Evening journal., 1904-01-04
SHIVERS
IN ARCTIC COLD
RIVERS FROZEN AND TRAFFIC. ON STEAM
AND ELECTRIC ROADS DELAYED BY
WORST STORM FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
MANY ARE SHEDDING

Not for years has Wilmington suf-
ferod from a storm as o. present. With
the thermometer lowering just above
the zero mark and the ground covered
with slect and snow and the rivers
with ice almost every branch Of in-
dustry IS affected. In many instances
work in the manufacturing establish
ments about the city has had to be
abandoned.
Rivers Frozen Tight. -
Ice that ranges IN thickness from o
to y inches covers the Brandywine
from bank to bank and no boat has
been able TO work there since Satur-
day In the Christiana about the same
conditions prevail. The steamer
Brandywine this morning after strug-
Cling with the ice close upon an hour,
succeeded in breaking its way TO the
Delaware river This is the only boat
that has ventured out today. The
reputation OF the Brandywinc is we'll
known among nvermen as being the
most powerful ice-brealdng boat that
plies on the Delaware. Several times
when the ice boats of Philadelphia
could not get out the Brandywine has
cut her way through ice that was
about five inches in thickness in maxi
ing her way to the river.
No boat has been above Fourth
street wharf since yesterday at noon,
when the big tug Meteor after a hard
struggle, finally reached Warner s
wharf.
Yesterday one Of the Philadelphia
] mol lifI
breaking open the channel as far as
the mouth of the Christiana.
The ice has been forming FOR two
weeks. but has been broken up by the
boats. The surface Is exceedingly
rough. some Of the thick cakes stand
ling ON end where they were piled by
the tide and fozen there.
Plants Forced TO Suspend Work.
Men employed in the different manu-
featuring plants about the city return
ed TO their work this morning, but IN
many Of the departments nothing
could be done and the employees went
home. This was particularly true OF
the South Side plants which are ex
posed to the sweep OF the wind across
: the marshes.
Reached Zero Here.
AZ 9 o'clock this morning the ther
mometcr az the Third street crossinl
Of the Pennsylvania railroad register
ed zero but after that there was
slight moderation ana throughout tn
day the temperature stood at about /
r degrees.
Many Hydrants Frozen.
e From All sections Of the city come
D the report that hydrants and waite
pipes are frozen. I'm some instance
the pipes in the cellars have burst an
the cellars resemble skating ponds.
Last night was undoubtedly tn
coolest OF the winter and on account q
r the exceedingly slippery condition of IN
D Ipavements fewer people were on IN
d street than for long time.
Railroads Suffer-
The railroads have had much trou
bic in maintaining anything like thei
regular schedule. The engines becom
, frozen and are useless. Several an
sidetracked here that have becom
j. frozen.
Train No. SO. Off the Delaware rail
road. had TO change engines here thl
morning. the air pumps having be
F. come frozen and refusing to work. a
= the trains are running almost an hou
late and specials are being made "a
here 20 take their places.
Cold Causes Freight Wreck.
AT the Edge Moor hump the i,
forming on the brakes Of the cars wa
responsible for an accident on Satw
n day night a string of cars had bee
started over the hump and when n
| brakeman tried to apply the brake
they refused to work. A Delaware roa
freight was passing the cross-over b'