1956 — Dec 14-15, winter snow, sleet and ice storm, East Coast, esp. NY & northeast–17-21

–17-21 Blanchard estimated death toll.

We have been able to substantiate wire reporting of 4 deaths in CT, 3 in MA, 9 in NY, and 1 in WV for a total of 17. We have not been successful in locating specifics on the one death reported for NH or the three in NJ. So, what we are stating is that we are confident of at least seventeen deaths, and recognize that there might well have been at least 21, though we have not been able to substantiate four of these. We are skeptical of the report of twenty-two fatalities.

–22 Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “Storm Takes 22 Lives in East.” 12-16-1956, p. 1.
–19 AP. “19 Killed – Snow, Sleet Storm Hits Northeast.” Syracuse Herald Journal, NY. 12-16-1956, 1.
–18 Logansport Press, IN. “Deep Snow for Northeast US.” 12-16-1956, p. 1.
–17 INS. “Northeast Storm Kills 17…” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. 12-15-1956, p. 1.

Summary of Snow and Sleet Storm Fatalities by State

Connecticut (4)
Massachusetts (3)
New Hampshire (1)
New Jersey (3)
New York (9)
West Virginia (1)
21

Breakout of Snow and Sleet Storm Fatalities by State and Locality (where noted):

Connecticut (4)
–4 AP. “Crews Make Swift Repairs in Sleet Area.” Bridgeport Post, CT. 12-17-1956, p. 1.
–3 AP. “Upstate Communities…Hit…Worst Ice Storm in 35 Years.” Bridgeport Post, CT. 12-16-1956, 1.
–2 Bristol. Car skids on icy road into sewer excavation; two cars stop to help; 4th hits them.
–1 Stamford. Auto skidded on icy Merritt Parkway, hits tree; Charles J. Holmberg, Jr, 26.
–1 Cheshire. Pedestrian Mrs. Mary Lathrop hit by car; driver said he couldn’t see her due to windshield ice.

Massachusetts (3)
–3 Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.
–2 Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald, MS. “16 Dead Due Weather in East U.S.” 12-15-1956, p. 1.
–1 East Dedham. Tractor clearing snow goes through bridge planking; Edward J. Bingham, 56.
–2 Raynham, Dec 15. Cars collide “on storm-swept Route 138.” Robert J. Nunes, 20, James R. Londo, 18.

New Hampshire (1)
–1 AP. “19 Killed – Snow, Sleet Storm Hits Northeast.” Syracuse Herald Journal, NY. 12-16-1956, 1.

New Jersey (3)
–3 INS. “18 Dead in Northeast Storm.” Lowell Sunday Sun, MA. 12-16-1956, p. 1.
–2 Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald, MS. “16 Dead Due Weather in East U.S.” 12-15-1956, p. 1.

New York (9)
–9 INS. “Northeast Storm Kills 17…” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. 12-15-1956, p. 1.
–1 Angola, Dec 15. Car skidded off highway ~home, hit tree, caught fire; Mrs. Margaret Phelps, 37.
–1 Locke area, Route 90, Dec 14. Car skids and overturns; William A. Stuttle, 28.
–1 Mannsville area, Dec 14. Car skids on Route 11; Mrs. Eloise Woods, 36, of Syracuse.
–1 Mechanicville, Dec 14. RR car inspector fell from top of RR car during storm; hit by train.
–4 New York City, Dec 14. Traffic fatalities.
–1 Massena area, Dec 15. Car skids on icy Route 37; Robert E. Weaver, 38, of Waddington.

West Virginia (1)
–1 Drowning; appears to be vehicular related.

Narrative Information

Dec 15, Associated Press: “A mid-December storm of snow, sleet and rain left at least 16 dead today in the Northeastern states. Transportation was snarled and communications were disrupted. Power lines were down in some areas, leaving homes without heat or electricity for cooking. A power company official in the Hartford, Conn., area said the storm was as destructive to power lines there as the 1938 hurricane.

“The death list, all traffic, showed.

Nine dead in New York state.
Three dead in Connecticut.
Two dead in Massachusetts.
Two dead in New Jersey.

