New-York tribune., 1873-01-07
EFFECTS or THE STORM.

LOSSES OF THE TELEGRAPH COMPANIES-AN-
NoYANCEs OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS
Contrary to general expectation, the loss on
stocks of goods cellars along the river roDts ana III
other parts the city, In consequence OF the storm on
Sunday was inconsiderable This arose from the fact
that cuverts kept open by the laDOrers ein
poyed by the Street Cleaning and the police for
several days previous had enforced the ordinance re-
duirng all occupants OF buildings TO clear away the
snow and ice from the cutters in front of their premises
These simple precautions prevented the destruction OF
valuable property
In nearly all the streets there is accumulation OF
snow and sush a foot more deep, through winch
teams slowly aud painfully labor. Long lines OF cars
extended from Broadway to Chatham-square, and IN
West Broadway to and along Caual-st The Street
Cleaning Brigade were busy all Iday in clearing cutters
and carting snow and ice from Broadway and other
streets.
The telegraph companies we're parayzed during tne
day The troubles were occasoned by damages 10 tne
lines within radius OF 30 miles of the city The facnc
and Atlantic Company cannot give even an aPpro1
mate estimate OF the damage done In the more distant
portions of the city, but they already knew OF he pros
ration OF IL large poles with tne wires %Tn eat
and west by way Albany 10 which point they nad one
West Of Albany the communication Is open to the
south. West All dispatches from Washington come oy
This route The lines between Newark and Philadelphia
are down Large gangs 81 a men nave Ooon se"' ou' "
The Western Union Company was crippled yesteruay.
The superintendent making the utmost efforts 20
get the through lines again operation The Eastern
connections by way OF New Haven are broken IN har
lem and gang workmen has been sent 10 repair tne
wires at once No city messages were sent yesterday
but the lines win probably be IN working order today
THE telegraph wires OF the Fire and Police Depart
ments are majority Of the lines stl unnt TOT use
Broken down by incrustations OF ice during sunday
Storm wires hung in long fragments from the poes
and other portions among the limbs OF trees, ana ire
quenty along the ground in such tangled masses that
travel both on the sidewalk and street was npeu&su. &
The in this city who have been trained 10 tne
of repairing broken telegraph wires are few IN
number the great amount OF work 10 De done
there an insufficient force. - - -
The chief of telegraph service of the Fire Depart
found testing bis wires, yesterday morning,
that only three Of them were in working order During
the previous night there had oeen no eommahGa.Un ~
Mercerst and any Of the betowers engine houses OF
fre-aarm boxes IN the city The Ere Commissioners
sent out messengers every engine house, with orders
to the commanders Of the companies TO be especially
vigllant. , ., -, -
trained men, first bent their efforts to reestaolsmng
headquarters The work was done with great speed ana
by noon was accomplished with the exception or some
OF the Detowers in the extreme upper end OF the city,
the Harlem belltower Mount Morris Park being one
of those not reached The FIRE commissioners were
greatly pleased upon nearing tnat TINS part o ue h
had been done, lnasmuch as II VIII at east eaDIe the
alarms OF fire to be loudly sounded from the oetowers,
and thus quickly inform the iremen.
As soon as the belltOwers had been connected. the
yoren began stretch the wires from the Fire Head
quarters to the engine houses in the lower phrt OF the
city The work pushed forward very energetcaiy'
and nghtfa the ab0rers had succeeded IN connect
ing most OF the eDgnehOuses in the city below Four
teenthst At least five days VIII pass before they VIII
be able repair and lay wires between all the engine
houses IN the ey ana te he gIesv
damaged much broken as those of the Fire
Department and the private companies, Communlca-
ton between Police Headquarters ana the station
houses almost completely interrupted however,
through the broken wires OF the Other companies Iabg
upon the police wires The worknen OF the department
busy from daylight TO darkness repairing tne pro
ken wires, and they succeeded In connecting P0lee
Headquarters with all but Two Of the staonhouses be-
low Fourteenth'st.