The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-17
TERRIBLE SNOW STORM
WILMINGTON NOW INTHE THROEs
OF INrkNSE COLD

WV nat
Has Been Done and What Can he
Done TO Alleviate This Suffering
Trains On the Different Railroads
Snow Bouud storm all Around Us
The thermometer was down in the
mouth yesterday, and lots OF people
were in keeping with 1t. Freezing point
was a thing of the past. Several times
the mercury attempted to slip down TO
zero, and each effort of the oily. glist-
ening liquid vas noted by the inhabi-
tant with a shiver and shake. However,
it didn't TAX the temperature glass
to donate the coldness-your sense of
feeling was sufficient, in fact too much
so for comfort either in or out doors.
The day was made up of two very dis
agreeable creations of the elements
snow and wind. The pedestrians jour
ney was full Of ups n downs, and in
many cases it vas mostly downs.
Ploughing through six inches of snow,
with a stiff, northwest wind blasting
in your face and finding every loophole
ScoA "Aapo " ISd(H III III your
body, made life on the streets of Will
mington decidedly miserable.
The young folks enjoyed the day
hugely, and are anticipating still more
fun The sight of boys and girls coast
ing down hills on improvised sleds was
everywhere, while now and Their a
glimpse could be caught Of the more
sedate young people being whirled over
the frozen streets in impromptu,
sleighs.
But there are two sides to every
question. This was the merry side;
then there was a sad side. To the poor
of the city the weather brought intense
suffering. In many a home no fire
burned on the hearth, and the snow
and wind alike found entrance and in
fiicted untold agony. Not only did the
occupants suffer from the intense old,
but for the want of bread as we'll.
Quite a number of our citizens, unset
fish and ever thoughtful, did all they
could to alleviate the sufferers. Mayor
Waddell was to the front early. He
placed the entire street force of carts
at work hauling fuel ii the poor, and
kept this work up during the entire
lay. Several of our philanthropic citi-
zens donated large quantities of wood,
and the carts were made to distribute
it. A large quantity of wood was sent
out by the Associated Charities, and
more would have been distributed if
any way of transportation could have
been obtained.
Alderman Hugh MacRae sent word
to the mayor to draw on him for $50 to
help in this case of dire necessity. Hon..
John D. Bellamy and Mr.. d. l.. Gore
also donated literally. There were 9TH
ers, but we were unable to learn their
In the afternoon Mayor Waddell gave
a personal order for several hundred
loaves of bread, which will be at the
city hall for distribution this morning.
The mayor requests physicians to
please pramptly report all cases of suf-
fering, whether through cold, sickness
or starvation, that may come to their
notice, so that the needs of the suffer-
ers can be administered to.
TIME TO ACT.
Now is the time for benevolent per-
sons to come to the front and aid an
gushing humanity. There are people in
our midst both cold and hungry, and
we u do something for them. Think
this over you who ave plenty, and we
know o will nobly respond.
One kin hearted young gentleman
left a small mount of money at the
Messenger office yesterday to be ex-
pended in alleviating the distress. We
feel that he will be gfatified to know
at work hauling fuel to the poor, and
and carried sunshine to several poor
families.
TOO COLD FOR SCHOOL.
The weather was entirely too cold
for the boys and girls to go to school
and pour over books, besides the recol-
lection Of a nice near by hill, lust per-
fectly lovely for coasting." as the lat
ter gender expressed it, and bully for
a Slide" as the former sputtered it,
acted as a preventative to study. All
the public schools and many of the
private institutions abandoned work.
Professor John j. Blair, superintend-
ent, announces that the public schools
will remain closed until tomorrow
morning, and that teachers and pupils
need not report for duty until hen.
PROGRESS OF STREET CARS I'M
PEDED.
The street cars moved along under
decided difficulties, and did not try,
as it was in vain, to run upon any
thing like schedule time. In fact they
could hardly run upon the track. The
cars that did nag to move along,
had to constantly keep a force Of
hands in front clearing away snow i'm
pediments.s All the cars quit trying to
run about s o'clock last night, and
went to their housing.
Early in the afternoon a car skipped
the track on the Princess street line,
JUS in front of the opera house. be-
tween Third and Fourth streets. 1t
ook several hours hard work by a
number of hands to lift the car out of
the deep snow back to its place on the
track.
POLICE AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
The police and fire alarm system,
both essential to the safety of the citi-
zen and property, those widely differ
ent on the account of gender, have been
kept in good condition. Superintendent
John T. Yates Sunday and yesterday
tested the alarm system and found il
perfect.
Yesterday morning and las night
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