New York Weather Bureau. 503 



across, so that people ride every day thence to Long Island." In 

 a subsequent number a 'certificate of several pers'an« appears, tes- 

 tifying that they had crossed the Connecticut river on the ice and 

 with ihorses', on the 1st of April. (B.) 



The following is from the diary of Col. A. Hasbrouck, of Kings- 

 ton, N. Y., extnacts from which were published In a recent issue 

 of the New York Times: " In the year of our Lord 1740-41, that 

 winter began thei beginning of December, and continued! to the 

 last of March, 1741, and we rode over Hudson's river with horses 

 and sleighs * ■' * to the 20th of March." i 



1754-5. Winter unusually mild. Troops sailed from New York 

 to Albany in January and February. (S.) 



1780. In 1780 the most signal and severe depression of tempera- 

 ture occurred belonging to our entire history, excepting, perhaps, 

 that of 1856. * * * Webster remarks an immense snowfall in 

 New England ; " for six weeks no snow melted. The Sound was 

 entirely covered with ice between Long Island and the main, and 

 between New York and Staten Island." (B.) 



" The winter began the beginning of December, 1779, and con- 

 tinued to the latter end of March, 1780. A very deep snow, above 

 three feet and more^, and driven up in heaps, lq many placesi six 

 and seven feet high * * * and iso severe a cold foT most part 

 of the winter that the like (hasi never beeni known by the oldest 

 living ini this country, iand continued toi miear the , latter end of 

 March, 1780." " People did ride with horses land sleighs from 

 New York toi Staten Island, * * * ^nd from New York to 

 Paulus Hook and Bergen and also to Long Islamd, and did ride 

 upoo the ice from New York to Albany, and further, and also 

 crossed the Sound upon ice; from New London tO' Long Island with 

 carriages of burden, which has never \been known to have been 

 done before. The snow was not as deep as in the ihard winter, 

 so called, in the years 1740-41, but much colder and of longer 

 continuation." (Hasbrouck.) 



1784-5. " The winter began about the middle of December, 1784, 

 and continued to the 15th of April, 1785, so that the fields were 

 yet covered with snow and people rode across the Hudson river at 



