The Washington herald., 1910-01-06

Professionalism and Higher Tenn
perature the Prediction for To-day.
afoot yesterday had to test their skill
in skates. skits, jolts, and shifts of all
sorts-ln fact. every manner and mode
Of locomotion except straight. everyday
walking.
Observers who sat snugly in comfort
able bay windows caught sight OF freaks
and caprices wherever their eyes rested
on men. women. children. or beasts.
abroad on the slippery streets. II was
all the same; humanity and the brutes
were curiously jumbled. and all because
the weather had played a prank with
walks and pavements.
Weather indications boded I'll through
out the morning. and by IL o'clock a
misty sIeet commenced TO fall. At noon
the transformation was complete
Throughout the length and breadth Of
the city, walks and pavements were COW
cred with the thin, smooth, 10y coating.
and then the fun began-fun for every
body except those who made It.
They we're all in the race. Old men
and young, matrons and gay misses had
an equal chance. An ascent or descent
in any street was signal for some
thing doing" Straightway the pedes-
trians danced and shufied and reeled.
throwing Delsarte 10 the winds in mad
effort to gain lamppost or any old post
that held out hope OF security, for sound
footing was not TO be had. Here. there,
everywhere, might stranded wayfarer
be seen. treed, II the protector happened
TO be a tree. but wildly clinging TO what
ever object offered assurance OF at least
a semi-perpendicular posture.
Many Resolutions Broken.
Where the way was clear OF inviting
objects 10 which the fainting traveller
might tie up, the law Of gravitation was
inexorabge. The theory OF the earth's
attraction was demonstrated IN hundreds
Of cases. At the same time New Years
resolutions were broken without number.
What many a sprawling, hapless, and
helpless father may have said is pur-
posely omitted on account OF the evil et
feet the repetition might have on those
OF tender years.
Horse vehicles were abandoned quite
generally IN the afternoon, except IN cases
OF dire necessity. Street cars made I'm
perfect progress. Telegraph and tele-
phone wires suffered less perceptibly.
Steam traffic was somewhat disturbed.
but not seriously.
And now the Weather Bureau, which
forcasted this evil. sounds a note OF hope
that the ice VIII to-day give way before
rising temperature. Rain is on the
boards for to-day. and settled atmospheric
conditions are not promised until to-mor-
row night
The temperature. which was 1s degrees
above zero yesterday afternoon at
o'clock, had ascended 20 26 at Gas O'clock
last evening, and II was stated it would
be above the freezing point by or Z
o'clock this morning. by which time the
sleet will have become rain.
Humane Society Busy.
| Secretary John p. Heap, OF the humane
! society, said yesterday was the worst
| day for dumb beasts he had experienced
/ in the four years Of his connection with
the society. He put in busy day send
/ ing out his five agents to the various
points Of the compass, from which calls
and complaints came In. There were
twenty calls for help 10 get horses and
mules on their feet
! 4 mule is a much wiser brute than he
gets credit for. While a horse is a eau
tious animal. he will attempt 10 raise
himself If given half a chance, but the
mule viii lie calmly and let the other
fellow do the worrying.
| It took three agents OF the Humane
Society, ell the passers-by in the neigh
borhood. and pan Of coal ashes to raise
a mule who lost its footing in Dupont
Circle And the combined forces worked
for an hour and half before the ami
NAL was on his legs. Believing that
discretion is the better part OF valor, &c,
the mule refused TO bulge until re was
satisfied that his efforts would not meet
with further mishap. Such instances Mr..
Heap said are common in the work OF
the society.
Teams Overloaded.
From practically every street in the
elevated portion Of the northwest lying
above Florida avenue. came complaints
Of overloaded teams. In all cases there
would have been no trouble except for
the ice but it was impossible TO make
progress with even light load. The
humane agents were able to suggest
doubling up or other means Of relief ir
most cases. In a few of these particu.
lar calls it was necessary to abandon
loads. There was only one arrest. that
Of a negro, who was beating a horse ir
New Hampshire avenue near NJ street.
Conditions were complicated among gen.
eral delivery and work teams owing tc
the fact that the sleet did not make Its
appearance until toward noon. Teams left
their stables in the morning, entirely un-
prepared for an emergency, the change
came suddenly, and the result was thai
in all parts of the city it was necessary
to take horses from vehicles, which were
left standing in the streets,
Relief for many horses was brought
about by a means which Agent Heap com
mended last evening as the most practi
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