The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-02-21
ONLY SHADOW OF 1883.
Commuters Start Prepared-Snow
Banks BeIated Trains.

bdnkS-DeIdteO Trains.
The weather outlook at daylight
Monday meant to the commuters who
comprise a large part of the residents
of Morristown, a repetition of the
blizzard of 1883, when some of them
spent the greater part of three days
on trains, or were stalled between
Morristown and Hobcken; the air
was filled with snow whirled about
by forty mile gale, and drifts had
already formed on streets and side
walks rendering some of them almost
impossible. 1t was noted that those
who had "been there before land who
were not so fortunate as to have con-
veyances to the morning express
trains made their appearance with
pant legs strapped or roped around
their ankles, and pockets bullying
with sandwiches and bottles, the latter
supposedly containing coffee. In the
big blizzard, Morristown was isolated
for three days causing a scarcity of
fuel and food. To obviate this, Pro-
prietor Guerip of the Mansion House,
laid in generous supply of meat,
milk, and provisions of all kinds, and
his example was followed by other
boarding houses and hotels.
With snow thirteen inches deep on
the level and drifts to Is feet deep,
locomotion about the streets was
difficult. Milkmen in some instances
were unable to get in from the coun-
try, while merchants of every kind
enoeavored to get their orders out of
the way in anticipation of more se-
we're weather.
The 7.50 and s. 90 Morristown ex-
press trains were nearly two hours
late in reaching Hoboken, while the
west bound morning mail
train was one hour behind
time; several trains were
abandoned altogether, while all.
after the mail, were from two to three
honrs late. The snow was drifted all
along the tracks and was especially
bad in the neighborhood of Summit.
West of Dover and east of the Dele
ware Riv7r little trouble was ex-
perienced as the snow though deep
did not drift.
In the public schools the High
School and two upper grades had less
than half the number of scholars Fpre-
sent, while in the lower grades the
number of pupils present averaged
from one to fifteen.
Judge Vreeland had an important
case before him in the court, but the
official stenographer, Walter Knight,
and absent jurymen, delayed matters
until noon, when Elmer King, always
obliglng and good stenographer,
SAID that lnasmuch as Judge Vree-
land was accommodating to others.
and so generally good natured he
would assume the duties of stenogra
pher until the regular official came.
The Judge accordingly ordered the
jury impaneled and the case was
proceeded with.
The snow fell necessarily through
the day, and all sorts of vehicles
were to be seen slowly making head
way from the swell cutter to the old
fashioned sleigh of our grandfather s
days; listers and fur coats were
everywhere noticeable, and in some
instances bandanna handkerchiefs
were used to tie down pant legs.
The chemical engine and Resolutes
II. q L. Co. had extra horses attached
to the apparatus, while the machines
were aloaded with shovels and brooms
so that in case of an alarm the en-
CINE and truck could be drawn
through the drifts.
A funeral party coming from the
city were detained three hours on the
train and then it was with great
difficulty the carriages and hearse
made their way to Evergreen ceme-
terry in this city where interment
was made.
The storm gradually abated after
dark though travelling the day fol-
lowing wos attended with many diff
culties. The heavy snowfall extend
ed throughout the Eastern states and
was particularly severe in Western
New York.