Evening star., 1934-03-11
TRAFFIC CRIPPLED
BY ICE SHEET AS
SNOW WTHREATENDS
Scores of Minor Mishaps
and Tie-Ups Result From
Slippery Pavements.
18.DEGREE Minimum
FORECAST FOR TODAY
Mercury to Begin Slow Rise To-
morrow-Roads Sanded in
Nearby States.

The prospect Of another heavy snow
seemed remote early today as skies
began to clear with a promise of fair
weather today and tomorrow. Mean
while. motor traffic skidded over ice
coated, snow-duSted highways. dent
ing tenders. fraying tempers and jam
ming on hills and bridges. No serious
injuries, however, had been reported
early today.
Snow was general yesterday over
areas Of Maryland and Virginia south
Of Washington, and snow was falling
last night in sections to the north and
east. Storm warnings were issued
from the Virginia Capes to Sandy
Hook
The local outlook is for fair and
continued cold weather today and to-
morrow. when temperatures are ex-
pected to begin a slow rise. The
mercury was expected to get down to
l8 degrees early today.
Removal Crews Held Ready.
Most of the snow which fell here
yesterday afternoon and last night
melted on downtown streets and only
three inches had been recorded at the
Weather Bureau up to midnight
Nevertheless, District authorities were
ready to call out snow removal gangs
or short notice last night should con-
d,tlons warrant the move
Slippery highways impeded trafic
in hu 10 oryy1o ri,,i.,
where almost every incline and bridge
had its quota of stalled motor cars
unable to obtain traction on the ice
Buses and trucks were ditched, result.
ing in tie-ups.
Police of No precinct last night
sanded the surface of Klingle Bridge
after several minor crashes and con-
siderable traffic jam resulted. At min
nesota and PENNSYLVANIA avenues south
east a bus skidded across the curb
knocking down a lamp-post.
Another lamp-post was knocked
down by an automobile which went out
of control on Farragut street.
Snow Falls in Richmond.
Richmond, Va, had three inches oi
snow yesterday, and there was almost
twice this much at Raleigh, N. c., ano
along the seacoast to the south Of
Washington, the Weather Bureau re-
ported. 1t was showing last night
along the Eastern Shore of Maryland
and in parts of Pennsylvania and New
jersey.
Although the mercury has beer
below freezing since o'clock yes
terday morning, the snow melted
almost as fast as it struck the street:
yesterday afternoon and last night.
Icy crusts formed, however. OF
Washington streets and on highway!
in nearby Maryland and Virginia
Employees Of the District Highwa!
Department last night were sanding
slippery hills on Sixteenth, Thirteenth
and Tilden streets and on Connecti
cut avenue.
Seven hundred per diem employe
Of the Street Cleaning and Refus'
Departments probably will be turnet
out at o'clock this morning to cleal
the streets, according to John Blak'
Gordon, District sanitary engineer.
The Weather Bureau last night is
sued storm warnings of disturbanc,
off the Virginia capes moving north
east with increasing intensity. Th
disturbance was expected to caus
winds of gale force of the coast be
tween the Capes and Sandy Hook.
Boulevard Cars Halted.
Shortly after dark the Baltimor'
Boulevard became SO slippery traff1t
was completely halted at severa
points.
Long lines of cars backed up al
Hyattsville when the overhead bridge
there became too icy for automobile:
to negotiate the incline. State anc
county police were called on to direct
traffic into Washington via thu
Rhode Island Avenue route.
Similar conditions prevailed on the
hills at Halethorpe. Elkridge ano
Savage. where rows of cars more thar
a mile in length were brought to 8
complete stand-still because of ice or
the steep grades, according to State
police.
State roads trucks loaded with
sand we're rushed to the scene of the
traffic tie-ups. Even after they had
covered the roadbed, however. vehi-
cles were forced to creep along al
low speeds.
Numerous minor collisions occurred
but no serious accidents were re-
ported.