The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-19
RESUMED HOURS LATER
Navigation Blocked by Ice Packs IN
Upper Chesapeake.
FEW REPORTS OF DISASTER TO VESSELS
Adyices Come From Pennsylvania, New Jersey
and From New England Of the Sweep
ofthe Storm and Partial Sus-
pension of Businss,
(By the Associated press.)


New York, Feb. 17.-New York City
has borne the brunt Of the flercest snow
storm that has struck this section of the
country since the great blizzard of 1883
Beginning soon after midnight the storm
increased rapidly until by daybreak, the
whole city was completely showed under.
The rising force of the gale piled the
snow in great drifts that for time al
most suspended traffic, except in the
main thoroughfares, where the car tracks
were only kept open by the constant
use of snow ploughs and sweepers.
The Terry boats with difficulty made
trips across the ice choRed rivers, and
the work of tug boats, lighters and ship
ping generally, was almost at a stand
still. The loading of vessels was stopped
1t being impossible to keep the matches
open.
The steamers which arrived during the
night struggled as far as quarantine.
where they came to anchor. Several
steamers are supposed TO be off Sandy
Hook waiting for the storm to abate be-
Tonight the local weather bureau re-
ports that the worst OF the snowfall
which began to abate in the afternoon.
is proba bly, over. The fall up TO 3 o'clock
this afternoon was $40 inches This at
ternoon hurricane warnings We're hoisted
at Sandy Hook and New York and many
vessels are detained In port.
All mail service between this city
an dpoints on Long Island was practical
On the Manhattan street car lines dur
ing the morning many of the avenues
were blocked with long lines Of stalled
cars. On Broadway wheel traffic was
confined to the narrow lanes between
high snow hills and along these cabs,
trucks and cars crawied at snaifs
pace. From other thoroughfares truck
traffic disappeared almost entirely.
In the shopping district the blockade
was so complete that several of the
great department stores closed at 4
o'clock
Four thousand men were set to work
TO clear the streets of Manhattan early
in the afternoon. OF these half We're en-
gagged in opening cross walks, while 1000
men and 800 trucks were EMPLOYED TO
w
On the elevated lines there was con-
siderably delay in the early hours, but
by the evening rush hours all trains
were RUNNING on time. although enor-
mously overcrowded, owing TO the sus-
pension of the surface lines.
The Brooklyn bridge was kept clear Of
snow from the time the storm began. but
both the elevated and trolley cars We're
crowded to their utmost capacity. al
though many of the BrooklyniteS pre-
ferred the perilous passage Of the fer
ries to participating in the cruzh on the
bridge.
Throughout BROOKLYN the blocka lie
was even more general than In Manhat-
tan. During the day not over go per
cent of the cars of the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit system were in operation.
Staten Islanders suffered more than
the residents of any of the boroughs Of
Greater New York The boats were all
much behind time. and no effort was
made to keep schedule time, the main
trouble being due to the great masses OF
ice packed in the slips at st. George.
The island itself was completely showed
under and the movement OF troiieys or
trains was brought to halt.
Telegraph and telephone service In
New York experienced little Interrupt
ticn, for while the snow was heavy. there
was no sleet to break the wires.
The feet Of the warships lying quaran-
tire to await the arrival of Prince Hen
ry was for hours cut off by floating ice
from communication with the shore,
Forty marines who put off to the ships
in boats from Staten Island were COM
PEELED to put back to the Navy Yard.