“….The storm struck yesterday in the east-central portion of New York state and soon tied up highway traffic and caused some delays in air traffic. A foot of snow fell on Albany with 10 inches reported at Schenectady. Some sections of Rensselaer County had 11 inches. Hail, sleet and freezing rain buffeted other sections of the state.” (Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald, MS. “16 Dead Due Weather in East U.S.” 12-15-1956, p. 1.)

Dec 16, United Press: “Boston (UP) – The northeastern states were bogged down today in a morass of snow and slush inflicted by an Arctic-spawned storm. Flood waters receded in West Virginia and wintry blasts bore down on the midwest from Canada.

“The deaths of 22 persons were attributed at least in part to the storms that raged through New England, New York, New Jersey and West Virginia. Most of the dead were highway fatalities. Skidding automobiles on ice-coated New England highways smashed into one another, causing a number of injuries. At least one person drowned in West Virginia.

“The storm, which piled up to a foot of snow in some areas before turning into slush-producing sleet and rain, knocked out power and telephone lines in Connecticut and plunged a television station into darkness. Heavy rains apparently weakened a railroad embankment near Walker, W. Va., causing a landslide that derailed all 47 cars of a fast east-bound Baltimore & Ohio freight train. A long stretch of track was torn up when the engine overturned and the other cars piled up behind it. No injuries were reported.

“Traffic in the Hudson River Valley and Western New England was snarled. Wet snow kept automobiles from climbing hills. Trees were toppled by severe winds accompanying the rain, snow and sleet. Thousands-of persons in Connecticut were without electricity or heat. Power lines snapped under loads of ice and air travel was crippled in some areas. The “Christmas Town” of Bethlehem, Conn., was without power because of fallen wires. The lights went out while the town prepared for its usual colorful Christmas celebration.” (Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “Storm Takes 22 Lives in East.” 12-16-1956, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “19 Killed – Snow, Sleet Storm Hits Northeast.” Syracuse Herald Journal, NY. 12-16-1956, p.1. Accessed 3-15-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/syracuse-herald-journal-dec-16-1956-p-7/

Associated Press. “Crews Make Swift Repairs in Sleet Area.” Bridgeport Post, CT. 12-17-1956, p. 1. Accessed 3-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bridgeport-post-dec-17-1956-p-44/

Associated Press. “Nine Killed In Up-State Storm.” The Norwich Sun, NY, 12-15-1956, p. 1. Accessed 3-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/norwich-sun-dec-15-1956-p-1/

Associated Press. “Two Die in Raynham.” The Lowell Sun, MA. 12-15-1956, p. 12. Accessed 3-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun-dec-15-1956-p-12/

Associated Press. “Upstate Communities Hard Hit By Worst Ice Storm in 35 Years.” Bridgeport Post, CT. 12-16-1956, p.1. Accessed 3-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bridgeport-post-dec-16-1956-p-1/

Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald, MS. “16 Dead Due Weather in East U.S.” 12-15-1956, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=184476752&sterm

INS (International News Service). “18 Dead in Northeast Storm.” Lowell Sunday Sun, MA. 12-16-1956, p. 1. Accessed 3-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun-dec-16-1956-p-1/

INS (International News Service). “Northeast Storm Kills 17; Transport Snarled.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. 12-15-1956, p. 1. Accessed 3-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/syracuse-herald-journal-dec-15-1956-p-1/

Logansport Press, IN. “Deep Snow for Northeast US.” 12-16-1956, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=83927098&sterm

Lowell Sun, MA. “18 Dead In Northeast Storm (continued from p.1).” 12-16-1956, p. 10. Accessed 3-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun-dec-16-1956-p-10/

Naugatuck Daily News, CT. “Area Back (continued from p1).” 12-17-1956, p.5. Accessed 3-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/naugatuck-daily-news-dec-17-1956-p-5/

Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. “Syracusan Among Four Traffic Dead.” 12-15-1956, p. 1. Accessed 3-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/syracuse-herald-journal-dec-15-1956-p-1/

Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “Storm Takes 22 Lives in East.” 12-16-1956, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com