Smyrna times., 1909-12-29

The snow storm which visited this
section Christmas Saturday night
and Sunday morning, was the heaviest
and most destructive that Smryna has
experienced in years. Not in the
memory of our oldest inhabitants,
unless it be the winter of '56, has as
much snow fallen in so short space !
of time. 1t has been variOusly es
timat ID to have been from q to three !
feet en- level while the drifts were
upwards of five and six feet. In this
respect the drifts were not TO be COM
pared with the blizzards of IS or 80.
The snow, however, was the most
destructive to our shade trees of any
that has visited Smyrna in years.
All along our principal streets and
thoroughfares were branches broken
and bending under the strain of the
heavy snow. In some cases, limbs
as big around as a mans body were
snapped off. Notable in this was the
damage to the big shade tree in front
of Walter o. Heffecker's residence.
The heavy impact of snow was not
only damaging to shade trees, but
property as we'll. The entire roof Of
Walter Josephs' skating rink caved
in under the strain and the building
was crushed to the ground entailing
several hundred dollars damage. The
iron awnings of w. A. FAIRIES and
Son and Charles R. Massey were
broken and bent under the strain.
There was snow everywhere. Traffic
was at a standstill. Trains were
temporarily put out of service on
Smyrna Branch and the Delaware
railroad. Telegraph, telephone and
electric light wires were down.
Then in face of all of this came the
report of the explosion of the Gas
Plant, reported in another column.
Smyrna Was Isolated On Sunday
Smyrna was simply isolated all day
Sunday. Residents stayed in doors
and only those who were called out
urgently braved the snow-laden
streets. Church services we're called
off and with the exception of St.
Peters Church, none attempted tC
have services during the day. Rev.
Charles H. Holmead, rector, helC
services Sunday evening and there
was a goodly attendance despite the
conditions. Pavements by that tim'
were more or less cleaned and the
paths were broken sufficiently to al
low people to go to and fro. Asbur!
and the Presbyterian Churches dit
not attempt to open the doors ant
Christmas services which were t
have been rendered were postpone
until next Sunday. Only on
team was seen on Commerce stree
all day Sunday an that was the bi
sleigh of Daniel Thompson. who wa
the only milk dealer who attempte
TO deliver milk to his customers
Monday the streets opened better an
some from the country came to Smyl
ma. Howard Jones with a heav
team and a gang of men broke tn
way from his farm in Raymond
Neck. He started at seven O'cloc
and never reached Smyrna until for
O'Clock in the afternoon. Josep
Robinson also came to Smyrn;
Teams also broke the way betwee
Clayton and Smyrna but it wa
not until yesterday (Tuesday) mornir
that Smyrna received any mail
newspapers.
Uncertainty of Travel on Railroad.
Travel on Delaware Railroad W
irregular and uncertain. No attem
was made to run on schedule tim
Saturdays midnight tain did n
reach Clayton until seven o'clo
Monday evening. Snow blockad
and wrecks featured railroad traf
all day Monday and Tuesday Ma
anxious former Smyrnians were he
here. One young man paid $500
a horse to ride to Clayton. A nul
her of these "footed" it. Sever
who left Smyrna Monday afterno
caught train at Clayton but got
farther than Townsend where th
spent the night. Southbound ira
we're held up above Middletown
account of a wreck. 1t was all l
comfortable situation all the "
through. AS the day wore on vest
day the situation cleared up and