Evening star., 1926-01-09
BLANKET Of SNOW
FAILS T0HAMPER
CAPITAL TRAFFIC
Washingtonians Go About
Work as Usual After
First Big Storm.

After parading before the National
Capital all her other extreme styles
of weather, from snappy cold waves
to the latest thing in London fogs,
Mother Nature tried her hand again
last night and treated the city to its
first real snowstorm of the season.
The latest offering did not create
the furore that might have been eX-
pected and everybody went about
his business today as usual, barring
a few traffic delays here and there
because of clogged switches, skidding
tires or frozen radiators.
Forecaster Weightman said today
that approximately three inches of
snow fell during the storm. There
was some Sleet mixed with the fakes
at times. He sees only fair, crisp
weather in sight for the next few
days, with the temperature low
enough to preclude the formation of
much slush. except where the sun
scores a direct hit. A minimum
drop to 90 degrees is expected tonight.
AS the first few flakes began to
whirl through the streets and around
buildings yesterday afternoon there
was a concerted hustling among snow
plow operators, street sweepers, au-
tomobile owners and the general
public.
Only One Accident.
Supt. Norris Hacker of the Street
cleaning Department, had been wait
ing for just such an occa sion, and
when the opportunity came last night
to try out his new Snow-removal
scheme the flakes began to fly in all
directions.
Motorists, too, were equal to the oc-
caSion, and but one accident was re-
ported to the police during the night.
True, there were a number of mar
row escapes in the way of collisions.
particularly among motorists who had
neglected to unpack their rusty chains
and put them into action: but Scapes,
no matter how narrow, are not worthy
of consideration by the police.
One broken leg appeared to be the
sum total of injuries from slippery
sidewalks. Mrs. Sophie Brendon, 81
years old, of 1859 y street slipped on
the sleety pavement at Seventh street
and Pennsylvania avenue last night,
receiving a fracture of the right leg.
The Fire Department skidded along
to the tune of II alarms, but found
little real fire-fighting to do, as most
of the blaZeS were of a minor nature.
today. was really too light to test out
completely the new snow-removal plan
he had worked out, covering the
clearing of % main thoroughfares.
He sent his army of 400 men, 33
plows, 30 horse-drawn trucks and Is
motor trucks onto the streets about 5
pm, and the crews remained on duty
all night long, but at no time did
they find the snow putting. UP any
kind of a determined fight, Mr.. Hack
er asserted.
The plows completed as many as
six or seven trips over the same
streets during the night. he said
while the shovel men kept downtown
crossings free of accumulated snow
and sleet. The SNOW was loaded in
the trucks and dumped down nearby
sewers.
Experiment Called Success.
The new experiment of banking the
snow in the middle of Thirteenth
street between F and l streets, thus
leaving two lanes for traffic, was char.
acterized today as a marked success
by the street-cleaning authorities
This plan probably will be tried out
on other downtown streets in future
storms.
Street car companies reported nc
serious tieups on their principal lines
Cars were kept running on several OF
the downtown lines throughout the
night to prevent the tracks from fill
ing with snow. Bus lines were oper
ating as usual today.
Suburban traffic over the main high
ways into the District was slowed llr
considerably, but all roads were re
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