Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-14

fifteen feet in some of the more exposed
places Residents in the northern portions
of the city with northern-exposed dwell
ii.gs have experienced such drifts. On the
sidewalks throughout the resident portion
of the city the snow is from four to six
feet high. Persons walking through the
passages cut for them are not visible to
Others on the opposite side of the street.
Nothing like the present snow storm has
been known in Washington as far as the
records of sixty-five years past show.
The Columbia again the only street
car line running this morning. TIL, Capi-
tai Traction Company has a large force of
men at work on its avenue tracks, and ex-
poets to be in running shape late this after
on. The Metropolitan tracks are under
deep snow all along the route, especially
out Connecticut avenue. This company also
has big gang of workmen on the tracks
ard hopes to open the right of way in short
order. Trains are still snowbound in and
out of the city, and the mail service
throughout the east is in a deplorably Grip
pied condition. Up to a late hour this after
noon practically no mail had been received
at the city post Office Washington Is as
ccmple tely tied up in the matter of trans
portatiOn facilities ever before in her
history. With the exception of yesterday,
no wind of consequence has accompanied
the stormy period through which the east
has just passed, and this is accountable for
the maintenance of telegraph and telephone
communication, both of the services being
uninterrupted. The wires are working badly
in some instances, but the companies have
the damage wrought to their lines well in
hand.
Washington has had every kind of
weather known to the world, and will be
under heavy robe of snow for many days
to come The let up on the part of ths
adverse elements is most welcome.
Many prostratOns have resulted from the
attempts of persons to force their way
through the snow drifts during the past
twenty-four hours, and numberless cases
of destitution have been reported and re-
heved by the charitable organizations. The
Evening Stars pound party is in successful
progress and promises to be of wide benefit
to thousands.
Provisions are stiIl climbing up the price
scale and merchants are demanding top
figures for their stuff Dairy products are
especially scarce and expensive, exorbitant
prices being quoted on eggs, butter and
milk.
The coal question continues to be a seri-
Gus one. The dealers are rapidly depicting
their yards in effort to meet the un-
usual demand upon III I'm.
Mercury Rising
Freezing weather is reported from every
part of the United States today with the
exception of California, small portion of
Texas and that bit of Florida south of
Juniper. The fruit crop in the south has
been very badly damaged and it is expect
ed that when full reports are received from
the government stations they will tell a
tale of awful ruin. The cold spell has been
of such unusual duration to make the
protection of the trees impossible. The
coldest weather ever known in Tampa was
reported during the past forty-eight hours.
The mercury has not risen above %
throughout the northern part of Florida.
The abnormal rise of temperature in the
west is not expected to be felt in this sec
tiOn, where the mercury will climb steadily
and slowly. This mornings minimum was
degrees above zero. 1t is expected the
same coldness will prevail again tonight
with a still greater moderation tomorrow.
Il would seem that the elements had at last
exhausted their fury and were going to give
Washington's many sufferers a much-need-
ed rest from the battle with outrageous
weather. Through all the United States
with the exception of the upper Mississippi
valley, clear weather is reported today the
general storm having passed entirely away
Price of Coal.
In some quarters the advance in the price
of coal has been one of the worst features
of the storm. number of dealers in resi-
dence sections of the city refused to sell
any customer more than a quarter of a
ton. alleging that they Were likely to run
short of coal. and further, that they were
unable to supply the large orders sent in.
Many Of them even declined to put the coal