Montrose – The worst storm of the year swooped down on us yesterday, Wednesday, and almost completely paralyzed every activity of our citizens. At the hour the average Montroser bestirs himself in the morning a heavy snow was falling, there already being an accumulation of several inches. It snowed constantly all day long, the total being estimated at 16 inches. The city carriers got out and wallowed in the snow, making what deliveries they could. None of the rural [mail] carriers succeeded in leaving and the schools had a one-session day. The Lehigh Valley reached Montrose on about schedule and the Montrose branch of the DL&W made the morning trip with little difficulty, but an extra engine was necessary to bring the train into town. At 12:30, when negotiating the deep drifts on a switch at the Montrose Dairy Co.’s plant, the huge engine hurled off the rails. An extra locomotive and the flanger both got stuck in the big drifts on “the dump” between the creamery and the station, thus adding to the troubles. By 6 o’clock the engine at the creamery had been gotten up on the rails again and at 6:56 the train pulled out for Alford, to attempt the second trip of the day. At the time this was written, 7 P.M., the Lehigh Valley had reached Springville, about 3 hours late, and expected more serious trouble at this end of the line. The drifts about town are from 8 to 12 ft. high. The streets are full of snow, and the sidewalks are simply grooves, and full of snow at that. Thursday, from phone messages from Clifford, Silver Lake, Rush, Dimock and other places, it seems that the County is badly snow-bound. It stopped snowing about 9 P.M. The cold is intense this morning, the mercury standing at zero. However, the sun came out early and the day promises to be a beautiful one.

Springville – In a conversation with W. A. Taylor the other day, he alluded to the common belief that Springville was named because of the presence of a number of large springs in the neighboring hillsides.  He enlightened me with the information that the town got its name from one T. D. Spring, who owned a large farm where the town now stands. Mr. Taylor is not well three score and ten, but says he can recall every resident and the location of their homes, as it was fifty years ago. ALSO R. L. Avery and Prof. Hardy have bought a store at Nichols, NY and will take it over about the middle of May. It will be a serious loss to this town to have these two leave, as they have been greatly interested in the advancement of anything that helped to build up the place. Mr. Avery will leave soon for his new home, and Harry Lee will occupy the Avery place.

Susquehanna – During the month of February there were 72,972 cars moved in the Susquehanna yards of the Erie railroad. This was an average per-day of 2,513 cars.

West Auburn – James Babcock, of Wilkes-Barre, manager of J. J. Smith & Sons poultry farm, is expected here with his family soon. J. J. Smith is also expected to come up this season and make extensive repairs on the building of Elm Farm.

Elk Lake – Supervisor Broadhead is busy keeping the roads open for the pubic. Many places it is necessary to go through the fields.

Forest Lake – Mrs. Jerry Donovan and daughter, Frances, and son, Richard, spent a few days at the home of her brother, Joseph Kelly.

South Harford – Elijah Harding, one of our oldest and highly respected neighbors, passed away March 7th. ALSO We have our share of snow banks, but our mail man wallows and shovels through every day.

Choconut Valley – The stage on the Friendsville and Binghamton route failed to make its trip Monday, Feb. 28th. For the first time this winter, as it was impossible to get through the snow drifts, Searle Clarke, who delivers the R. F. D. mail, also failed to make his trip. The bear failed to see his shadow Feb. 2d, but we have not seen fine weather yet.

Clifford – A new boiler has recently been placed in the Clifford creamery, it having taken several days to complete the job. Meantime the milk usually coming here was sent to Lenoxville. A large quantity to cream was accumulated awaiting the starting of the churn.

Rush/Meshoppen – Dr. A. L. Hickok, for many years a practicing physician at Rush, but who more recently has been located at Meshoppen, announces that he will discontinue his office at the latter place to accept a position as company physician with the Maplewood Chemical Co., at Shinhopple, N.Y., a town about 80 miles north of Binghamton.

Dimock – Dimock added another scalp to her trophies last Saturday night, at Hop Bottom, when they won in a closely contested game from Hoop Bottom High School by a score of 33 to 29. During the last half the Dimock boys were never headed but the Hop Bottom boys were running a close second.  But in the end it proved that a passing game is superior to dribbling.

News Brief: Twenty-eight years ago Wednesday, the memorable blizzard of 1888 started. This was one of the worst blizzards the country ever experienced.  If it is true that we experience a repetition of the same weather conditions every seven years, the heavy snow of Wednesday would seem to bear out the theory of the weather moving in cycles. About 18 inches of snow fell during the day.  ALSO We hear much complaint over the fact that the state roads are not cleared of snow causing great inconvenience and much expense to those who are obliged to use them. The township supervisors, in many instances, claim that they have no right to go on and do the work, and that this matter should be taken care of by the State Highway Department. The road from Montrose to Rush is said to have been in very bad shape for a long time.  One man remarked to us the other day that he was drawing a ton of lime at a trip, when he should draw two tons.

200 Years Ago:  MARRIED, in this town [Montrose] on the 17th instant [present month], by Joshua W. Raynsford Esq., Mr. Jonas Ingham, of Wyalusing (Bradford Co.) to Miss Sally Robinson, of this place. On the same day, by the Rev. Ebinezer Kingsbury, of Harford, Mr. Hezekiah Bullard, to Miss Matilda Deans.

Milford & Owego Turnpike Road.  The managers of the Milford and Owego Turnpike Road Company are requested to meet at the house of Edward Fuller, in Montrose, on the second Monday in May next, at one o’clock in the afternoon, on business of importance. B. T. Case, Secretary, March 16th, 1816.