Evening star., 1955-02-13
Cold to Ease D. c. Grip Slightly;
Area Roads Remain Perilous;
4 4-A|orm Blaze Ties Up Traffic
Upper Montgomery
FumiIies Stranded
By Snowdrifts, Ice

Some easing in the frigid tens
peratures which gripped the
Washington area in the wake OF
the snow storm is expected today
and tomorrow.
After predicting seven degrees
IN the city and zero in the
suburbs, the Weather Bureau at
midnight changed its forecast
and said the temperature prob
ably wouldn't get below 10 in
the city and five in the outlying
areas during the night.
Today will be mostly sunny
with temperatures in the middle
20's. The low tonight will be
around Is degrees. Tomorrow
will be little warmer.
The winters record low in
Washington was 10 degrees on
February 3. The all-time low
for a February l3 was 2 above
zero in 1917.
The cold caused one death
from exposure near Upper Marl-
boro. another near Charlottes-
vile, Va, and at least seven
more across the Nation.
Prince Georges Man Dies.
; Frank Contee, colored. about
10. died in Prince Georges Gen.
eral Hospital last night 10 hours
after relatives found him uncon-
scious in the snow in his back
yard. He lived on Buchelster
road, in the Leland area. four
miles north of Upper Marlboro.
Still unconscious, and with a
body temperature of only 81 de-
erees, he was taken to the hos
pital about pm. Despite warm
baths and other treatment, he
died at 7:12 pm. without regain
ing consciousness, the hospital
reported. DR.. John T. Maloney.
county medical examiner, ruled
the death was due to exposure.
The biting cold, made even
worse by the 24-mile winds yes
terday, reglaZed some secondary
roads, left icy spots on many
of the main ones and made
chains advisable for motoring
in all directions in and out OF
Washington. Drifting 6 snow
moved over some roads.
Massive Traffic Tieup.
BEGINNING with the massive
trafflc tie-up late Friday, it was
a bitter "a hours for motorists
and commuters alike. The Amer
ican Automobile Associations
trouble switchboard piled up a
new record-3,032 calls in the
10 hours from 6 am. to 4 pm.
Major complaints: Frozen emer-
gency brakes, can't starts and
"stucks." Delays in answering
road service calls were running
as high as two hours.
The city's emergency snow reg
ulation, invoked late Friday was
lifted at 2:l5 pm. yesterday.
Traffic and safety experts still
urged the use of tire chains. They
advised that if the trip isn't
necessary, don't make it.
200 Families MarOOned.
Drifting snow and icy roads
had marooned 200 families in
upper Montgomery county, ac-
cording to J. o. Harvey, chief OF
road maintenance for the up
county section.
He listed these roads as still
snowbound last night: Cue,
Housley. Wildcat, Prescott.
Woodfield school, Cos en-,
Snouffler school, Berryville and
Travilah roads; Southlawn and
Emory lanes.
1t was a familiar story over
most of the mid-Atlantic sea-
board. Sub-freezing temperatures
blanketed Virginia and Mary
land. The snowfall ranged up TO
eight inches in Western Mary
lands Garrett county.
For the children and hardy
outdoors persons. the situation
offered a gay time. Sleds were
out on many hills; even skis on
some. Ice skaters headed for the
ponds, lakes and the old c. & o.
Canal
United States Park Police said
new measurement would be
taken of the Rejecting Pool ice
(See WEATHER, Page A-4D