tax
dng down the panels of fences. At Andora
they were able to take the road and keep it
half the distance to Elkton. Near Elkton,
however, it was necessary in crossing farm
to take the hors- from the sleigh and jump
him over several rails Of fence, go through
the farmers front yard, and carry the sleigh
around the buildings. He left Lewisville at
Z a. m. arrived at Elkton at = 80 p. m. On
the return trip he left Elkton at $50, arrived
at Lewisville at 8 80 The distance is nine
miles. On Thursday, he made the trip down
in little less than five hours.
Matthew Scarborough, mail carrier from
Blake to Elkton. was unable to reach Elkton
until Thursday at noon. A road was dug
out from Blake to Blue Ball on Wednesday
in some places the drifts being ten feet deep
1t was necessary to go over fields. From
Blue Ball to Pleasant Hill the road was
opened on Thursday morning. From that
point to Elkton a way had been broken
through on Wednesday.
Ben Sapp, James Keatley and John Racine,
Elk Neck farmers, were among the first to
reach Elkton on Wednesday. The men
banded together and with shovels cut their
way through drifts in cases where they
couldn't drive around over fields. They were
from eight o'clock in the morning until noon
covering a distance OF five miles.
SCHOOLS CLOSED.
The schools in Elkton and throughout the
day, and in many cases In rural districts are
not open yet
THE STORM.
The second fall OF snow which now covers
the ground began early Saturday evening.
and continued all day Sunday and Monday
These storms have recalled the blizzard OF
exactly four years ago. The fall Of snow on
that occasion commenced on Thursday Feb
ruary 7, and late that night began to block
travel. On the following day. February s,
all the railroads were practically tied up.
AT PORT DEPOSIT.
A report from Port Deposit states that the
present storm reminds the older citizens of
the great snowstorm which preceded the
great ice gorge of 1857. At that time n few
days after the snow fell, it rained and caused
n sudden rise in the river, breaking up fifteen
inches OF solid ice and carrying away the
bridges across the Susquehanna, which was
thirty feet above ordinary tide.
The Tome Institute closed until Monday
next The town was barricaded in until Wed
nesday, when the Columbia and Port Deposit
Railrord began running trains and several OF
the delayed mails were received The Nc
Clenahan Rrot hera Granite Comnanv hitched