Evening star., 1899-02-08
The Weather at Last Catches Up
With the Prediction.
THE HEAVY FALL OF SNOW
How Different Classes Have Been
Affected.
SUFFERING OF THE POOR

casted for yesterday and confidently eX-
pected at that time, the much-desired fair
weather did not put in an appearance. True
there was slight clearing of the skies
shortly after noon, as told in The Star yes
terday, and old Sol took a half-hearted
peep through the riffs in the banked clouds
The old fellow evidently read the predic-
tions of the weather man heralding his
coming, and in fit of contrariness retired
again to obscurity, giving way to clouds
dark and threatening. The result of all
this that shortly after the evening
papers were on the street telling tale of
fair weather one of the heaviest snow fur
ries of the storm was raging in all it's
glory.
Throughout its career the storm which
has enveloped Washington since Sunday
morning has been at odds with the weather
bureau. The weather has been contrary
and aWfully hard to gauge. The snow,
lowering above, has refused to be fright
ened by forecasts of fairness, but continued
to fall upon the city until this morning
early, when from sheer exhaustion there
was a cessation of hostilities. Today at
noon the clouds slowly disappeared before
the northwest gale and the long-curtained
blue sky was in welcome evidence. The
storm is believed to have run its course,
and the weather bureau thinks there will
be no additional disturbances" for some
little time to come.
Cold Weather.
Following the vanished clouds has ap-
peared a cold wave. The temperature,
which is already lower than for ten days
past, gives promise OF still more frgidity
before tomorrow morning. There are many,
who have followed the weather bureaus
declarations of late, of the opinion that the
forecast of colder weather will bring about
change just the reverse. In majority
NJ inSt pia1lV
nouncement of approaching coldness, the
government establishment may be depended
upon with some degree of expicitness.
There is every indication, therefore, of
chilly temperatures during the next tWen-
tyfour hours.
This latest of the promulgated predic-
tions has blasted the hopes of the thous-
ands who wished for an early disappear-
streets, so choked and blocked with great
mountains of black, unsightiy snow, has
taken on a serious aspect. Business has
been hampered not alone on account of the
few purchasers venturng forth, but from
the difficulty of traffic in delivering goods
ordered by mail or phone. Building op-
erations have been altogether suspended SO
far as exterior operations are concerned
while the railway companies and street
repairers have been unable to accomplish
anything at all. Had the snow continued
to fall a serious effect would have been felt
by all the business concerns of the city
The outlook is more promising now, and
it is expected the usual activity of the
streets will again be apparent in the next
few days. -,s
ShoveIing snow,
The only industry which has fourished
to any great extent is that of snow shovel
ing, conducted by property owners in
dividually in compliance with the law and
by the Commissioners in accordance with
the miserly sum appropriated by Congress
for clearing the streets. The Associated
Charities has secured employment in this
direction for large number of men who
might otherwise have wanted for the ne
cessities of life The charities follows out
this plan of industrial help as far as posi-
ble with the well-founded idea that in al
lowing persons to earn their own Susten-
aEce their feelings of independence and
manhood are hot impaired. Many hun
dredS of dollars have been put in circula-
ton in the payment for work done in clear
ing the sidewalks of snow. The success
sion of snowfalls has required almost con-
slant work to accomplish this, much to
the satisfaction of the man with the
Shovel. The coal-Shoveling industry has
not suffered through the activity in snow
circles, but on the contrary has been BOOM
iEg as is seldom the case.
The cold weather today is felt over the
entire east and south down to and includ-
Ing Florida. The snow storms came from
the southwest, while the cold is coming
cut Of the northwest, where the mercury
Is practically out of sight SO low in the
bulb has it crawled. The extreme cold is
generally accompanied by fair weather
conditions, and the change from murky
snow-laden atmosphere to the clear, crisp
bracing air prevailing today is most de-
sirable.
The air has not been altogether free
from snow, however Notwithstanding the
clear sky. The hign winds dislodged from
the tree boughs and branches the many
Cpn all. l.. T.
it everywhere. From cCrnices and edges of
roofs the fieecy stuff was also caught up
and sent scurrying here and there, finally
1all1ns IN minute particles on the pedes-
auxiliary snowfall, and the cheerful change
In the weather put all in a brighter frame
of mind.
Some Incidents.
There is still just one disgruntled man in
town. He labored long last night. chuck
hing to himself at the great joke he was
going to have and the merriment his action
would create. During the first hours of
the morning he stole forth on 18th street
and scaled a mountain of high-piled snow,
placing at its peak sign bearing the fol-
lowing:
Beautiful Snow. -
friends and passers-by to his originality
and ingenuity. But the frost his efforts
received We're as apparent as the dirty
snow itself.
Great crowds of men have been engaged
today in carting away the snow, but their
labors have made but little impression
upon the great quantity of CONCEALED rain
now filling the thoroughfares. 1t is esti-
mated hat fully $4,000 would be neces-
sary to properly remove all evidence of the
great storm through which, Washington
has just passed-a storm WHICH has been
more prolonged and accompanied by
heavier falls of snow than can be remem-
bered by many of the Oldest residents of
the District If some one should discover
the beautiful Snow poet, therefore, the
reward would come in very nicely.
The poor have suffered intensely during
the cold spell. Many of their sources of
supply have been cut off by the SHOWS and
their condition in many cases is most de-
plorable. The demand upon the charitable
organizations has been heavier during the
past week than for many years. The con-
ditions among the needy are treated, how
ever, in the report of the Associated Char
tiles, published in another column
OF the business interests affected by the
storm none have suffered more than the BIZ
cyclists. There has, of course, been no de-
mand for new wheels Riding has been al
most an impossibility-in fact, total i'm
possibility to every one except the indefat-
fgable messenger boys and the renting
I h1<, l..r~