The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-12
RECA.LL BLIZZARD
AS STORM BREAKS
People Rcmember. What Happen
ed Here Eleven Years
Ago Yesterday.

When the frst snownakes began 10
scamper along Main street yesterday
afternoon. and when tho northwcst
wind started to signing around the
corners of the Mutual Building. tho
weather wise began to wag their
heads. Snow was in tho clouds: a
blizzard was in the air; cold days and
biting nights were ahead. While these
prophets were predicting trouble, some
one IN the lobby of the Mutual Build
ing remembered the date. Then II all
dawned on him. History was repeat
ing itself. ana Richmond might rs wei
prepare on this anniversary dav for
the blizzard times that descended on
the city eleven years ago yesterday
MANY people thought about the CO.
incidence in the course OF a few min
utes and began TO call up The Times
Dispatch FOR information. When they
were assured that the great blizzard.n
as they called II. caught Richmond in
Its grasp just eleven years ago. they
hung UP the telephone with an "I-told-
you-so' air and prepared for tho worst.
Pretty soon the coal dealers and the
srocers were being called up. while
the fearful housckeepers OF West
Franklin street prepared to lay In sup
plies against the coming OF another
storm.
Hopeful Sign in Rain.
when the snow turned 10 rain about
8 O'Clock, there was "A general sigh OF
relief but many man went to bed
fully convinced that the weather would
change during the night and that n
second February blizzard was In store
Tor trapped Richmond
The optimistic citizen who saw
| In nh FIT
| last night, as no recounted the details
o. the great storm OF 1899. The en-
tire month OF February was cold-so
| cold that the fuel dealers were smil-
| Ing and the man with a small income
was carrying long face about with
| him. On February Q the temperature
took a sill more decided dip down
ward and reached tho lowest point re-
| corded in tho winter. In the Missis-
sippi Valley the day was record
breaker. equaling January / 1864. and
January 5, 1854. While this low TEN.
/ peraturc was not particularly notice
able in Richmond. 1t was cold enough
| for the best skating known In years.
On Saturday afternoon, eleven years
ago yesterday. the first snow of tho
blizzard began 10 fall. Not until tho
evening Wore away, and the night
j passed. did people generally realize
that a great storm Was coming. All
DAY sunday the snow fell. until by
| night the streets were SO covered that
even the preachers and chotr-a,ngers
did not venture forth to church.
All Business Suspended.
Wncn morning dawned on Monday
the snow was still falling, and was
driven by a strong northeast wind that
piled 1t in great drifts along the west
sides OF Tho Cross streets Business
was suspended the cars could not run;
all Richmond stayed at home and hug
ged the i1rc.
When at length tho sun peercd
: through the clouds on Tuesday morn-
ing, the streets were impossible In
/ many places. Drifts were recorded
as high as seven feet. and in few
], exposed places was the snow less than
, two feet deep. The ordinary show
: plows OF the street car company were
useless. and mule teams had to be
, and had to be driven the entire length
Of the tracks before the swcepcrs
t could be put to work.
A week OF mild weather dispellcd
: the snow, but for two or thrco days
: the sidewalks were barricaded with
! a breastworll of snow that reached
r, as high as five feet in many places.
"And the worst part of the whole
business concluded ono sage, as he
recounted tho story in the lobby Of
a NIurphy's last night" was that no.
E body in Richmond had as much as 4
: ton of coal in his cellar. Tho blizzard
q caught us all mapping