New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-09
Incipient Blizzard from
West Promises Legacy
of Cold Weather.
FIVE BARGES IN PERIL
FROM COAST GALES
Snow Three Inches Deep in
Places-High Wind Plays
Franks in City.

April showers, doomed by genera
tions OF poets as producers OF spring
flowers, took the form Of TWO inches OF
soggy snow Yesterday, with the result
that a crop Of overcoats. umbrellas ana
waterproof wraps blossomed where vio-
lets and buttercups should have been.
Old settlers. who are credited with
inside knowledge Of the habits Of Ne"
York weather, looked upon the snow as
the "onion covering" that is expected
to fall for a short time Immediately
before the final arrival Of warm
weather and spring greene. But as the
day advanced and the snow kept falling
they changed their verdict and an
nounced that the snowfall was a freak
Of the weather man.
That the storm was no casual caller
was indicated by the forecast for To-
day. which promised that it would re
main in New York and Vicinity In the
form of rain or snow until noon, after
which the mercury was expected 10 ran
still, lower. With the colder weather
eastery gales, gradually shifting 10
westerly. were promised.
Recalls 1888 April Storm.
Storm sufferers who were OF the
opiujon that Yesterdays exhibition was
1.-THE limit" we're reminded by the gov
eminent statisticians that 1t was lar
from that. II is only necessary 70 turn
hack the pages Of local Weather Bu-
reau records for one year to hnd tnaI
en- April and 4 the city was covered
with ten inches of snow, accompanied
by still lower temperature.
The storm first made its appearance
in the city shortly after 7 O'Clock III
the morning. but. owing TO a welcome
admixture of rain. il was unnecessary
10 call out the army of snow fighters. .,
Evidences If the freakish nature OF
the storm were found on every hahd'
Although the weather observer an
nourced that the wind attained only
low velocity in the vicinity OF the city,
there were reports from many points
of gales that were purely local. A VIM
dow of the Offices Of the Frank Tourist
Company, at Broadway and Walker
street. was blown out during the even.
ing. while practically no evidence OF
wind was found a block away from the
spot.
Drifting Scows Damage Shipping.
Eight large mudscows, each with
one man aboard. broke away from tneir
anchorage between the Statue OF Lid
ertv and Robbins Reef lighthouse snort
~ after : o'clock last night, during the
storm. and drifted downstream. endan-
gerine the municipal ferryboats run
ming to Staten Island and damaging a
bark. None of the men was provided
with lights, and they were unable 70
signal for help.
A strong wind and tide carried them
down the Bay rapidly, and after travel
ling together for about a mile they
separated One Of them struck the
bark Peter Schultz, Off Tompkinsville,
breaking her bowsprit and STAYING "A
hole in her starboard bow above the
water line. Another grazed the SIDE OF
the freight steamer Kosmos, but did no
damage.
Both the steamer and the bark sig
nailed 20 Tompkinsvillc, and the tug
Stapleton responded. Lines were passed
20 four Of the barges and the men were
taken of. With the assistance OF two
more tugs, the barges were taken back
10 their anchorage and made fast.
Five barges and their crews we're
endangered by the high winds blowing
of the New Jersey coast during the
afternoon. The Southern Pacific liner
Menus, bound south, reported three
barges in distress off Barnegat The
tug Defiance, that had been towing
them. put in TO shore for assistance
leaving two men on each barge. They
began dragging anchor, however, and i
became necessary TO take the men oil
and temporarily abandon the drifting
craft.
An hour later the Old Dominion liner
Madison ran across two barges in dis
tress off Long Branch. The crew Of one
Of the barges was taken aboard the
steamer. but the high seas prevented
the rescue OF the men on the other
The coast guard cutter Mohawk was
summoned, and it is believed that the
mon were rescued