Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-12

ihe storm that visited Washington yesterday
was one OF the most remarkable known for years
In TACT the capital seemed to have dropped into
the very center OF a cyclone that brought with It
u pnhuing succession OF rain, snow, wind. and
cold. In the early hours OF the day the cutters
ran nigh, and in many low places the sewers were
blocked, thus flooding the streets The deluge
until about ) O'Clock In the afternoon,
when the immense rain drops turned to snow as by
magic and from that time until the lights went out
the air was flled with swiriing, lutter.ng flakes
tnat STUCK on tho trees. on the windows, the cor
nices, and the fences until the city was sheeted In
a mantle OF white that grew thicker every minute.
AS the night fell the heavily Laden telegraph wires
began TO come down, and in many places the
streets were blockaded so that street-cars had TO
turn around and make partial trips The police
wires were OUT OF order, and to add 10 the discom
forts OF the night the electric lights began 10 fail
BY midnight the city was almost in darkness. save
for few reeole gas jets that had ickered through
the storm.
THE EXTENT OF THE STORM.
At the Signal Onice this morning 1t was dlscov-
cred that yesterdays storm was the result OF the
splitting OF a storm trough that on the day before
yesterday extended south from Michigan. Satur-
day night 1t divided, forming two storm centers.
one In Lake Eric and one in Georgia. The southern
center then began 10 climb up the coast. striking
washington yesterday morning. The center itself
did not reach here until about O'Clock In the
afternoon, del when the rain changed to snow. TINS
TOOK until nearly midnight 10 pass. The total
rainfall amounted to about Is. inches considered
TO be quite heavy. The wind reached a velocity OF
~ miles an hour at midnight, but subsided TO
about 20 miles this morning. on Cape Henry the
"lnd was blowing % miles yesterday.
MEAGER REPORTS AT THE SIGNAL OFFICE.
The maps In the prediction Office looked very
white this morning. The only reports received
were from the Pacific Coast, Abilene, Tex;
k1SSyille ka'syn Tenn Lynsh5Srs v and
map, which usually gives great amount
OF thermometric and barometric infor-
from memory To add to the Sarcasm OF the
bureaus position in this storm, the laoOrers were
busy this morning slowing away large supply OF
coal. The thermometer Is slowly rising and
events will have resumed their natural course by
tomorrow morning, when it is expected that the
"line OF no variation" which is at present some
reached US. With the line comes higher mercury.
RAILWAY TRAVEL oBsrRUcTED.
"We don't know anything, is the graphic state
ment on the bulletin boards at the railroad depots
this morning. 1t is literally true, If any informal
tion is wanted In regard TO the arrival OF trains.
The railroad Ofncials know nothing, because they
have no means OF knowing. The wires are all
down and there is no communication. They can
conjecture what is going on along the line of the
road, that Is all. AT IL O'Clock tnis morning no
trains had arrived since last night. The location
OF the early morning trains Is matter OF surnise.
Ii is probable that they will be along late In
the day and then the passengers can account for
the extra time. It is probable, sothe railroad men
say, that the trains are picking their
way along and gradually clearing the track from
the telegraph poles, wires. 6c.. that stretched
across The track. In some places it is reported
that wood piled up along the railroad line has
been swept by the force OF the wind upon the
track. ana such barriers require line " be moved.
The entire force OF men employ ed In keeping the
telegraph lines In repair all out today hard at
work trying TO repair the damage that has been
dOne AS soon as Geographic communication Is
established then the railroad bulletin boards will
teem with information and the work OF the storm
Will be known. Old officials claim that this is the
~
CURED at this season OF the ye8y.
A gentleman who came over ffom Baltimore last
that the train was frequently obliged to stop on
account OF the telegraph poles and wires that lay
across the track at short Intervals.
THE STREET CARS.
The street car companies had to face the diff
culties thrown in the way Of travel by the Storm
but they were OF such a character as to interfere
only slightly with the regular schedule for running
the cars. The scrapers were run over the lines
early In the morning, and the tracks were clean
for the cars. In spite OF this however, the horses
made slow progress over the icy ground. and in
the face OF the strong wind that prevailed the
street-car traffic was, as usual on stormy MORN
lively little delay The weather is hard on the
men and the horses.
AT THE TELEGRAPH OFFICES.
"This is one OF the worst storms we have ever
known here" said Manager Marean, OF the wes-
tern Union Telegraph office, to a STAR reporter
both North and South. We had two wires TO Pitts
burg last night, but they, too, went this morning
Some OF our wires that ran across the line or the
wind were entirely broken down. i have sent a
man out on the Baltimore and ohio road TO Bati-
more to see what the condition OF things is, and l
hope to be able to get in on the Baltimore
started from Philadelphia this morning TO do what
they could along the line, but have not heard
from them yet pernaps we may get our Western
Associations are sending out line, aud the busi-
hess OF our Office is entirely stopped"
the assistants "PeopIe come in with mess Iges
an are very much surprised at the state OF things
They don't seem 70 comprehend the situation"
ton OF affairs as exists to-day never existed before
since the telegraph came Into Use. Washington has
been completely Isolated all day. The railroad
officials here have had no means of communicate
ing with points along their nncs and have had 10
resort tosthe old fashioned method OF tagging
trains.
IL has frequently occurred that wires would be |
down SO that the North or the South was shut |
put but IL has never been the cas-. that there was
stance. 1t has at times been SO that the only way
10 communicate with new York was via New
Orleans and Chicago, but to-day II was impossible
10 get single word anywhere BY wire.
TELEGRAPH LINES DOWN.
The telegraph offices were helpless and useless |
Ind at 10 O'Clock communication with the north |
vas entirely cut on except by two wires TO Pitts
burg. IL will be several days before the damage |
IAN toe thoroughly repaired.
At the signal ONCE the trained prophets were as |
helpless ordinary men, ana sat waiting the Will
" the winds. The trouble on the wires crippled
he service by delaying the weather reports from
stations ana predictions were at a standstill IL
vas discovered, however, that the storm, OF which
" seemed TO be the center, extended on
III sides with nearly equal fury.
number OF telegraph poles were broken and |
many Of the shade trees were damaged or up
'Ooted.
ONLY THE UNDERGROUND WIRES IN OPERATION
The advantage OF the underground system was |
,learly demonstrated this morning when the tele- |
graphic operator at the White House found that |
III OF the wires were down leading from the man.
non. The only communication 10 be had was /
ground cable. All OF the Departmental wires were |
iseless
TELEGRAPH POLES AND TREES BLOWN DOWN.
The police report that on street from 9th street
70 1st southeast the telegraph poles are all down,
many OF them blown over against the houses; |
llso that n number OF such poles on Maryland |
avenue and Virginia avenue and Sth street south
vest; at the corner OF Sth aad streets southeast
IN 18th street north or the avenue, and in other /
The front wan Of house si4 street northwest |
was blown out.
Trees were blown down on sth street, between |
and streets; 8 street, between 18th and 18th; /
9TH and o streets: 13&h street, between Rhode |
ISLAND avenue M and 8; o street, between 2 and Z
18TH; l5tn street. between q and Corcoran; o |
street. between 18th and 14th 9Th street, between
Y andN; Sth street. between and n: south side 4
u street, between l?sh and l::th; corner OF 9th
and +; sth street. between G and southeast;
ID street, between and X: street, Detween I'd |
md ID; 1st and Carroll streets; Sth street, be- |
,wcen and q; street, between I'd and IA; 9th /