Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-15
BABY BLIZZARD HERE
CAME UP FROM sEMI-TRoPICAL
GULF REGION.

A baby blizzard, as the present weather
conditions were termed by veteran wealth
er man. reached Washington at an early
hour this morning from the Gulf Of Mexico.
1t was accompanied by raw and pene-
tratfng northeast wind and combination
of snow and sleet, which quickly covered
housetop, street and shrubbery, giving
Washington a midwinter appearance.
The combined sleet and snow turned into
a heavy fall of snow by 10 o'clock, covering
sidewalk and roadway to a depth of about
two inches before the monday whistles
had sounded. The fakes fell thick and
fast, and soon the noiseless work of the
where, and drifts were formed III places I'M
der the pressure of the north wind in
depths from three to five inches.
1T may appear strange to the average
person. said the veteran meteorologist,
that an icy storm like this, accompanied
by snow and sleet, should blow up from
the semi-tropical gulf region. But when
we read the official weather reports and
sean the maps issued by Prof. Willis Moore
the matter explains itself When the storm
started from the balmy southland on its
northern tour 1t consisted of q fall OF warm
rain. AS the storm area proceeded north
ward the precipitation became colder and
colder until II finally turned into sleet and
snow under the effect of the lower tenn
peratures In its path
The progress of this disturbance has been
carefully noted by Prof. Edward B. Garriott.
the official forecaster of the United States
weather bureau. He informed a Star re-
porter today that the baby blizzard has
been on It's way from the Gulf Of Mexico
for couple of days.
LAS 1t proceeds further northward," add
ed the professor, ut is forming d bad COM
bination. 1t Is liable to produce rather Sc
we're conditions along the middle and north
Atlantic coasts. In consequence of the
hrn an H ayrfl re O 20 n
our storm flags, and they are flying at all
points along the coast
Due In New England Tonight.
This storm is expected to reach New
England tonight with added severity. Prof.
Garriott says 1t will continue in Washing
ton tonight, clearing away tomorrow and
leaving a temperature anywhere from four
to seven degrees below the freezing point.
There were many visible reminders OF mid
winter on the streets of Washington today.
The northeast wind was chilling and caused
pedestrians to scurry briskly along, The
snowfall covered field roadway and house,
top to a sufficient depth to paint a picture
OF winter and children were happy at the
prospect of shedding today and tomorrow,
at least.
The peddlers of fuel were abroad early
this morning and their cries of coal,
GOAL" were heard on the commons and
in the byways soon after the gray and
dreary break of day. These peddIers of
fuel did rushing trade TODAY selling coal
by the peck or busheI and sawed and split
wood from a penny's worth to larger guam
titles. according to the purses of their Gus
toners.
The coating OF snow and ice on the con-
crete roadways made travelling difficult for
horses that had not been rough shod, with
the result that many horses fell and traffic
was stagnated to a considerable extent in
tho earlier hours of the forenoon. The
clingng snow and Ice also caused some
trouble to the telephone lines and the cleo
trio street railways.
Pedestrianism Difficult.
Pedestrianism, too, was rendered dim
cult, and those who went out upon the
streets without having provided themselves
with their gum shoes found walking sort
of slippery proposition. A number of luck
less persons had falls and the Emergency
surgeons had a number of cases that re-
CURED hospital treatment
Draft on Fund Of so, 500.
Today's storm made necessary the first
attack by the street cleaning department
upon the special appropriation of $2,5OO al
lowed by the last Congress for the special
purpose of removing snow and Ice from
the city crosswalks and cutters during the
present winter. Flakes were still falling
when The Stars interview with Supt Std
end of the storm is in sight he could not
estimate upon the expenditure which would
probably be needed to do the work
Gangs of men were out with shoyels and
brooms as soon as 1t became evident that
the prevailing nor easter had serious inten-
lions toward the capital, but until the
storm is ended the efforts of the depart
ment will be concentrated on keeping pass
able the principle crossings In the DOWN
town district.
Such storms as this, local authorities In
timated, would probably offer one Of the
strongest arguments necessary before Con-
gross to secure larger appropriation for
cleaning away snow from streets In the
District during mex. winter. Guperintend-
ent Stidham, In his annual estimates re-
Gently submitted, asked that 10000 be al
lowed for this purpose and also that some
provision be made for relieving th, streets
of snow and siush, as Is done in other
cities, instead of cleaning only the cross
walks and cutters.
Snow Plows In Use.
The entire force Of snow plows on the
several city railroads were brought into
use today, and notwithstanding that they
were kept constantly whizzing along the
tracks. the rapidly falling snow caused