Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-01-30
old SOL Aids
IN REMOVAL
OF BIG SNOW
Small Sized Army of Men
Engaged in Opening
Streets
CITY COUNCIL ACTS
Traffic Resumed Today Between Here
and Washington Work Started
Yesterday

itself from the effects of the big snow
storm. BY noon traffic was being
opened up and trains and busses were
running on fairly regular schedule.
Hundreds of snow shovelers are out
and old Sol helped greatly to facilitate
their work. By nightfall a ma iority
of the streets will be opened and con-
ditions greatly, improved. which have
been demoralized since Saturday.
The city has put several hundred
men to work clearing the snow from
the streets and making an opening in
all of the streets for fire apparatus
and traffic generally. Approaches to
all fire plugs have been cleared Of
tn snow, so that in the event of fire
the apparatus will not experience any
difficulty in getting to the fire
hydrants.
{ Fire Chief E. C. McDermott and
William Desmond, chairman of the
fire committee of city council, and
Norman Roberts, president of the
Columbia Fire Company, We're on the
Job supervising the work pf-opening
UP passageways to the fine plugs III
tbe heart Of the business pc ton Of
the city and also at oiaer Points !
The work was begun yesterday and
a force of men worked most of the
night on the task, so that this morning
a passageway had been made on King
street, from end to end.
Prompt action to clear away the
snow, was taken at special meeting
of the city council held yesterday at
ternoon at o'clock, which was called
by Mayor J. M. Duncan. At this meet
ing resolution offered by Council
man Ruben authorizing the mayor
and city engineer to remove snow, open
streets for the fire department and
safety of traffic and apportioning suf-
ficient funds for four days work was
adopted. 1t is a blanket resolution
and does not specify any designated
amount, but the amount will be de-
termined at special meeting of the
city council which will be held at 8
O'Clock Wednesday night.
Before the city council met, big
force of men were on the job under the
city engineer engaged in the task Of
clearing away the snow and making
way for traffic. A big tractor was
put into operation and beat the snow
down on many streets so as to open
the way for traffic.
Firemen joined in the working force
and greatly aided in the task of clear
ing off the snow. On King street a
rood bit of the snow at the crossing
was dumped into the sewer and plug
stream was used to wash it down.
Horrified over the awful catas-
trophe at the Knickerbocker Theater,
Saturday night, hundreds of persons
yesterday cleared off their roofs, the
snow at times being threatening to
pedestrians. and number Of persons
had narrow escapes from serious in
jury as result of snowslides from
roofs in various parts of the city. No
one. however, was reported seriously
injured.
Hundreds of persons Yesterday
raraded King street and watched the
snow shovelerS at work. and also the
clearing of the many roofs of bust
ness houses of snow.
The first electric train since Satur-
day endeavored to make its way to
Washington about $50 o'clock last
night. 1t jumped the track at Four
Mile Run and subsequent trains that
followed were compe::ed to return tc
Alexandria. A few hours later. how
ever, the train was put back on the
track and traffic was resumed owe,
that time The Alexandria Motor Bus
Line was the only means of com
munication between the two cities, al
though a number OF persons who's,
business was urgent in Washington
cnught steam trains. Several hun
dred Alexandrians were stranded il
Washington Saturday and the maroon
ed citizens did not reach the city til
Yesterday afternoon.
Saturday night King Street pre-
sented scene of desolation. Onl,
those persons compelled to be out wer
on the streets and practically ali com
municstion with the outside world wa
cut off. There was, anxiety i'll man.
fnmilies over the fact that member
did not return home.
According to renorts at least 10
citizens walked all the way from
Washington to this city Saturda,