Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-02-14
BAD BLIZZARD
IN THE EAST.
Storm King Seizes Cities in His
PitiIess Grasp.
WASHINGTON Is BLOCKADED
lie schools Ciosc-No street.
ear. IA new York.

Washington. Feb. i3.-with two
inches less than three feet OF snow on
the level ana the mercury lowering
constantly near zero. the capital Ia In
esq " the most severe blizzard
In ltH history. The snowfall which be-
gan on Saturday evening has continued
without cessation. the Official measure
mcnt In nifty hours being twenty
inches ON top Of the heavy fall OF the
Few days preceding.
Driven ~ a high northwest wind
Il has driited in banks OF from I'VE to
eight feet In depth. Suspcnding all
allie. tying up the street car lines.
cutting on the city from all outside
communication BY rail and causing un-
told suffering among the poor.
ny noon every stree, car line In this
city had been forced to suspend opera
lions. Nearly all the retail business
houses closed down aud Dismissed their
clerks. Delivery wagons which VEN
tufed OUT on their routes were In
numerous Instances abandoned In the
streets. the drivers unhitchins their
horrcr ana making for shelter from
the bitter blasts.
AZ tho capital neither house OF Con-
EreaH had "A quorum and only hand
ful of clerks put In appearance at the
various executive departments. all OF
which closed early. Diminishing their
forces. AZ the city hall the same con-
dition prevailed ana no courts wcrc
held. while public schools made no
attempt to hold sessions. the few
pupils who reached the buildings being
promptly sent home. The schools win
remain closed tomorrow.
Towards afternoon. when the rail-
road companies were forced to admit
that their tranic was prncticnii,
abandoned. the city was forced 10 the
realization of famine OF coal and pro-
Visions was impending. The price u
everything IN the eating line went
soaring Hkywnrd At the markets
prices were advanced from 20 to 100
per cent when the rcantinsHn OF the
supply ana immensely OF the demand
became manifest. Orders from nearby
towns poured IN and gave fresh
impetus Co the advance The same con
ditionH apply 10 the coal supply. The
article " being sold by the bushels aud
dealers say the stock on hand II ok.
ccvdinEiy limited. while railway con-
ditiona make the outlook Tor ship
mcntH into the city very gloomy. IL
was announced this afternoon that the
gas supply was being rapidly TX
haustcd from the reserve tanks aud tho
Haa company'n supply OF coal was no
slender that u would have To- be hua-
banded most carefully. Consequently
the pressure wa arcduccd. Many OF the
street lamps were not lighted. The
electric lighting companies, however.
arc as, yet maintaining q service The
police report that the condition OF the
really poor. particularly the large
colorcd population, IL pitlful Ia the
extreme. Every EFFORT Il being made
by the authorities and charitable as
sociAtionr To alleviate the suffering,
but owlng 10 the terrible weather con-
ditlonH but little can be accomplished.
There has not been during the day u
moments cessation OF the snowfall.
aud with the gale prevailing tonight II
IN dangerous Tor any one but strong
man 10 venture out. Many persons
| have been overcome by the cold, but
no fatalities have been reported within
the city limits, II II feared. however.
that there has been loss OF life Ia the
| adjacent country.
A. nightfall the streets were desert
ed by both pedestrians and teams. The
drifting SNOW has rendered most of
tho Wide avenues and uptown streets
| impansablc ana four horses 10 Single
WAGONS endcnvoring 10 break through
| with supplies IN "a common sight In
many Instances pack horses have been
rrrortod 10 and all day they could be-
seen struggling under double burdens
| of provisions or sacks OF coal. Tonight
all entertainments have practically
been given NJ or postponed. Two OF
ihe lnrgeAt thcatcrs did not open their
doors.
When told Of the continuation OF the
| existing conditions wna TO be expected
tonight. officials OF III. roads said 4,
| was likely that trnffic would come to a
hinndntlll before tomorrow.
Tonight orders were issued 10 HuH-
| pond operations On the main line and
branches ~ the Long Island railroad
until the storm subsidized. Drifts nearly
ten feet high were prevalent throughout
| the island. All OF the Sound atenn-
boats are tied up by the storm. and II
| was announced that none Of the Fall
| River. Stonington or Norwich lines
/ would venture 10 make trips until the
storm ceases and tho entrance to Hell
/ Gate In free from lee.
No out-of-town malls Were received
here today. with the exception OF two
morning conrlgnmcnts from Boston,
| None OF the incoming mails from the
north ana northwest over the Northern
| Central and from the south and south.
west over the Pennsylvania and the
baltimore a Ohio was delivered at the
/ portpiiice today.
chief Of Police Devery issued an or
der 10 the captains ~ the various pre-
clnts In Greater New York tonight a.
Eive shelter 10 all who apply for Il. and
to AFFORD general assistance to destitute
| persons.
Mayor vanwyck today notified Com.
| missioner John w. Keller OF the de.
| partmcnt ~ charities that he had $50.
| 900 subject 10 the commissioners draf,
| for the purpose Of relieving the poor
Tnmmnny hall gave half the amount
and Richard Croker and James H.
kecnc contributed 5000 each.