The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-09
"Dr. Brooks" Not Corrected"

To the Editor: i am very much sur
prised at the article of Mr.. Kennedy in
your paper of today. He must have
read my statement very carelessly to
reach the conclusion that 1 claim that
the big snow fell in Sc rather than in
So. My contention is just the contrary,
and is substantially the same as Mr..
kennedys. AS l understood Major Scott,
he insisted that the "big snow fell on
the 18th or 18th of January, 81 and that
it was one of a series of snow-Talls that
winter, and spring, the snow remaining
OH the ground until 1.-The last OF March, -
L think that if Mr.. Kennedy will reread
my statement he will see that my purpose
was to show that the repeated SHOWS
referred to by Major Scott, fell
in the winter of Sc, and that the "big
snow" fell on the 18th and 18th of Janu-
airy, ST. l am not sure but that it fell
also on Monday, as Mr.. K. suggests. i
remember this very distinctly. as | was
ri years old on Monday, the 18th OF
January, just five days before the snow
began to fall on Saturday, the 18th. Mr..
Kennedy says: 1.-THE winter was very
cold and the snow remained on the ground
more than month" He also SAYS that
Muse River was frozen over My
fathers mill pond was frozen over, and
the ice was some or s inches thick.
But l am sure that Mr.. K. is mistaken as
to the length of time the snow remain
ed on the ground l remember distinct
ly that on the 10th and 18th of February,
e. l travelled more than 80 miles
through the country to Morrisville, this
county, but haven't the slightest recol-
lection OF encountering or seeing any
snow. Indeed, the weather was so warm
about st. Valentines Day that many Of
the farmers of Wake bedded' their
sweet potatoes, which were SO damaged
by subsequent cold weather that they
had to bed again-at least those OF
them who could get more potatoes. For
after this wholesale damage, potatoes
were very scarce as we'll as high-priced.
Mr.. Kennedy says that there was a
good deal of rain, but no snow in Janu
ary SO, and that it was not very cold
That may have been true in Lonoir and
yet snow may have fallen in Chatham;
for snow frequently falls in the central
and western parts OF the State when
there is only rain in the cast. The sum
OF the whole matter as | remember it,
is this:
l. In the winter of 30 and Sc, there
was a series of snow-falls, commencing in
Dccember or January and lasting until
sometime in March. The ground was not
covered with snow all that time, posi-
bly,. not half of it, but some OF it remain
ed in protected places from one OF these
SHOWS to another l do not remember
that the weather was excessively cold
a. any time during these SHOWS.
2. On the 18th, 18th and probably the
10Th of January, 1857, snow tell to the
average depth of Is inches or two feet,
being drifted by the strong wind that
was blowing to the depth OF or feet,
in some places, covering the farm fences.
That, while it was very cold while the
snow falling and extremely 80 Tor
time afterwards, it soon turned warmer
and the snow was nearly or quite all
gone within two or three weeks.
Now, Mr.. Editor, begging pardon Tor
troubling you and your readers with this
unimportant matter, | re-
nam, Very truly yours,
JOHN r. BROOKS.