Evening journal., 1902-02-21
This Is the Most DiSagreea-
bic Storm for Years
WALKING A DANGEROUS FEAT
Street Car Traffic Intericred With
and Everybody Was Late for
Business Today

Old Jupiter Pluyus and the Frost
King got into an argument last night.
The former, in kindly mood. thought
he would do good turn for the people OF
Wilmington by sending "a shower TO clean
the streets OF snow and ice, wash the
trolley tracks and otherwise set in mo-
tion the mpeded wheels OF progress.
But the Frost King who, IN his gentle
and merrier mood is known as Jack
Frost apparently was In no such frame
of mind as pluyius and did not hesitate
to make his sentiments known in unmis-
taxable terms Then pluvus became am
CRY and determined to send that shower
anyway, and the Frost King. In his ef-
fort 10 prevent ID, tried his best TO con-
geal every tiny drop as Il fell. While
this celcctial wrangle was in progress,
the innocent third party, in this instance,
common mortas, were the sufferers.
The result is that the streets We're
never In more slippery, sloppy coudi-
ton. from curb 10 curb and from curb TO
house. Strange 20 say the asphalt pave
ment is not quite so treacherous as the
brick sidewalk, so it Is safe to assume
that the asphalt Is somewhat of an ally
OF Jupiter Pluvius and that the bricks
have gone over TO the Frost King.
Street cars We're running on anything
but schedule time this morning which
compelled people TO take their lives and
limbs in their hands, as it were. and
walk. There were some strange and pc
ouliar and sometimes funny incidents as
result
In going down the street a young
woman found herself the victim OF un-
kind circumstances. Both feet slipped
ON a particularly treacherous space and
down she sat, with both feet striking out
in front of her and with her skirts float
/ ing about her like balloon. She was
the picture of abiect discomfort and dis
gust
In turning the corner nt Seventh and
Market streets four horses attached to
an oil wagon had great difficulty in NOV
ing the wagon and keeping their feet. A
man on the sidewalk stopped and went
through any number OF contortions,
throwing himself backward and forward,
strainng himself this way and that. pun
ing and panting-so interested was he in
the animals and utterly unconscious OF
/ his own actions
The reason the street cars We're behind
time is that the sleet so covered the rails
that the wheels slipped continually and
much power was wasted. The trolley
wires also Were coated over with the re-
suit that the trolleys slipped every now
and then. which also contributed 20 the
delay. People missed their trains, every
body was late in getting to work and
matters upset generally and all because
I Jupiter rluvius and Jack Frost took it
into their heads TO disagree.
Such a sleety time has not been
known in Wilmington for many years.
lIcicles hang not only from houses and
lpOrches and trees but from trolley and
Telephone wires. street cars, and even
wagons and, in short. from every avail
able spot.
FARMERS LIKE STORM.
While the people of Wilmington are
anything but pleased with the storm.
fruit growers in the lower part of the
State are elated with the sleet. Mar
lshal Short. who IS an authority on
'such matters, says the sleet will be a
good thing for fruit, especially straw
berries and peaches He says the trees
Twill be covered with ice, and this will
have a tendency to make the fruit
backward This lessons the possibil-
Iity of the peaches being damaged by
lstOrms which may come later in the
season. The cold weather, snow and
lice also will keep the strawberry vines
lin good condition
The winter has been a good one for
fruit. and unless the unforeseen hap
pens, a large crop will be the result.