The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-05
W|NTRY BLAST
LAYS MA,TLE
of ICE Fl ALL
Magic City = : es in Grip Of
BoreaS-- Ground Hog Lives
Up to Its Ancient Fine.
Cold Not Yet Ended,
Prophet Asserts

| <lNAOhi pdhiSo ny q Va AAiS 'ASSe
winter breezed into Birmingham
early Sunday morning, laying
carpet of ice on the streets of the
city and sending the mercury tum-
bling down toward zero. The
ground hogs prediction of Thurs
day was indicated when the Magic
City awoke to find ice covering the
pavements leading to church.
Throughout the day the tempera-
ture lowered at 2S, the high mark
of 80 being reached at II o'clock.
storm Grips All
| Street car service in the city was
completely tied up Sunday night by
the ice, while lights were out in West
End, Bessemer. Ensley and on the
Southsile as result CT the sleet
and wind which Old Boreas dispensed
with lavish hands on his first call
of the season. Trouble crews of the
Birmingham Railway, Light and
Power company were kept busy
throughout the night in an effort to
maintain service for these places.
Church services in Bessemer and
Ensley were halted by the storm
when the sleet weighted the wires
feeding these pc ints to the breaking
point at 7:30 o'clock. Both the North
and South Bessemer high. tension
wires were put out of commission,
according to officials of the power
&C mpany. Breaks were found and
service resumed in Bessemer ana
Ensley about O'Clock, with inter-
nittent trouble throughout the nisrt-
Street cars operated ON schedule
until about Z o'clock, when ice on
the tracks compelled them to stop.
According tC company officials, the
ice on the tracks caused short Cir
cults and the cars were unable to
make accessory connections to OPP
crate.
The condition existing in Birming-
ham Sunday night was the most un-
usual in the history of the city, ac-
cording to j. S. fevear. receiver for
the light and power company. He
stated that the sleet. had weighted
down trees until they came in con-
tact with or fell across wires of the
company, causing short circuits and
imparing the company's service.
Jitneys were practically driven
from the streets by the sleet and
taxicab companies hesitated to an
swer calls Sunday night. Pedestrians
shivered in their journeys to and fro,
while cozy CRATE fires were at a pre-
MUM and overcoats in universal de-
mand
The advent of the cold spell was
forecast Saturday night when the
rain which fell through the day be-
gan to take on clammier hue. This
rain changed during the night to
sleet which made Sunday traffic
hazardous.
The mercury, which behaved in a
manner reminiscent of Humpty-
Dumpty of nursery rhyme fame. slid
down the scale until it had estab-
lished new low record for the win
ter. At 7 O'Clock Sunday morning
the government thermometer regis
tered 20 degrees above zero, accord
ing to Il. C. Horton, observer of the
United States weather bureau. Dur
ing the morning the temperature
lowered at rs until IL o'clock, when
it essayed a feeble crawl upward,
only TO stop at 80 and drop again
to 2S Since that time it has re-
NAMED steady at 2S, Mr.. Horton said
Nor is the end in sight, according
to the weather man. Mr.. Horton de-
clared that the chilliness would last
through Monday and possibly longer.
He ventured the direful prediction
that Monday would be even colder
than Sunday.
Despite the slippery condition of
the streets during the day but two
minor traffic accidents were reported
to police headquarters. No one was
injured in either accident.
However, the cold assisted, police
believe, by alcohol claimed one VIC
tim when VIII Keyser. negro fruit
peddler, was found unconscious Sum
day morning in front of the juvenile
court. Avenue f and Fifth street.
He died from the exposure at his
home at Green Springs.
Emergency forces were employed
by the Birmingham Railway, Light
and Power company during the day
in efforts to keep street car service
at normal. Men were employed at
all switches in the downtown sec
items to prevent them freezing and
sticking. Officials of the company
stated that the cars ran on schedule
both on the city and suburban lines
,during the day.
The greatest trouble experienced in
the operation of the cars, officials
saJ, was the freezing of sleet on the
car windows, which INSTRUCTED the
vision of motormen. Crews were
maintained at various points on the
lines to clean the windows.
All trains entering the city were.
with few exceptions late. At the
Louisville and Nashville railroad sta
ton ii was said all trains were from
30 minutes to two hours late. A
few trains entering the Terminal
station were reported on time, but
most of them were said to be from
I'D ,1,;,,