The record-union., 1899-02-14
Washington City in Grasp Of Sc
yerest Blizzard in Its History.
Nearly Three Feet Of Snow on 4 Level and
Mercury nuyering at Zero.
Driven by High Wind, Has Drifted
in Banks Of From Five to Eight
Feet in Depth, suspending All
TrafRc-a Thorough Blizzard at
New York and Philadelphia.

NEW xOIA anu = xAA8Uc4V04As
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.-With two
inches less than three feet of snow on
the level, and the mercury lowering
constantly near zero, the Capital is
in the grasp of the most severe blizzard
in its history. The snowfall which be-
gan on Saturday evening has continued
without cessation, the official measure
ment in fifty hours being twenty inches
on top of the heavy fall of the few
days preceding. Driven by a. high
northwest wind 1T has drifted in banks
suspending all traffic, tieing up the
street car lines, cutting off the city
from all outside communication by rail
and causing untold suffering among
the poor.
By noon every street car line in the
city had been forced to suspend opera
tions. Nearly all the retail business
houses closed down and dismissed their
clerks. Delivery wagons which VEN
tured out on their routes were in nu-
merous instances abandoned in the
streets, the drivers unhitching their
horses and making for shelter from the
biting blasts.
At the Capitol neither house of Con-
gress had quorum, and only hand
full of clerks put in an appearance at
the various executive departments, all
of which closed early, disnissing their
forces.
At the City Hall the same conditions
prevailed, and no courts were held.
while public schools made no attempt
to hold sessions, the few pupils who
reached the building being promptly
sent home The schools will remain
closed tomorrow.
Toward afternoon, when the railroad
companies were forced to admit that
their traffic was practically abandoned,
the city was forced to the realization
that famine of coal and provisions was
The price of everything in
the eating line went soaring skyward.
At the market prices were advanced
from 25 to 100 per cent, when the
scantiness Of the supply and immensity
of the demand became manifest. Or
ders from nearby towns poured in and
gave a fresh impetus to the advance.
The same conditions apply to the
coal supply, which is perilously scarce.
The article is being sold by the bushel,
and dealers say the stock on hand is
exceedingly limited, while railway con-
ditions make the outlook for shipments
into the city very gloomy
1t was announced this afternoon that
the gas supply was being rapidly ex-
hausted from the reserve tanks, and
the gas company's supply of coal was
so slender that it would have to he
husbanded most carefully. Conse-
quently the pressure was reduced.
Many of the street lamps were not
lighted. The electric lighting compa-
MES, are as yet maintaining a service.
The police report that the condition
Of the colored population is pitiful in
the extreme. Every effort is being
made by the authorities and charitable
institutions to alleviate the suffering,
but owing to the terrible weather con-
ditions but little can be accomplished.
There has not been during the day a
cessation of the snowfall. and
with the gale prevailing tonight it is
dangerous for any one but a strong
man to venture out. Many persons
have been overcome by the cold, but
no fatalities have been reported within
the city limits. 1t is feared, however,
that there has been loss of life in the
adjacent country.
At nightfal1 the streets were deserted
by both pedestrians and teams. The
drifting snow has rendered most Of the
wide avenues and uptown streets i'm
passable, and four horses to single wag-
ons endeavoring to break through with
supplies is a common sight In many
instances pack horses have been resort
ed to, and all day they could be seen
struggling under double burdens of pro-
visions or sacks Of coal. Two of the
largest theaters did not open their
doors
One of the most serious phases is the
danger from fires The fire. department
is rendered practically useless by l-ea-
som Of the deep snow and the low water
pressure, which, in high points of the
city has failed entirely.
The Potomac is frozen from it's south
side to Point Lookout, where it empties
into the Chesapeake. The ice varies
from five to ten inches in thickness
and navigation has been suspended
The Alexandria ferries were forced to
abandon their trips some days ago, and
tonight the Norfolk boats did not at
tempt the passage.
The railway mail service is paralyzed
by the storm, and mails are at a stand
still throughout the Atlantic region.
No through trains arrived here from
the West over the Pennsylvania. road
to-day, and only one over the Balti-
more and Ohio. The only outbound
train started on the Pennsylvania was
an extra pulling out at 4:30 this after
noon for the East. On the Baltimore
and Ohio only two through trains ar
rived from the East. All C.. and O.
trains were abandoned, and there were
no trains either sent out or arriving
over the Southern and the Atlantic
Coast line.
BLIZZARD AT NEW YORK.
NEW YORK, Feb. 13.-The storm
which has been raging since Satur-
day night increased in violence to-
day, becoming a thorough blizzard.
Snow fell all day and is still coming
down. A bitter northwest wind drifts
the snow in clouds. The street cleaning
after struggling thirty six
hours to clear the principal streets.
gave up entirely, even surrendering