The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-08
ZERO WEATHER.
Will Follow the Present
Heavy Falls Of
Snow.
AN INClPIENT BLIZZARD
Commuters Have a Hard
Time of it Around the
Ferries.

The present heavy fall of snow is Akeiy
to be followed by zero weather
The early morning commuters over the
Erie Railroad ferry today had great difii-
Guilty in reaching the Jersey City entrance
to the ferry this morning. The lower
end of Pavonia avenue for distance OF
2a0 wards was flooded to a depth OF Is
inches and over So deep was the water
that the trolley cars were unable TO
plunge through it, They were oolged
to stop where the flood began and dis
charge their passengers.
Men and women hao to wade from the
end of the railroad ard to the ferry,
through water above their ankles. On
one side of the street Is the high picket
fence enclosing the Erie Railroad yards.
On the other side, to a point ABOUT loV
feet from the ferry entrance, IS a long
platform where the milk trains are emp
tied. Between the platform ana the ler-
ry. however, is a stretch of street greauy
depressed, which formed the deepest spot
in the flooded dis trict this morning
MANY persons walked along the pat
form to escape the water, only 10 iiho
that they had to plow through II any
way. On the other side pretty girls men
and staid matrons were to be seen pick
ing their way along the picket fence al
ter the manner of the small boy uoins
stunts There was very little foothoid 10
be had on the fence and 1t was olili-
cult matter to utilize 1t to advantage.
The commuters, wriggling along the
fence, looked as If they were engaged IN
an exciting game of follow the leader
Those persons who came in on the trains
and had business in Jersey city passed
through the gate to find themselves IN
the deep water The gate is so arranged
that it only turns outward, so they could
not rturn A few who saw the state OF
affairs in time did not pass out OF the
gate. but picked their way through the
railroad yard, emerging at a point beyond
where the street was flooded
Horses experienced difficulty in hauling
heavy trucks to the ferry The flood was
caused by an unusually high tide and the
melted snow. The ground at the foot OF
Pavonia has al beeen made. 1t is not
solid, and high tide invariably causes
the water from the river to cover II.
The sewers are all choked from the re-
cent storms and even the ordinary sur
face water is not being carried off.
The tide this morning was so high that
the ferry bridges Were elevated and 1t
was difficult for the trucks to pull on to
the ferry boats. Not only did the river
water back up under the ferry house and
into Pavonfa avenue, but it flooded the
ferry house as well. Thousands of per-
sons suffered because of the flood.
Considerable trouble was caused by the
high tide in the bay and harbor, caused
by the high tide in the bay and harbor
caused by the winds outside, whict
backed the water up into the North and
East Rivers to a height that has not beer
reached for several years. The streets
on the lower west side of New Iorf
City were flooded, causing the commuters
from New Jersey great deal OF trou
BILE in getting from the ferries.
The Greenville section of the city look'
like deserted village and Were it no
that the trolley cars pass back and fortl
one would scarcely believe there was
soul there. Occasionally stray police
man can be seen making his way toward
a signal box. The early morning pas
sengers had little difficulty in getting t.
New York, as the cars ran on very goo
time. Sweepers were kept going all nigh
and the tracks were never completel.
covered with snow.
The scenes along the shore fronts ar
beautiful All the boats on the beache
and at the yacht clubs are covered witt
the fluffy fakes.
Even In the face of the storm last even
ing several sleighing parties were out il
old-fashioned slids enjoying themselves
Immensely, judging from the joyous
shouts of the occupants of the sle1ghs
These were to be seen on Ocean avenue
and every car that passed was hailet
with joyous shout.
So far as the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company was concerned, there was nt
snow storm last night. There was NJ
catching the officials of that compan.
mapping and with the exception of on
Western train, every P. r. r. train com
ing East this morning was on time.
Trains on the Lehigh Valley Railroad
were little late and that was owing t.
a block on the road not connected witt
the storm.
It was the same story with the Nortl
Jersey Street Railway Company and tn
North Hudson County Railroad Every
thing was in first class shape. There wa
no delay in running the cars and tn
snow ploughs had the tracks cleared be
fore the early morning traffic began.
The storm in the vicinity of New Yorl
has been more severe than in the city
and the drifts are deeper. In consequenc
of this the railroad commuters were lat
in reaching the city.
Along the lines of the New Jersey Cen
trail and Pennsylvania roads drifts 9
from three to seven feet are reported.
The snow played havoc with the servfc
of the Jersey City, Hoboken and Ruthe1
ford Railroad Company There was a bi