The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-12
COMING WITH A HOWL.
STORMS AND COLD WAVES
SWEEPING OVER THE COUNTRY.

The Wires Down and Telegraph Com
munication Interrupted-The Highest
Wind at Savannah Since the August
Cyclone of 18S5-MerCury Drops
10 Degrees From 3 O'clock Until
Midnight-The Signal Bureaus Re-
ports AIeagre and Little Information
of the storm Obtainable-R Rough
Weather at Sea.
A genuine March gale struck Savannah
lastnight, blowing down signs and topping
chimneys. The thermometer at the signal
office at o'clock began TO register 80 miles
an hour, and it registered that velocity
steadily up to midnight. Observer Hammer
said that it was the highest wind velocity
in this section since the great cyclone of
Aug. %, 1885, when So miles were regis
tered.
The steamship City of Macon, which
came in last night, reported heavy weather
outside. The bark NJ lchior Vidulich, which
was wrecked of Port Royal, has gone to
pieces, and the surface of the sea was COW
cred with the wreckage The wind Oh the
coast at a great many places, Observer
Hammer said must have reached a velocity
of over fifty miles.
AT 7:30 O'Clock last night the following
telegram was received at the signal Office:
WASHINGTON, =. c., March II.
5:4S p. m.-Hoist cold wave signal The tenn
perature will fall about 10 by 10 clock m
Monday. GREEDY.
1t fell more than that yesterday. The
maximum temperature here was 6S.2' and
occurred about , o'clock p. m, and at 10 p
II. 1t had fallen to so, at 1 p. IN. to AS, at
midnight to 40', and by daylight it was ex-
pected to go below the freezing point.
The cold wave developed in the extreme
Northwest Saturday morning the mercury
going % below zero in Dakota Saturday
afternoon it had fallen 25' in Northern
Texas, and yesterday morning the fall all
over Texas was over 30'. AT 3 O'Clock yes
terday afternoon the front of the storm had
reached Atlanta, the mercury going down
to 80, fall of IL ia twenty-four hours.
North and northwesterly gales are report
ed from all stations on the South Atlantic
and Gulf Coasts, and the wind velocity is
thirty-five miles an hour.
At Il 80 o'clock last night the operators
in the Western Union office were looking
blue. Wires were reported down in every
direction, and the Signal officer who was
waiting patiently for his Washington re-
ports, said that the gale reached from the
lakes to the sea coast, and extended over all
that territory east of the Mississippi The
prevalence of the winds is all that spared
this section from heavy frosts up to mid
night.
Up to l O'Clock this morning no commu-
nication could be had with Washington,
and no press dispatches had been received
From o'clock last night communication
with New York was cut off The center of
the storm disturbance seemed to be at that
hour on Chesapeake Bay, with Washington
shut off from Geographic connection with
the country. No information could be had
even of a Western connection. Had there
been, the general signal service report
would have been received at Savannah be-
fore midnight. None but the Southe IN
station reports were received
At 10 o'clock mercury had fallen to So at
Atlanta, and the wind at Norfolk had at-S
tanned velocity of fifty-five miles an hour
The lines were down and no report was re-
Ceived from Hatteras. Signal Officer Han
ner said that the wind velocity there must
have been over sixty miles an hour.
If the mercury continues to fall as it has
for the past u hours, it will be very de
structive to vegetable and fruit crops in this |
section, especially if the wind subsidies.
Savannah this morning is ON the crest of
The wave. The mercury had began to rise
last night in Northern Texas.
The storm which is now off the South
Atlantic and Gulf coasts must prove dis
astrous to shipping as it has been precipi-
tated very suddenly from the Northwest.