SATURDAY’S STORM
BROKE RECORDS 

A new record was made Saturday night and early Sunday morning in the weather bureau for the Capital District when from 9 to 10-½ inches of snow fell in the first snow storm of the season. It came as a surprise, starting with rain and followed with a cold strong wind that drifted the snow everywhere but especially in the hill parts of the territory outside of the cities, impeding automobile traffic. 

Many motorists had trouble endeavoring to return to the cities Sunday, running into drifts on the State highways and in some sections compelled to leave their cars over night. Milk trucks were delayed Monday morning. 

Warmer weather Monday and Tuesday aided the shovelers to open traffic on the country roads. The highways are now quite free of snow except where the larger drifts had formed. 

A TRIP FROM BERNE TO 

ALBANY BY BUS

The Berne bus left Berne as usual on Monday morning about 7 o’clock with a load of passengers including teachers, jurymen and men who had been home for the week end and were returning to work. (They found work before they reached the city.)

After turning Farwell’s corner and getting up the hill, all went well until Wediman hill was reached, where it was a case of shovel or stay. Arthur had prepared by bringing seven shovels, and all went to work with good spirits, for John said that if we got up there we would be over the worst. Once up there we loaded in, only to get out again above Elijah’s and shovel through to Kirkpatrick’s. While we shoveled Frank and Charley went ahead to look over the situation. They returned with a report which proved better than John’s prophecy.

At East Berne we were delayed a short time at Wagner’s hotel waiting for a passenger who had gone by way of Altamont. Then a short stop at the telephone office for Arthur to report back where we were and for Frank to cut the cake.

While shoveling the strip above the bridge formerly known as the White bridge, we saw the Willsie boys coming to our assistance with a Ford. While we were struggling along near Northrup’s, the cars which had been snowbound in Berne overtook us and went by to help make a track already broken out by Willsie’s Ford with Goodfellow’s team hitched ahead. By this time there were 14 cars in line, but as many of the men were equipped with low shoes and rubbers the shoveling fell to a few, who were faithful for at least two reasons, namely, they knew there was something to eat at the other end of the line, and that the Board of Supervisors had appropriated $50,000 to open roads.

Past Mallory’s Corners, about one and a half miles above New Salem, we found several cars coming up waiting for us to open this bank, which proved to be the worst one of all. We offered to lend our shovels, for we were tired out, but they said “No,” and looked on. While opening this bank John ate his sandwich, which was a wise move for not having enough to go around it might have caused trouble had he done otherwise.

We were delayed only once more, near New Scotland, where we had a little trouble passing the steam shovel; but through Arthur’s perseverance and careful driving we were landed safely in Albany at 2 p.m. It was a trip long to be remembered. 

We all found something to eat, but it appears the $50,000 isn’t available yet. The snow came unusually early.

[Editor’s note: The narrative about snow shoveling has been abridged slightly.]