Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-20
STORM EFFECTS.
TEE ROADS IN THE RURAL DISTRICTS STILL
BLOCKED.
The Wires Of the Western Union-How the Trains
are Coming 0n-Buldings Groaning
Under the Strain.

The storm OF Wednesday succeeded
in undoing what it has taken several
days to do, and in many cases it will be
weeks before the various damages are
repaired. The greatest and most last
ing havoc seems to have been made
with the wires, which, however, are
fast being drawn out of the entangle-
ment. Manager Tracy had large force
of men at work all day yesterday in
Wheeling and the suburbs Strengthening
out the lines. All but two of the wires
between here and Pittsburg are clear,
and all the wires are in tune between
Wheeling and West Alexander. There
is a section of four wires open
from Wheeling To Columbus, and mes
sages were lively all day yesterday. All
OF the wires running out Of the Office
are clear but six, and 1t is expected that
all connections will be closed by ten
o'clock this morning. The district and
clock service will be all right by to-
night sometime. Seven out Of the ten
Western Union wires on the bridge are
now in shape, aud altogether there are
now twenty-one wires in working order
running over the bridge. Manager
Tracy is to be congratulated on the ex-
peditious manner in which he has
righted the system, and in the face OF no
inconsiderabe obstacles.
The postal telegraph system was little
ana.tAb h.f tho 81 a : oil THAR kvirag
were advantageously situated. The
work on the telephone wires is progress
ing rapidly. Only about half the num-
ber Of phones in the Office are in use,
and the force of girls has been material
ly decreased during the swork of re
pairs. 1t will probably be several weeks
before the system is again complete.
Although quite force Of men were at
work yesterday, only about four or five
additional phones were remcdled.
The wires seem to be in bad
shape all around the city. The
work OF establishing connections out
side the city will commence to-day.
Owing to the wires being crossed in
many parts OF the city, people who at
tempt to call up central frequently get
some curious and unsought places,
creating considerable amusement.
The electric railroad is rapidly get
ting into shape. and although the trips
are attended with some difficulty, the
cars are making fairly good time. The
branch road TO Benwood was opened
yesterday after good deal ef hard
work. Much snow was piled upon the
,I caunptV.liNn hQrrlls
of salt were used in getting the rails
clear
CONDITION OF RAILROADS.
The Baltimore lS Ohio railroad still
suffers most from the storm. Train No.
Q. from New York and Washington, on
this road, which should have been in
Pittsburg at 6:4j yesterday morning,
had not arrived at late hour last night.
1t is snowbound at Glencoe station, on
the mountains, l2G miles east of that
city. This train, which is known as
No. Q, has three engines attached to IL,
and Is having hard time working its
way westward AT last reports.
A train that was 25l hours behind
time left Wheeling Thursday morning
for Pittsburg. Its score of passengers
had experienced all the sutlerings OF
the snow bound Traveller, Tney were
tired, hungry, sleepy, but talkative, and
recounted their experiences without
solicitation.
The train was due in Pittsburg at .
o'clock, Wednesday evening, but was
stuck in the snow storm half mile east
OF Thomas and six miles east Of Finley
vile late Wednesday night. II Itrequired
six locomotives to get it out Of the
drifts. The train crew had not slept
since Wednesday morning.
One OF the passengers, little girl,
said:
"We had trouble soon after we left
Wheeling. When we had passed Thomas
short distance last night the train
stopped, and the brakeman told ms We
would have to stay there all night. !
was not frightened bit, and although
the ear got awfully cold for awhile, |
managed to pass comfortable night
considering the circumstances. This
morning the porter OF the car charged
me Si.05 for three or four pieces OF hard
bread, which he was candid enough to
tell me was four days old, and cup OF
hot water that he poured over lot OF
grounds and called tea. | thought 1t
was dreadful"
Conrad Yeager, another passenger,
said: "Thc farmers around Thomas
and even the Pullman porter charged
me IS cents for cup OF coffee. 1t
showed terribly and drifted the cuts
full The train banged into one about
Is miles from Pittsburg last night, and
we soon saw we were in for it. Some OF
the male passengers went 10 farm
houses and others back to Thomas's TO
get food.
At daybreak In the morning Conductor
Charley Ball and myself started to wade
back to Finleyyille to telegraph to Pitts
burg. We made about mile an hour
and reached there at II o'clock. From
Finleyville we sent in the first news OF
the train which had been received for
30 hours The trip was an awful one.
The drifts were frequently up to our
armpits and occasionally we would drop
out of sight in treacherous pitfall,
while an Arctic blast swept across the
country and chilled us to the bone. We
soon had six locomotives assisting us"
THE COUNTRY ROADS.
The roads about town are not yet in
good condition for sleighng, "a the
snow is very much shaken up, and un-
settled. With the coming OF colder
weather the snow will soon be trodden
down into hard road bed. The roads
in the out districts are very rough, and
those who have not attempted to travel
ruralward have little idea OF the condi-
tion of things. The snow fall in the
country districts appears TO have been
little mixed with moisture, and being
very light and dry, it was at the mercy
of the winds, and piled well up over
fences aud sheds.
A correspondent from Wadestown
writes that the snow there is deeper
than has been known for % years. The
roads are completely blocked. The last
man that came TO town was Clint Pick
EFT, a drummer for Joseph Speidel &
Co., of Wheeling. He was nearly frozen.
He was caught in snow drift, and had
to leave his buggy about six miles from
town.
In many places in the rural districts
sheep pens and many OF the farm build
ings have been almost completely buried.
There has been great scarcity OF
eggs and butter in town, owing to the
inability OF the hucksters TO get into
town. and this drawback in the matter
of provisions at this holiday season Is
causinp considerable Inconvenience.