Daily Republican., 1888-03-13
TRlRD EDITION.


continued until about 10 O'Clock ~
niel-s, -hen the wind commenced toI
blow and the rain changed TO regular
old-tAshioned snow storm tnaf came
down rapidly until about . o'clock yes
terday morning, and ~ the light, mccoy
fiakes were whirled around In drifts 1t
retarded travel considerably. The mer
crry dropped from 500 at noon Sunday
TO $50 ct midnight, and 21o nj II O'Clock
yesterday morning, q difference OF ny
In less than "a hours. The storm caused
onsiderAble electrical disturbance, and
the RonRs In the different FIRE enRineI
houses struck all kinds Of alarms from
midnight until morning, 80 that even
had shere been a 20 the lremen would
not have been able TO locate II. Matters
were extremely interesting for the ope
Iators ct the telephone exchange, ~
the electric sparks were Aging in every
direction.
AT one time tie switchboard was on
FIRE, and some OF the wires bad to De
out. To- the meantime the snow con- |
tinued 10 fall, and with the gale that
was blowing gave q good idea OF someI
Of the bl!zzArds that have visited the /
western States. Awnings and signs
were blown down, and trees In different
parts of the city that had stood thel
storms Of years were torn up by thel
roots. One in front Of Pusey WAlton's
confectionery, Seventh and TAtnell
streets, came down with . crash, and
also one ct Fourth and Walnut streets.
A lamp was blown over at Sixth and
Market streets, and the telephone wires
are so badly damaged that there has
not been any communication up 70 this
morning.
The railroads have been blocked, and
no through trains reached tais city from
O'Clock yesterday morning until
nearly noon. Several local north
bound trains were started out, In the
hope that they would assist In opening
the road to Philadelphia. The damage
10 the telegraph wires WAS 30 great that
Wilmington Is shut of from all COM
municAtion with other cities.
The FIRE alarm WAS badly damaged by
the wires being Overlapped by telephone
and electric light wires, consequently
neither circuit 10 working. IL wns
found impossible yesterday morning to
strike the usual 8 o'clock test, Ann al
soon as Chairman Of the Fire Commit
tee Quinn wAs apprised of The fact. he
had Q man placed in the lower part oil
the city hall to keep q sharp lookout fol
fires. He also rad gang Of rnen put
TO work and ~ IL expected the enIir'
system will be in complete working
order before tonight.
The Market street line OF street car
was started about O'Clock yesterday
morning with four horses to each car
but even with this Increased ioREr buI
little Roadway Mas made. The cars OF
the Rlsing Sun branch were stopped 81
day, and no attempt was made TO rur
those on the electric road TO kiveFview
On account OF the gale, which etIll cen
tinues, but little can be dore towart
repairing the damage 70 the telegraph
lines, and II 10 estimated that over 90
poles are down between PHILADELPHIA
and Baltimore The fsct OF so man,
poles being down across the raiiros,
tracks caused the few trains whicl
were EdE between here mud PhilAde
phia yesterday and last night 70 crAW
along like stage coaches, and some {
them were over four hours making tn
trip.
This is the frst time that Wilmir zto
has ever been cut of from oommGnioi
ton with the outer world, as during q
previous storms there has always bee
Mt least one wire in working order. Th
telephone 10 Sleo rs badly disabied 8
the telegraph lines, and Manager MI
hAffP said last evening;
Eighteen instrum ents over the Brar
DIVINE bridge and about eighteen ind
Gators were burned out on account {
the electric railway dynamo Iunnin
during the heavy aleet and wind storm
This created an unusually heavy cui
rent on the telephone wires, completed
disabling all instruments on the merit
SIDE OF the Brandy wine and also dac
aging the ssitch bUArd in the telephoI
exchange. None of the telephones ~
IN order yet In the neigh borhood
2o6 wires are down and crossed, thu
disabling them. No communication
had with any point outside Of 9
city"
1t is hoped to have the entire llae
working order by tonight. The q
alarm Ia sin In bad condition, al
the watch in tbs on err will be conttn d
until both circuits are again in compl'
working order. The wires OF the Ell
trio Light Company, being heavy,
capped WITH but littls damage.
About 5 o'clock yesterday aftern o
the gilt bail and weather vAne on
tower OF the Court House gave. way .
came down with q crash. The heA
mass OF iron fell on the roof and GU
hole through the sla,e, besides carry
away part of the ceiling OF the CO
room The bali and vAne are injni
beyond hope of repair, and viii have
be replaced by new ones. A large Il
door vas blown to the roof Of the Z
o. express Office, where It svAyed III
about 10 o'clock this morning whei
came down in the street, but fer
nAtely without injurins any one.
large sign on Shipley street fell vest
day and struck . man who was pasgl
but although he was knocked down
escaped serious injury.
The swinging sign at smy til 8 Iewt
store, on Market street above rh
was also blown down. The storm
pErIicularly severe on the milkm
and very few were able 10 get TO
city. Dat Of sixteen who daily /
through tho Newport turnpike !
there were but three yesterday who
tempted 10 reach the city, and for
frat time since the turnpike was es
lished the gate keeper did not tai
single toll all day. The store at No
Maryland avenue had the shutter
the second story windoWs blown
and the show windows broken by
forcs OF the Wind. Yesterday m3rr
l. ". Staaam started for Hocktssi
conduct q sale, but when he hSd al
As far >s Slverbro9E he found the n
80 badly blocked mat be Was torce
return.
His on Frank managed TO sc
Newark for .he purpose Of COnduc
sale near ,h2. tom, bUt rs ali
roads eadlHg TO 1t were compile
blocEtd, no returned without acc
plishing mis- purpose. At least
huu6Ted men were EN- pluyed yestor
in opening the railroads, bul lsst L
the 6pow WES again blown over