Smyrna times., 1920-03-10
SMYRNA WAS ISOLATED BY
BLIZZARD FRIDAY NIGHT
DRIFTS IN SOME PLACES MADE
HIGHWAYS IMPASSABLE
Number of Autos Stalled in Snow
Banks En- Route 10 Smyrna-NO
Trains form North Until Noon

Banks En- Route 20 Smyrna-NO
Trains form North Until Noon
Smyrna and vicinity was visited bv
smother blizzard Friday night that 4or
q time looked as though it might
eclipse the great blizzard of March
IL, 1888. After a day of incessant
driving rain, the storm at night de-
velOped into a frigid north east storm
which by midnight and early morn
ing had drifted across pavements and
streets to depth of several feet. Not
so much snow fell in this vicinity,
but it was sufficient to make many of
the rural roads impossible in places
and to completely tie up traffic for
time. Country districts were storm
cOund and it was Monday before
many of the farmers attempted 10
come 70 town. On the railroad there
was not train south until near noon.
Smyrna branch train had struggle
TO break through the drifts from
Clayton to Smyrna. Up at FaInhurst
the snow drifts were so deep that It
required the work of snow plows and
force of men to open the road Tor
traffic. The Philadelphia and Will
mington dailies did not reach Smyrna
until afternoon. All along the State
Highway north of Smyrna, automo-
biles were stuck in the drifts and in
some cases temporarily abandoned 1t
was one of the worst nights on rec
ord. Friday night the White Rose
Ninstrels were scheduled TO give their
exhibition at Townsend. The com
pany went by auto in driving rain
but coming home all kinds of exper-
fences with snow drifts were encOun-
tered and some cars had struggle 20
get to Smyrna. David's big auto ex-
presses, which operate between Will
mington and Smyrna, were stalled
between here and Blackbird on their
way to Smyrna. Some autos were
also stalled between Clayton and
Smyrna. No particular damage was
done By the storm in this vicinity
Telephone lines in some cases were
Put out of commission but this was
about all. Along the Delaware Bay
shore no material damage was done.
Wilmington, however, Delaware's only
metropolis, suffered the worst exper-
ience in years. The waters of the
Brandywine OvelflOwed and the cleo
trio light plants were put out of COM
mission. The whole city was in dark
ness from before midnight to morn
ing and the Morning News was oblig-
ed to send its forms to Chester TO he
printed on account of not being able
tc operate their plant from the cleo
tric power.
Passing about the center of the
city one could scarcely have thought
that a man had met death, 200 fam
lies had been driven from their
homes, city plunged into darkness and
street car traffic paralyzed, and
around 100000 in property damage
wrought all within the nights storm.
AS it was, however, the blizzard
of March Sc, 1920, bids fair to be
recalled hereafter in conjunction with
that ancient citation of old inhabi-
| tants-the blizzard Of March 11-12i
1888. To hundreds of persons living
, along the Brandywine, Friday night
especially will live long in memory as
one of dread and terror. It's narrow
confres choked with waters from the
upland melting SHOWS and backed up
at its mouth by gale-driven tide
from the Delaware and Christiana
the creek attained its highest water
| mark in RI wears