New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-22
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JERSEY.
The storm which visited this city yesterday
was more severe and peculiar in its effects
than any that has passed over this part OF the
coast for number Of years. The snow which
fell early in the morning soon turned to rain,
which froze as it fell, covering everything with
thick coating Of ice. The damage
to the wires andspeles Of the telegraph cou-
panies was particularly great. Many Of the
wires were broken, and many poles fell under
their heavy burdens. Telegraphie commune
cation with places outside of the city was
entirely suspended for hours, and late last
night tie situation had only slightly improved.
A tornado did considerable damage at Asbury
Park, n. j., and in the neighborhood.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS IN TIE CITY.
BEGINNING oF THE sToRlk-APPEARAscno OF BULDs
IEGs WHEN DAY BRoKE-A GLARE OF IcE-
TELEGRAPH COMMUNICATION niPEpED.
The storm began about / o'clock in the morning
with q light fall of snow. This changed to slest
and rain in an hour or two. About o'clock
the mercury fell and the streets and sidewalks were
soon covered with thin sheet Of ice. At dsybreak
the city presented beautiful and singular appear
ance The walls of the buildings were white with
thin ice, while the caves and window-sills were
frnged with iccles. In many streets the telegraph
wires cleaned like silver cords. Church spires
seemed made of glass. The lamp-posts were covered
with ice and there line of icicles on the ele-
waited railroads from the Battery to Harlem.
Early in the morning men were at work cleanina
the Ice from the sidewalks in front Of dwelling
houses and stores. Their clatter was kept up
all day. The employees of the Street-Clean-
ing Bureau were to be seen at work in
spots About o'clock o drizzling rein set
in. IL soon became heavy and continued
with unabated forcs until about in the afternoon;
then it slackened, but did not entirely until
in the evening After that hour there was slight
rain at intervals, There was heavy wind blowing
all day. which added to the great discomfort. 1t
dashed the falling drops into the faces ofthe pedes
and rendered umbrellas useless often turning
them inside out. vs
Business throughout the city was almost sus-
pended the lack of telegraph communication
being severely felt Uptown few women
were in the street. Even Macys was
deserted, and the crowd in Fourteenth-st. near
Broadway was small. Some private carriages were
seen on the uptown streets, which dreary in
deed.
Wholesale stores were almost empty Even
| the street-pedlers succumbed to the
storm, and fOT once the pedestrian ian
in Broadway, below GhamSersss Sss NOT OF
poodle dogs. There were numerous policemen In
| the street as they bad to do extra duty, keeping
watch for res the re telegraph being out OF order
DIFFICULTIES IN GETTING ABOUT.
The walking was something awful. The snow.
which had fallen IN the night began 10 melt about
10 o'clock and by noon the pavements were covered
with slush, in no place much less than two inches
| deem wherever thero was q hollow =, there
was Lake which looked like solid ground.
Early in the day there were many tails on the Slip
merry payemens Later the falling ice from tile tele:
| graph wires was really dangerous, and IL did not
seem safe to go near telegraph pole The wires IA
Broadway hes SsTea %s1 s aa
| by IT. and received painful but not serious injured
| The slush was not deep enough however, TO i'm.
| street cars. The omuibuscs were drawn by two
horses as usual and made their regular trips with
| out much difficulty, except when hindered by the
The travel on the elevated roads was nterfered
with considerably. Early 10 the morning there was
slight fog which made t Necessary 1s Ior tne trains
| ber of telegraph poles in Second Third Sixth and
Nnth-aves. were blown down. and they
fell AGAINST the structures; ;,s oossRf6ns RIorfss
Occurred on all the roads, but none Of them lasted
longer than three-quarters OF an hour Many OF
the street car lines did comparatively little business,
| as the falling of the telegraph poles caused great
| many blocks. But the trucks were comparatively
| clear from snow, and few extra horses we're put on
| the cars. The broadway Line was blocked at one
| time in the morning for two hours and BALI.
| TheSixth Avenue Llpe was blocked sevefat times,
| once for abont an hour. There were also delays
nne Line had double force Of horses ut work, but
| Third-aye were delayed. but not often as those
! on the West Side The cars on the Fourth Avenue
| Line were hindered very little. ~.
| Fulton-st., between the East River and the Ele-
waited Railroad station, was one vast sheet OF water
| three or four inches deep. The Wind oieT down
toward the ferry With tremendous force and oasnsd
the water almost in sheets against the passengers es
| they camo iron Brooklyn. The other side streets
downtown were in fair condiron for vehicles.
aIthough almost impossible for pedestrians,
Shortly before 0 o'clock heavy gust,of wind
carried away the flagstaff erected beside the Cod
dess of Liberty tine cupola Of the City Hal. and,
be SIsG az sne sis IN front OF the Hall The pole which
was thirty FIVE feet In length, was broken ~ several
and ss spaasss for the OF day
The scene in froBt OF the Fifth Avenue Hotsl,
usually so busy was desolate IN the extr.me Early
i'm the morning few of the guests braved toe storm
and ventred downtown only to return for luncheon
with ruined umbrellas. clothes soaking wet, ana
temper iy no me means mpIovS1 .;1e. @ narticak
larry beautiful, forming gllttering network
Tie wind had 80 terrific sweep across Madison
square that consideraoe aa%sge ws Datssass a.
windows in Twenty-fourth-st.. in Casweil Hazard
& Co.'s was blown in; causing damage, lncluoing
and electric light men were early on the alert,
preventing and repairing what damage they could.
Had it not been for the frequent stayg OF tne pJcs
with ropes to hydrants, trees and everything that
Wond hold they would have fallen. AS 1t was they
bent with the weight which allowed the wires 70
hang SO near the roadway that passing was mcaiI
TIE TELEGRAPH WIRES DOWN.
The effect of the storm on the telegraph wires wss
picturesque a. well as disastrous. The ice began 20
form on them between tAs city ana fniisaeipniA
ohout a m. The first report Of poles falling came
20 N, Western Union Office from Harrisburg Penn.
Soon after, the wires began to break near this city,
and at noon yesterday communication was closed in
all directions. A telegraph message could pot oe
.. ftar that hour In any direction from this city