Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-01
SEVERE BLIZZARD
CR|PPLES LONDON
Christmas Storm Plays
Havoc in Capital and lso-
Iates Rural Communities.
Ey Radio - The Star.

BY Radio 10 The star.
LONDON. December Sl,-The old
wear is making its exit with Sensa-
fjonal demonstration Of the elements
The blizzard which swept southern
ENGLAND on Christmas night has only
once, been eQualed in Nirulcnce in the
memory Of living men. and the coun'
trysidc still is dSorganiZed by nm
rrecedented SnoWirifts. while the
Thames Valley for manS miles is one
vast lake. due 20 the great rains WhlCh
preceded the blizzard.
In addition to ali this. n gale OF ter.
rifle violence ragged most of the week
in the English Channel, making com
rNunicaiion With the continent almost
ImNnsSihle. Dover and Folkestone
were, crowded with thronSS ot people
waiting 10 embark. hut few steam
boats were able to face the raging
seas.
Wind Piles Up Snow.
4 remarkable feature OF the blizzard
WAS that The snowfall was not rNcep'
1lnual in hulk hu, rs astonishing IN
is freak distribution, caused ny the
violence of the wind. which swept open
Spaccs almost bare ana piled up the
SNOW in sheltered spots Ia dTptn vi
many feet. even yards ltardlN SIN.
sic road IN southern England escape"
those vast snow harriCadeS, ana IN
many cases railroads were rendered
;n,nassabIe a; vulnerable spots at
which the gale had focused.
tyuiral case WAS that of the Ia
.bpiyal town of ST AlhanS, 70 miles
from London which WAS cut of en-
rire}v from the world by drifts, AMI
was no; relieved until "Wednesday
when ,he barriers at last We're
nierCe.i and wagons got through 10 the
belcacuered city.
ON Salisbury plain army tanks were
brought into action 10 beat down
paths Through the drifts 10 iSoia'eu
VILLAGES Elsewhere the situation al
remote dwelorS in the countryside
.efod rescue operations. and MANY
VILLAGES were brought practically 10
famine conditions
Ev Thursday most OF the ohStruc-
tons on the railroads had been clear
ed. hut While the frost continues The
problems Of wagon roads are Insoiubie
Drifts sometimes extend for quarter
or half mile. The situation Is most
serious in the moorland districts. like
Dartmoor and EXmooF. where villages
IN the folds of the hills have pratt
callv disappeared and are wholly IN
accessible Grave fears are entertain
ed as 10 the fate OF many isolated cot
1acers who were wholly unprepared
for an emergency of this sort, which
comes only once in q lifetime.
Motorists Marooned.
Country hostelries are packed with
motorists who were overwhelmed by
the blizzard. whose motors we're
buried beneath snowdrifts and who
themselves sill are awaiting rescue
Among the parties which thus disap-
peared was the famous comedian.
Wilkie Bard. with his wife and niece.
They were caught in the storm at
Kent and were not heard from until
Wednesday.
The breakdown OF telephone com
n1unicaIion all over the country added
TO the difficulties of lost motorists.
The effects Of the blizzard in London
were immediate. II caught the world
% pleasure seekers just as they were
dispensing and left them helpless and
homeless. for the streets we're deserted
of taxicahs. Much Indignation pre-
wallis against the action Of the cab
drivers who retoyt that they are as
much entitled to enjoy Christmas as
other people. and that il private motors
could not face the storm, neither could
they.
SDci3t l>0nGon certainly never Lad
81 7nclement a night out in its ex-
perience and the romantic enthusiasm
for the old-fashioned Christmas has
for once been satisfied. Apart from
the Christmas night catastrophe and
the collapse Of telephone commurica-
ton and deficient milk supply. London
has suffered less from the blizzard
than any part of the south country
and. except in the suburbs. ALI the
highways row are clear Of drifts.
tCooyrighi 1877