New Britain herald., 1915-02-02
TROLLEY SYSTEM IS | PARALYzED BY STORM New Britain Gut Off From Hartford,
 hicIjdea and Berlin
 SNOW BREAKS UP SCHEDULE

Nearly All Lincs-Ci,y Pays About
 Sl5O to keep Streets and CrcssWalks 1 Clear.
 Transportation as far as the trolley i system vas concerned was m d state of decentralization the greater part oL thc day owing to the storm and de- spite the efforts of wrecNnS crews 1 there was hardly a line in thiS city | or running out Of it that was not all l fected
 Reports were received at short in ! tcrvals at the djspatchcr's telephone at Central park that cars were off the 1 track This was especially notice able in the morning, althouSh con ditions were remedied to some OK tent as the day grew older. Hundreds of factory and office en- ployes were late for work this morn ing as they were unable to find trans DOrtation. Although SnOWplOws were out early, the tracks could not be kept clear and the snow drifting back on the tracks made it impossible to run the cars on schedule time.
 Trolley System Paralyzed.
 By 10 o'clock nearly all lines were affected Trolley communication with Meriden was a minus quantity. A snowplow at Cooks corner in Meri- den left the track and plunged into ditch, enough of the machine hang ing over the rails to effectually block that line. Later a double-truck car left the irons at Lazy lane, shutting off travel to and from Southington.
 Half an hour after the North end line had been broken out trolley car jumped the track and put the greater part of that branch of the service out of commission. The Ber line line was likewise rendered use less by car that would not keep to the irons.
 The Hartford line was tied up in a knot when a car left the rails at Maple Hill and another did a similar trick at Robbins crossing.
 Although not heavy, the snow packed hard and resisted the biting steel wheels as if it, too, was made of steel. An early morning car on the return trip from the Arch street line became stalled and it was necessary to send two cars after 1t to bring 1t back to Central Park. A snowplow
  t. keep the line clear on Stanley street and could move ahead only by "bucking" the snow for few feet at a time.
 Worst ''Litt1e' Storm in Years.
 Trolley men say that for it's size the storm is the worst in years. All their 1 ingenuity was brought to play, yet the few inches of fine snow baffled their 1 best efforts. Superintendent Boards ley had large gang of men at work l keeping the switches open and in ] other ways helping to keep the lines l clear.
 Storm Costs City About $15O.
 The storm cost the city in the l vicinity of $150, this representing 1 wages paid to shovelers and sleigh 1 hire. Superintendent Wiegand of the street department had half a hundred men and four double-horse sleighs out early in the morning, clearing the snow from city walks, streets cross 1 walks and gutters. The men are paid $2 per day and the sleighs cost s558 a day.
 The street gang was hampered to some extent by the trolley cars, which threw the snow back onto the streets that had already been shoveled Business men who had their walks cleared late also brought down the wrath of the street gang on their heads for blocking up the gutters after they had been cleared.
 Business World Stops Revolving.
 Business was practically at a stand still. Those who had money to spend remained at home as they could not ride with any certainty of arriving a their destinaton and they wouldn't walk. It was a bad day for merchants and the girls behind the counters en- Joyed a rest.
 It was forcibly brought to mind that New Britain's society thespians are being followed by a hoodoo Last February when The Belle of New J ork' was given New Britain was in the throes of a blizzard and while