The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-02-19
KEEPING UPRIGHT
WAS HARD WORK
Sleety Streets Made Walk
ing a LabOriOus Task.
SKATERS WERE PLENTIFUL
Small Hope for Better Weather-Two
Cold Waves Scheduled-Number of
Accidents Reported.
SKATERS WERE PLENTIFUL

For the first time in several years
Washington awoke this morning to find
itself completely enveloped in a thick
sheet of ice, so solid and so CLASSY that
athletic wage-earners were enabled TO
forsake the street car and glide grace
fully to their respective working places
on ice skates
such a sight is unusual in Washing
ton. one is accustomed TO "A little sleet
but not to the thick coating that began
to fall at II o'clock last night. and CON
tinued until morning. A group of
skaters here and therefor many went
out for the pleasure Of the exercise this
morning gave the streets carnival
sort of aspect that is rare here.
The possibilities of mishaps and incon-
Venience in0uced by the weather today
were almost limitless. The milkman
was roasted when he came late, and all
the occupants Of apartment houses
heard him call up the shaft that he had
10 abandon his wagon to have his horse
rough shod. Many real horseless car
riases and wagons stood about the
city's streets while their drawing
power was properly fitted to cope with
the slippery streets.
Crawling TO the Cars.
Those who have not learned to stand
right side up on ice skates, and usually
start early to walk to office. were COM
pelled to creep cautiously to the car
line this morning and ride TO work. At
: o'clock cars which usually come down
town practically empty were packed
The companies continued TO sand their
tracks throughout the day. and the
street cars, in consequence, were the
only things motionable that made no at
tempt to stand on their heads.
The people on runners did not have
ali the fancy figures TO their credit. for
there was more attempt at cake-walk-
ing today than could be seen at Il
Southern contest for the finest cake
the town baker could turn out. Women
hung desperately to anything from a
man to a fence in the effort 10 stand
pat The middle Of the street proved
the most popular thoroughfare, al
though IL offered quite as many oDDOr-
tunities FOR side-stepping as the brick
pavement
More Cold Weather.
At noon the sleet began 20 fan again.
and for an hour the pebbly particles of
ice battered down. Then came the snow
and heavy fan is expected.
No let up in the cold weather is prom-
ised. Instead. two menacing cold waves
are bearing down on the Capital City.
and threaten to join forces within 4
short time at just about Fifteenth
Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Thew
are not going only to pass through the
city" but viii stay while and make
things breezy FOR they are said TO be
borne on winds from the chilly north.
and WasbingtOnians may expect some
thing i'm the way Of a blowout
This Is said 10 be the coolest Feb
ruary known at the Weather Bureau
perature has been Is degrees. and only
twice since the LIST of the month has
the thermometer registered above the
freezing point Even then Il was quicl,
TO fall below. and the month record
promises to continue
Accidents Reported.
Among the numerous mishaps that be
fell pedestrians today. the following
were reported:
lsugenia De Land twenty-four years
old. OF 504 T Street northwest. slipped on
the street at Fourteenth and L Streets
northwest about S;i5 o'clock and re
ceived a severe shaking up She wa
otherwise uninjured and went home un
assisted.
About $50 o'clock Mrs. Allen, forty
two years old. Of 80 T. Street north
west fell I'm Jgdiciary Square near the
city Hall and received painful injuries
about the back OF her head She was
taken home by Park Policeman Welcf
and a physician was summoned
While crossing = Street. near Nintl
northwest about o'clock. Bernard II
Harris. forty years old. Of 81 Tent
Street northwest. fell to the ground and
received n severe cut on his head. The
necessary medical treatment vas giVei
him al the Emergency Hospital
George Penn forty-liVe years old. o.
JAG North Carolina Avenue southeast
slipped at Second and North Caroline
Avenue about 80 o'clock and sustained
a severe cut on the head for which n'
received treatment at the Providence
Hospital and was afterward sent TO hi
home