The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-21

Suspended by Ice Pack-Two YES
sells Reported Wrecked Their
Crew. Saved.
New York. February 17.-New York
city has borne the run Of the ~iercest
snow storm that has struck this section
Of the country since h great blizzard
Of 1888. Beginning o after midnight,
the storm increased rapidly until by
daybreak the whole city was complete
ly showed under. The rising force of
the gale piled the snow in great drifts
that for a time almost suspended traffic,
except in the main thoroughfares.
where the car tracks were only kept
open by the constant use Of snow
ploughs and sweepers.
Communication between Manhattan
and Brooklyn was subject to long de-
lay. The ferryboats with difficulty
made trips across the ice choked rivers,
and the work Of tugboats. lighters, and
shipping generally, was almost at a
~standstill. So heavy was the snowfall
that the loading Of vessels was stopped
it being impossible to keep the matches
open.
Two steamers which arrived during
the night Struggled as far as quaran-
tine. where they came to anchor. Sveral
are supposed to be off Sandy Hook
waiting for the storm to abate before
attempting to enter the port.
Tonight the local weather bureau re-
ports that the worst of the snowfall,
which began to abate in the afternoon
Is probably over. The fall up .
o'clock TINS afternoon was 9.3 inches.
This afternoon hurricane warnings were
hoisted at Sandy Hook and New York
and many vessels are detained in port.
There was considerable delay in the
arrival Of the mails. The local delive:-
les Of mail were hampercd by the diff
Guilty of driving he wagons through
the snow encountered streets. All mail
service between this city and points on
Long Island was practically suspended.
The congestion Of the traffic on the
Manhattan street car lines was severe
during the morning, when many of the
venues 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 crawled at
a snail's pace. From other thorough
fares truck traffic disappeared almost
entirely.
In the shopping district the blockade
was so complete hat several of the
great department stores closed at 4
o'clock.
Four thosand men were set to work
to clear the streets of Manhattan early
in the afternoon. OF these half were
engaged in opening cross Ill while
1000 men and 300 truck were employed
in the work all night of clearing tho
main streets.
On the elevated lines there was con-
siderable delay in the early hours, but
by the evening rush hours all trains
were running on time, although enor-
mously overcrowded, owing to the pos
ition of the surface lines
Brooklyn bridge vas kept clear of
snow from the time the storm began,
but both the elevated and trolley cars
were crowded to their utmost capacity,
although many thousands of Brooklyn
ties preferred the perilous passage Of
the ferries to participating in the crush
on the bridge.
The Blockade in Brooklyn.
Throughout Brooklyn he blockade
was even more general han in Manhat-
tan, and little progress was made by
the street cleaning department beyond
opening cross walks OF the principal
streets. During the day not over 60 per
cent. of the cars of the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit system were in operation and
thousands were compelled to make their
way on foot to the ferries.
Staten islanders suffered more thar
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 snow
ed under and the movement of trolleys
or trains was brought to a halt. The
conditions Of traffic were in every re-
spect worse than in the great blizzard
of 1888.
Telegraph and telephone service in
New York experienced little Interrupt
ton, for while the snow was heavy,
there was no sleet to break the wires.
During the day only a few minor ac-
cidents to pedestrians resulted from
the storm.
The fleet OF warships lying of quar-
antine to await the arrival of Prince
Henry was tor 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 and return TO the
navy yard.
The Storm in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA. February 1.-THE heavy
snow storm which began in this Sec
ton at 10 o'clock last night. ceased q:
5 o'clock this afternoon the fall OF snow
being the heaviest in three years. A
high wind ACCOMPANIED the snow, but
tonight the wind Is rapidly diminishing.
The greatest fail of snow occurred al
Atlantic City. which was the centre OF
the storm this morning. The weather
bureau there reports that IL inches fell
n that the maximum velocity OF the
wind. was thirty-four miles.
Cape May reported a snow fall of {
inches.
In this citv II inches OF snow were
recorded at the weather bureau and N
the interior. Of Pennsylvania snow fei
in depths vaying from I to 6 inches
o-~-- A. - l>rN-- $500