The Blizzard in the West: Being as Record and Story of the Disastrous Storm which Raged Throughout Devon and Cornwall, and West Somerset, On the Night of March 9th, 1891Unknown
History
The Blizzard in the West: Being as Record and Story of the Disastrous Storm which Raged Throughout Devon and Cornwall, and West Somerset, On the Night of March 9th, 1891
Unknown
Blizzards -- England -- Cornwall (County) -- History; Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Devon (England) -- History
BARNSTAPLE.--The chief town of North Devon had a very harsh experience.
Traffic was for some time suspended, but the inconvenience in this
respect was not nearly so great as in the south of Devon and in
Cornwall. In the districts around Barnstaple there were very heavy
losses of sheep and lambs. Farmers near Morthoe were particularly
unfortunate, nearly two hundred sheep and lambs belonging to them
having perished. Through roads and railways being blocked the markets
were greatly interfered with, and this, besides cutting off from many
of the country people their weekly supplies, was a great loss to the
tradespeople of the town.
BIDEFORD, which has already been referred to, did not suffer so
severely as many other North Devon towns. Railway communication with
Ilfracombe was entirely suspended throughout Tuesday, the 10th, but
as the weather moderated the line was cleared without any very great
amount of inconvenience having been experienced.
BODMIN.--In this important western town there was an almost entire
cessation of traffic from Monday afternoon until the closing days of
the week. The telegraphic and train services were suspended, causing
the usual amount of loss and distress. Business on the Tuesday was
entirely suspended, snow falling heavily all day, and a large quantity
of snow in the street stopped all vehicular traffic. The drifts were so
high that residents who had driven from the town on Monday could not
return, and great anxiety was naturally felt for their safety. It was
found on the following day, however, that in all cases, the travellers
were safe. Not infrequently they had been obliged to take the horses
out of their vehicles, leave traps or carriages in the roads--often
under the snow--and seek shelter in the nearest farm-house. There were
very serious losses of sheep in this district. Among others, losses
of this description were sustained by Mr. Rowse, of Llancarpe, Mr.
Glanville, of Pen Bugle, and Mr. G. Spear, of Bodmin. Many sheep were
rescued, but only after great difficulty. On Thursday night there was
again a heavy snowstorm, accompanied by a gale of wind, but it was
neither so severe nor of such long duration as the blizzard of Monday
and Tuesday.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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