GREAT SNOWSTORM.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 139, 9 March 1877, Page 3

GREAT SNOWSTORM.

•RAILWAYS BLOCKED EVERYWHERE.

(Gltegoio Mail, Dec. 30.)

On Wednesday the streets of Glasgow were covered to a considerable depth with snow from the heavy fall which had taken place the night before. But at an early hour a considerable thaw set in, which laid the pavements under slush fully ankle deep. The tramway cars had great -difficulty in 'making their stated runs, and even on level lines three horses had to be yoked 'to each 'car. muir*kirk. About three o'clock on Wednesday •morning thaw set in, with heavy rain. The Caledonian workmen's train for Glenbuck, which leaves here at 6.15 a.m., was brought to a stand near Crossflac, being so fixed that it could go "-neither direction. On thestationmaster "here being advised, an engine was sent to the rescue. The line was cleared for traffic by eight o'clock. NEWTON STEWART. After midnight the snow ceased, and was followed by heavy rain, which had the effect of melting the snow to a great extent, leaving streets and roads in a perfect puddle, and rendering locomotion almost impossible. Early on Wednesday the body of a woman was discovered in the ditch, surrounded by snow and water, od the roadside about five miles west of Newton -Stewart. She was afterwards identified as the "wife of William Marshall, a travelling tinker. It appears that husband and wife left Newton-Stewart late in the afternoon for Kirkcowan, and had both been the worse for drink. Somehow or other they got separated on the road, the husband finding his way to Kirkcowan, and the poor woman, being un--able to proceed, had fallen or sac down In the snow, and was found dead. LOCKERBIE. The snow was wreathed up in many 7 places about three feet. The railways in the district were blocked up, and a large staff of workmen have been busily engaged all day in clearing the p'er■aianent way. GOUROCK. The tramway cars to Greenock were unable to run, and there was a return for the nonce to the old 'buses. The -snow disappeared at night. SLOCK OF THE " WAVERLEY ROUTE." The first interruption to traffic uf the Waverley Route of the North British Railway, occurred on Tuesday at Shan"kend, a small station about equi-distant from Ricearton Junction and Hawick. A keen frost prevailed all day, and a stiff breeze having* sprung up, the snow was drifted to a considerable depth in sheltered situations in the latter part of the day. 'Ihe 3.30 p.m. passenger train from Carlisle to Edinburgh struck a heavy wreath near Shankend, and it was fully an hour before a passage was effected. The day Pulrnan express from London, coming up shortly thereafter, met with no hindrance. In the bleak district between Hawick and Hiccarton Junction on the Waverley route, the mAn line of the N. B. Railway was again blocked early on Wednesdaymorning, Immense wreaths had been formed on the line, through which it was found impossible for the train to pass ; and although an -efficient staff of men were working at the spot, the delay to traffic was considerable. ABERDEENSHIRE RAILWAYS AGAIN SNOWED UP. On Tuesday afternoon the Great North was once more snowed up. The Deeside Line for the third time within a week was closed all day. On the Buchan Line there was a block atNevvmacher, and the afternoon passenger train from Peterhead was off the line at that point owing to the ice on the rails. DUNDEE A TRAIN SNOWED UP. A block on the Forfar line on Tuesday "was not known in Dundee until after the •8.30 p.m. passenger traiu had been despatched. The train proceeded on its .journey to Forfar, but unfortunately, when a liule to the south of Kirkbuddo, came to a dead stand. To go further was found impossible, and in a short time the carriages were almost completely covered up by the drifting snow. In the carriages there were about twelve passengers, all of whom were men, and, imprisoned as they were, they did the best they could to keep themselves warm. This, however, was no easy task, and bll suffered very much from the cold, as a keen frost prevailed. A number of workmen and various officials were at once sent off in search ot the missing train, when they found the train stuck in a huge wreath — the snow being level with the tops of the -carriages. The passengers were taken out of the -carriages, and were brought back to Broughty Ferry.