The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-03
Sound Shipping Almost At Standstill When Snow and Spray Combine to Obscure Vision and High Seas I'm peril Shippers.
Trolley Traffic Interrupted But Not Badly Crippled
 Whole Atlantic Coast In volved in 50 Mile Gale
 Brighton Beach In Peril.

Swept by one iof the sM0aw1eST nOrJn- east. gales Of the winter which, was ac- cornpanied by thick, bl1nding snow storm that shut off the vision outside today presented "a foreboding appear a1nee. From one end to the ether the Sound was bare of marine activity of every description and such was the density of the whiriing snOws mingled with clouds of flying spray picked up high w1nds that the view was cut down to within a few yards
 The gala which is general all along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Flor ida, started in this vicinity yesterday afternoon when the strong breeze which had been blowing began steadily to gain in strength The Bridgeport tug Robert McAIiistcxs which came out of the mouth of the Housaton1c river from Derby with a tow of two light boats af D. m-, bucked her way into Bridgeport in the thick of . steadiIY rising seA-
 During tha night the velocity Of the wind soon reached the proportions oR a gale and among the first craft to seek shelter within the local hrsAlx- vFatazz were the two oyster schooners, Woola4v, from Providence, T.. and Han1zaqnd. frAm Nantucket R. F. and tera cf various Sound craft had sensed the approaching storm and had pulled into the nearest harboEB for seHety- ThaHe were no other arrivals hsre dur. ing tsae night.
 At 6 o'clock this morning, the Red Ball tng y1gilant Captain Green, a rosKerfu1 ogean-g0Rng stearner with a tow Of five loaded outside baFges, pulled her chargp into the harbor and anchored them alter giving up her trip from New r York to Providence, to which the five boats are consigned. While tt1a storm and sea would not necessarily hinder the Vigiiant her self from making the trip, the loaded boats could not stand the increasing roughneB of the water and the skipper acted promptly on his better judgment and brought them in here rather than risk an attempt to get flIx&aar east
 Fom of the i've barxes are loaded with coal, carrying an approxiEaAte cargo of several thousand toEss while it is underHtood that one barre car ries a cargo Of lumber valued at $25,- 900 and consigned to the Central Yer mont Rai1road After seeing his tow safely anchored in the lower har- bor, Captain Green docked his tug and all hands prepared to spend a quiet Easter Sunday here.
 While it is mo unusual sight to see half dozen Sound tugs and various on such an occasion as t111s, the Vigi- 1aat was the only outside boat to tie up here todaJ-
 Ihare was cous1deraz7e speculation m maritime circles today as to whath- CT the Steamer Naugatuck would make her regular trip from Nssv York to Bridgeport. She is due to arrive at o'clock this afternoon The cpin- ion was general that the steamer would not make the trip
 It was reported on the local water Hent this morning that the Blue Line tug Sanitation had left New York yesterday with tow of eight coal boats for eastern ports, several of which were bound for Bridgeport No sight of the salutation had been oI- tained, however, and it was cone1ud- ed that she had proceeded as far as Norwalk, seeking shelter behind tine islands there.
 The Red Ball tug Abram P. Skid more left Bridgeport last night with one light boat for New Y York and was reported as having reached the head of the Sound in safety.
 Aside from a few jobs which did not require the tugs to venture out side the harbor. shipping locally was brought to- a complete standsti1I by the storm. One or two vessels are ready to leave with the clearance of the weather but under the conditions which prevailed to-day they gave up all hope Of proceeding. and settled down for an indefinite stay here
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