GREAT SNOWSTORM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 258, 22 March 1913, Page 1 (Supplement)

GREAT SNOWSTORM

EXTRAORDIXA 1!Y SCEXES IX SCUTLAXD. A snowstorm of exceptional severity buried Scotland under n mantle of white last Saturday (says the Scotsman of .January IS), and caused serious dislocation of traliic. From all parts of the country tin* storm is described as the worst experienced for many years. 1)1 some districts tlie snow lay to a depth of between two and three feet without drifting. Railway traliic. was seriously interrupted. Trains were in many cases lieljl up, and passengers had the trying experience of :! delay lasting in some instanee.-; ten or more hours. Snow ploughs were in operation on many of' the systems. Tclegrapliic and telephone wires are down in all directions. Many iof the country districts were completely isolated, and food supplies ran short. The -noustonn w.-is followed by a frost, which, however, did not hold, and Tinder the influence of milder weather the snow ;is gradually disappearing. Flock-masters had an anxious time in looking after their sheep, and it is feared that serious Josses wi'l have to be faced. TRAINS SNOWED UP. Throughout .Saturday a violent southeasterly gale, accompanied by driving snow blasts, swept over Locliaber, and caused an almost complete disorganisation of the railway and telegraph systems. A somewhat extraordinary state of tilings prevailed on the West Highland railway, and on account of the breakdown in telegraphic communication the officials were unable to supply definite information an regards the state of matters farther south than Oianlaricb. There was a complete block on the line, which was not cleared until after considerable delay. The passenger train which left Fort William at HI a.m. on Saturday was held | up in the neighborhood of Shandon, and it was about seven o'clock in the evening before it was able to proceed. WORST STORM SINCE 1881. Jn the Aberfeldy district the snow storm was the worst experienced since 1881. On the low ground there was a depth of fully two feet, and on the higher ground a depth of fully three feet.' Heavy drifting took place on the hills, and great anxiety is felt by tlockinasters. The storm came on so suddenly that they had no chance of seeing properly after tlieir flocks. Snow ploughs were hard at work over the roads in Aberfeldy district. Much ,damage has been done to trees and shrubs. \ SCENES AT BLAIR CASTLE. At Blair Castle the depth of snow was 2ft Sin, without drift. With the greatest difficulty three horses, yoked to a snow plough, kept a' track clear in the middle of the highway between Killie crankie and Struan. The trains ran fairly well up to time, although the telegraph wires snapped in many places. Great damage was caused to the trees in the neighborhood, especially the fir. A large tree fell on the roof of the lodge at the front approach of Blair Castle, but fortunately no damage is reported. Thirty sheep, belonging to Mr. Robertson. Bailenan, Stinbhartch, were removed from a wreath on the side of Tulloeh Hjjl. One old man declares there was as heavy a fall of snow 21 years ago, but at that time the fall was intermittent. Dr. Anderson, on Sunday, was unable to use his motor car, and took several hours to reach Blair on horseback. FIFTY INCHES OF SNOW. ! It is now abundantly evident (writes a correspondent) that the week-end fall of snow in North Perthshire was the heaviest that has occurred within living memory.

In Pitlochry district the general level was 23 and 24 inches, while at Struan, at the base of the Grampians, the fall seems to have reached its maximum, and the great depth of 40 to 50 inches is reported. Owing to an almost entire absence of wind during the greater part of the forty-eight ' hours' continuous snowfall, there was comparatively little drifting, though wreaths up to six feet in depth were formed. Snow ploughs were engaged clearing the main roads throughout the district, but it will be some time before the work can be completely accomplished, and in many parts the blocks will have to be cut through. SOUTH OF SCOTLAND. The full force of the storm was felt, iu Dumfries and district. Snow persistently all day on Saturday, and was accompanied by a gale from the east. The stonn seriously interfered with railway traffic, and the consequent interruption was the most serious in this district for eighteen years. Surfacemen were out on their respective "lengths," but in spite of their efforts points got snowed up. The 2.5 afternoon goods train from Moniaive to Dumfries ran into a snow wreath between Crossford and Dunscore, and got completely stuck. A squad of men were sent from Dumfries to dig it out, and this work occupied them until after midnight. The afternoon passenger train on the Cairn Valley railway did not get further than Dunscore, and had to return. A show plough was worked along the Kirkcudbright line, but it did not succeed in keeping the line clear a Dad block occurring between Killywhan unit liirkgunzeon. The 5.10 passenger tram to Kirkcudbright was stuck t .ere o. ten hours, and the passengers had food sent to them by motor car.

AYRSHIRE SlIEl'IIEKl) Sl't'CUilßS. perienccd iu the Carnck district ot Ay .->hire, and a young .shepherd lost hu i„ t |' u . snow among lhe_ hill* nea. upland village of Karr. eigin miles lion Uirvan. Snow was falling heavily. i the Barr district on Saturday moiling, when C McTiiggart. (1!>) set out to gather in his sheep on I'hinigue High IHU. When voting McTaggart had not returned l.v the late afternoon, a seaieh p.uty was organised, and proceeded m seauli. The task of the search party was o c „f extreme dilliciihy. lor I lie lime « J had caused the snow to drift umon 0 the bills to a depth of several feet ,n mny places, and it was not uuti seven o clock |„ the evening that, with the nul '» lantern light,, they came upon Mi I<V n-art king among the snow in a state ot with hU sittui" u ( > him. Tho shepherd had apparent!) been trying to dig some sheep out of « , r ,, vi( ., where llu-v were lying bum d among the snow. when, overcome by com ;!IH I exhaustion, he had fallen backwards, end had been unable to rise again. He lived for onlv lifteeil minutes alter being found. ROADMAN DIES FROM KNt'OSfRK. liicliard Young (SI), a roadman, fell into a snowdrift between St. Roxtoii and (iranthani on Saturday night, and was found unconscious next morning. lie died from exposure betoye a doctor arrived.