1934
BLIZZARD AT MIDDLE ISLAND
excerpt from
My Long Island
by
Mrs. Eleanor Ferguson
Jim Ashton's tractor attempting to plow
the roads. Photo from the collection of Donald Bayles.
Clearing the roads in Middle Island. Photo from the
collection of Donald Bayles.
In
January of 1934, we had the blizzard to end all
blizzards. Long Island was not noted for heavy snows, and
the highway departments were caught unawares. They had
trucks and they had the snowplow attachments, but in most
cases the plows were not where the trucks were, and the
drifts were so high that they could not get to the
snowplow sheds without the plows. A real stalemate. It
was ten days before our road was cleared, and it was a
state road. Somebody broke through with horses
sufficiently so Don (Mr. Ferguson) could walk down to the
Stewarts for milk. No mail came in and no traffic moved.
Don
shoveled away around the back door and the kids managed
to get out and wallow in snowdrifts. Billy was so small
he couldn't manage it so he slid down drifts on his
stomach. We had a pantry and cellar full of food, the
results of my summer's canning, and the potatoes we
always stored. There was coal for the furnace and the
stove, wood for the fireplace and kerosene for the lamps,
so we were quite self-sufficient. With such deep snow it
was impossible to work at the pruning, so we were all in
the house together. It was lovely. We read and played
games, Don played the mandolin, and Edith and I picked at
the piano. There is much to be said for the togetherness
of a blizzard.
From
the diary of Albert Bayles.
The date of the blizzard, according
to the Bayles diary differs from Mrs. Ferguson's
remembrance. Albert dates the first date of the storm as
having happened on Feb. 20, 1934
Feb. 20th Tuesday,
Blizzard worst since 1888. Therm Didn't get above 18 mid
day. Snowed and strong wind from last midnight till noon.
A young blizzard. Snow about 18 inches on the level. Lots
of drifts 30 inches deep. Good part of road filled up to
30 inches. Drift between office and woodhouse 4 ft. deep.
Cleared up and sun came out at noon. No one passed the
house. No cars on road. Elwyn and I walked to store 4P.M.
First tracks. No mail. No trains running. No school.
Feb. 21, Wednesday
… I broke track with my car from garage to road,
then Elwyn, Smith and I broke road as far as Pfeiffer's
A.M. with my car. First car over road since snow. About
two hours making it. Had to shovel good part of the way.
Jim Ashton opened road from Pfeiffer's to Coram, with his
tractor "V" plow, P.M. Elwyn, Smith and I
followed to Coram with my car and helped did through the
drifts…
Feb. 22nd Thursday
Rain, snow melting. Arden and I went to Yaphank A.M. with
my car and got his car out of the snow, where he left it
Monday night. Ma, G. Donnie, Arden and I went to Port
Jeff a.m. Arden and I went to Ridge, P.M. to see drifts.
Deepest drift I've seen anywhere, by Game Farm. 4ft.
deep. Smith out all last night with Jim Ashton on snow
plow. First mail since Monday. First train on to Yaphank
since Monday came through last night…
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