Evening star., 1936-02-07
4 Inches More
During Day
Predicted.
CAR AND BUS
ROUTES SET
Heaviest Fall Since
1922 Brings Part
Holiday to Many.

cial concerns followed the lead Of
public schools and closed early this
afternoon to aid transportation Sys-
tenn partially paralyzed by the heavi-
est snowfall since the Knickerbocker
disaster of 1922.
More than 141s inches of snow was
measured early this afternoon, and
the fall was expected to continue in
. diminishing degree until early tonight.
Weather Bureau officials expected
nearly 18 inches of snow by dark.
Practically all Federal departments
were closing from an hour to an hour
and a half early, and most downtown
department stores were sending their
employees home at instead of 6 pm
The Senate adjourned until Monday
after barely quorum showed up, al
though the House continued in session.
Public schools were closed at 12:l5
pm.
Schedules Readjusted.
Street car and bus schedules, dis
rupted during the morning rush hour
by the heaviest snow in IA years. were
readjusted to meet the earlier hours
this afternoon.
Meanwhile, the District was digging
out with the aid of 800 regular work
ers and several hundred extra men
hired on temporary basis.
Many first and secondary highways
in the mountains of Virginia and
Maryland were closed by drifts as
fragmentary reports came in. The
heavy snow is general over adjoining
States and fairly general throughout
the East Central region.
Began at Midnight.
The snow began last midnight, but
1t was not until about 4 am. that the
real force of the blizzard was felt.
The Districts so snow plows were
turned out between and am, when
they were reinforced by shovel-and-
truck crews.
At least 1000 men, including several
hundred extra employees, were remov-
ing snow at noon, and several hundred
additional laborers probably will be-
hired temporarily. Assistant Engineer
Commissioner Howard F. Clark esti-
AiAoICo I1lC o4iO" 1CAllObdl WILL SOSG DC-
tween $4,000 and 100000.
The current forecast said:
Snow this afternoon ending early
tonight, with low tonight Of about
IA degrees. Tomorrow fair and con-
tinued cold, probably followed by snow
tomorrow night. Fresh north winds"
Heaviest in Years.
If the anticipated 18-inch snow de-
velops here, it will be within 10
inches of the all-time snowfall which
sent the roof of the Knickerbocker
Theater crashing down on a large
audience late in January of 1922
The next heaviest snow since the
Knickerbocker was IL inches, recorded
here December II, 1882.
Old-timers recalled the deep drifts
which collected in Washington in
February of 1899.
At that time 1877 inches of snow fell
between February 5 and 8, and three
days later a second storm struck the
city. From the 11th to the 14th of
February an additional 20.5 inches Of
snow piled up here.
A -paralyzed street car system
coped this morning with thousands of
extra patrons who ordinarily drive
automobiles to work.
Taxicabs were few and far between
In the suburban districts.
The heavy snow sifted through the
slots between street car tracks and in
several instances cut off the current.
Traffic jams resulted during the rush
hour at Dupont Circle, Florida and
Connecticut avenues and on the K
Street Bridge.
Street Cars Halted.
Buses conveyed street car passen-
gers across Key Bridge. and hundreds
Of persons abandoned their stalled
cars on Connecticut avenue to take
busses. The buses functioned in the
city with much less delay.
Superintendent of Schools Frank
W. Ballou this morning announced,
''all public schools will close at 1915
o'clock" Prior to that school author
ities gave parents permission to keep
children at home. Suburban schools
were closed all day.
The switchboard at Franklin Ad-
ministration Building was flooded
with calls from parents this morning.
DR.. Ballou's decision to hold morn
ing classes came two days after Mrs.
Mary A. McNeill of the Board Of
Education objected to compulsory
attendance during extremely bad
weather.
Schools Are Closed.
Schools were closed today in Mont
gomery, Prince Georges and Airing
ton Counties, as well as in many other
districts throughout Maryland and
Virginia because of the heavy snow.
A northwest wind swept the snow
In drifts across highways and streets