From Diary of the American Revolution, Vol II. Compiled by Frank Moore and published in 1859.
January 10.—The very remarkable and long-continued severity of the weather at New York, (the like not having been known, as we are informed, by the oldest man living,) has stopped all the avenues of intelligence, and almost cut off all social intercourse between people of the same neighborhood. The incessant intenseness of the cold, the great depth and quantity of the snows, following in quick succession one on the back of another, attended with violent tempests of wind, which for several days made the roads utterly impassable, has put a stop to business of all kinds, except such as each family could do within itself. And as many were slenderly provided with necessaries for subsistence, we have reason to apprehend that we shall shortly hear many melancholy accounts of private distress in the country, and that from the sea-coasts and vessels at sea, the accounts will be dreadful.1
1 Pennsylvania Packet, January 27.