The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-14

Washington, Feb. 1S.-With two
inches less than three feet of snow on
the level and the mercury hovering
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 q high northwest wind
! 1t has drifted III banks of from five to
eight feet in depth, suspending ali
| traffic, tying up the street car lines
| cutting off the city from all outside
| communication by rail and causing un-
! told 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
numerous 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-
SreSs had d quorum and only q hand
ful of clerks put IN appearance at the
which closed early, dismissing their
forces. At the city hall the same con-
ditiOns prevailed and no courts We're
held, While public schools made no
attempt to mold sessions, the few
pupils who reached the buildings being
promptly sent home. The schools viii
remain closed tomorrow.
Towards afternoon, when the rail-
road companies were forced TO admit
that their traffic was practically
abandoned, the city was forced to the
realization Of famine of coal and pro-
visions was impending The price of
everything in the eating line went
soaring skyWard. At the markets
prices were advanced from % TO 100
per cent when the scantiness of the
supply ard immensity Of the demand
became manifest. Orders from nearby
towns poured in and gave a fresh
impetus to the advance. The same con-
ditiOnS apply to the coal supply The
article is being sold by the bushels and
dealers say the stock on hand is eN-
ceedingly limited, while railway con-
ditions make the outlook Tor ship
ments into the city very gloomy. It
was announced this afternoon that the
gas supply was being rapidly eN-
hausted from the reserve tanks and the
gas cOmpany's supply of coal was so
slender that il would have to be nus
DanQeQ most C2leIullN- OOuScl d-ItlS
the pressure was reduced. Many of the
street lamps We're not lighted. The
electric lighting companies, however,
are as vet maintaining a. service The
police report that the condition of the
really poor, particularly the large
coIored population. is pitiful in the
extreme. Every effort is being made
by the authorities and charitable as
sociatiOnS TO alleviate the suffering,
but owing 10 the terrible weather con
ditions but little can be accomplished.
There has not been during the day q
moments 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 nightfaIl the streets We're desert
ed by both pedestrians and teams Ihe
drifting snow has rendered most of
the wide avenues and uptown streets
impassable and four horses TO single
wagons endeavOring to break through
with supplies is a common sight; in
many instances pack horses have been
resorted to and all day they could be
seen struggling under double burdens
of provisions or sacks of COAL Tonight
all entertainments have practically
been given up or postponed Two Of
the largest theatres did not open their
doors