Volume 17 , Issue 47

Snow Storms of 1900s

We went searching in the archives for "snowstorms of 1900." That lead us to The New York Times, New York, NY, 18 February 1900, Sunday, page 7, to the following snow storms.

Found on Newspapers.com

Ten Inches Fell In Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Feb. 17 (1900) -- The heaviest snowstorm since the blizzard of last year, and the first genuine fall of the season had been in progress in Pennsylvania all day. The storm came up the atlantic Coast, and arrived there at 10 o'clock the night before, since which time about ten inches of snow had fallen. The temperature averaged from 22 to 25 degrees, but at a late hour tonight (Feb. 17, 1900) began to fall, with every indication of much colder weather the next day.

The storm was particularly fierce at the Delaware Breakwater. The wind blew thirty-five miles an hour, and the snow was impenetrable. No vessels ventured outside the breakwater. In the outlying districts of the city railway traffic was impeded and trains arrived here somewhat behind schedule time. Throughout the State the fall of snow varied from two to ten and a half inches. At a late hour that night the force of the storm had been spent, and the barometer began to fall, indicating a cessation by early morning.

Few Trolley Cars Run In Westchester
A heavy snowstorm raged throughout Westchester County yesterday (Feb. 16, 1900), and February 17, 1900 the wind was increasing in intensity and piling the snow in drifts. The traffic on the "Huckleberry Railroad," between Mount Vernon, Yonkers, New Rochelle and the Borough of the Bronx, was nearly at a standstill, and if the storm continues there will be a complete cessation. Long Island Sound was so obscured that the foghorns at Stepping Stone Light, Execution Reef and Captain's Island were operated continuously. Many vessels had been forced to drop anchor inside the point at City Island. Trains on the New Haven Railroad and the New York and Harlem were keeping well on schedule time, but the New Haven's express tracks were being rapidly snowed under, and the indications were that two local tracks would be the only ones which could be operated on this day in 1900.

Staten Island Hard Hit by Storm
Traffic was delayed - The Lights Go Out At Night." All this as the Staten Island Midland and the Staten Island Electric railroads, on account of the snowstorm, were running at irregular intervals the day before Feb. 16, 1900. Only a part of the cars of the electric roads were in operation, and all were late. practically no cars on the Midland road were moving, and many were stalled along the line. Passengers living back in the country were compelled to leave the cars and walk long distances to their homes through the snow. The streets were banked with drifts and deserted. The ferryboats were not more than ten minutes late, and the Rapid Transit trains were running regularly.

The high winds blew down many of the electric light wires on the Island, and for two hours last night nearly all the street lights on the north and south shores were out. The breaks were repaired by 9 o o'clock and the lights were again turned on.
  |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---