Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-30
RICHMOND SH|VERS
AS MERCURY DROPS
Thermometer Only Degrees
Above Zero at 10 O'clock
and Still Falling.
POOR SUFFERING FOR FUEL
Dealers Do Not Fear Immediate
Coal Famine-Deliverics
Most Difficult.
POOR SUFFERING FOR FUEL

For ten hours yesterday Richmond
shivcrcd in tho throcs OF northeast
blizzard. the most severe experienced
yet this winter. which brought untold
suffering to hundreds Of people, Grip
pied transportation lines and made tho
delivery OF supplies difficult under
taking. Water pipes in homes in every
section Of the city froze and gave way
under tho strain. and charity workers
were taxed in meeting the unpre-
cedcn:cd demands made upon them.
Little relief is promised Richmo nd
and vicinity to-day and tomorrow, the
Weather Bureau last night forecastinC
fair. and continued cold weather. Pre-
cedinE the blizzard. the temperature
dropped rapidly Friday night. and the
storm reached this city early ycster-
day. There was a strong wind, which
drove tho first snownakes in every
direction. Later in the morning the
storm increased in intensity. and con-
tinued until shortly before dark.
Last night the snowstorm had
passed but the wind continued. It's
velocity at s A. NJ, had dropped to
sixteen mile. per hour, but at noon 1t
was considerably greater. The Their
moneter at noon was TO- where it re-
maincd until o'clock last night and
then began TO fall. Two hours later
the kiosk in the Capitol Square regis
tered degrees, and the temperature
was still falling. The highest reading
yesterday was 49, while the normal
temperature for the day was SO.
COLD WAVE COVERS
ENTIRE EASTERN SECTION
The cold wave covers practically tho
entire EaSter!. section OF the country.
At O'Clock last night the Their
mometcr in Duluth stood 10 below.
Eoston and Buffalo below, st. Paul S
below, and New Yorl. City below.
The warmest cities in the United States
At that hour were Tampa and Denver.
the temperature in both cities being 5s.
Suffering among the poorer classes
in practically every section OF the
city was intense during the day and
night, although heroic efforts were
made by the Associated Charities and
other orEa nizations to afford every pos
sible relief. AS night fell and the
weather grew colder and moro severe
the suffering increased. Charity work
crs. however. increased their Efforts
and lato last night they knew OF no
home In the city in which there was
not sufficient fuel to last through to-
day.
Eichmonds latest blizzard came al
most unheraldcd, and people had little
opportunity to fortify themselves
against It's bite. In hundreds OF homes
there we're no funds with which TO buy
fuel. but the supply OF coal is so
limited that it is almost impossible
to obtain the fuel. and tho prevailing
prices make it almost prohibitive for
those dependent upon others for their
existence.
FIND MANY HOMES
WITHOUT SPARK OF FIRE
Charity workers found many homes
without spark OF fire during the
morning and afternoon. Women and
small children. many with barely sufli-
c!cnt food 70 sustain their strength
and others with practically nothing in
their cupboards, were huddled in bare
rooms, wrapped in bed clothing to
keep warm. Others were bent over
tiny spark OF fire in crate and en-
dcavorinE TO fight the bite Of the cold
In some instances tho last bit OF fuel
was on the fire, and the dependents
Knew not what they would do during
the night and to-day.
In the emergency, DR.. James Buch-
anan. general secretary Of the Asso-
ciatcd Charities, made tremendous
effort TO supply fuel to every home in
which it was needed. Late last night
he believed he had tho situation we'll
in hand. but he feared there were
many homes which his workers had
been unable TO reach, and for this rca-
son the relief undertaking will be con-
tinued to-day. The wood yard of tho
organization will remain open, and
every one needing fuel will be un
piled II they bring baskets and bags
in which to carry away the wood and
coal.
CHARITY DEMAND FOR
FUEL IS UNPRECEDESTt:D
For days-sincc the first heavy snow
fall, before the Christmas holidays be
San--the Associated Charities has been
delivering supplies in automobile trucks
generously loaned the organization by
several large business houses. 1t will
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