New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-26

FIRE ENGINE HOUSES WITHOUT ALARM
WIRES
ONLY THE UNDERGROUND SYSTEMS MAIN
TANNED THEIR CONNECTIONS.

TANNED THEIR CONNECTIONS.
one Of the most disastrous storms for overhead
wires ever known I'm Brooklyn ragged over inc Guy
early Yesterday. More than 80 poles were dragged
down aud the damage is estimated AT al r"'o
100000. The storm began with hght ram a'
about 10 O'Clock Saturday night and turned TO Wet'
heavy snow at midnight, which settled on the wires
and broke them down. The wind rose at about the
same time and the swaylng Of the wires, the weight
of the snow and the blowing of the wind against tie
poles combined TO cause the almost complete prostra-
ton of the whole teegaphlc, telephone ana HShtlils
systems Of brooklyn and the outlying districts
The first information Of disaster reached police mean
quarters al about 30 a. III. when IA message was
received that a pole had fallen at Warren-St. ana
Thrdavc.. and that the wires were aiame. Ian
an hour aftcrward the switchboard In the telegraph
room at headquarters took fire. but no harm was
done. From that time until noon there were con-
tinual reports of the destruction OF circuits III Stuy
vcsant ave. Prospect ave. Atanticave. Williamsburg
and Creenpont.
The damage was only little less in other parts Of
the city. By good luck only one police precinct
was entirely cut of from communication with mead
quarters Either By use of the dIals or telephones
every precinct except the Seventh could talk with
the Central Office.
The only damage reported to adjoining property
from falling poles to the house No. co. licnrys
which damaged TO the extent of 500 by being
struck by Il pole.
At a. only OF the houses Of the Fire Depart
ment IN communication with headquarters. That
the house Of Engine No. -, at lIerl.imer and
Ralph ayc'. There are twenty nine enHnehouse
eight truck houses and eight officers quarters belong
Ing TO the Department. and with this one exception all
ISOLATED. Chief Engineer Ncvins and Deputy
Engineer Dale sent out mounted men to every sta
ton. with orders to the foremen to ascertain the
nearc, telephone that could be used in case Of need
and sent to the police asking them to
send any messages concerning fires to headquarters at
once. Fortunately no alarm sounded, and by
night communications were established with eight
houses. Chief Ncylns said last night that 1t would
take two weeks to repair the lines, which had just
been put in shape after the storm of week ago.
superintendent Mcgowan, of the Western Union Tel
egraph Company said that scarcely any wires OF his
y stem working. and that only one main wire to
Ncw-Nork wa in u~c. That was heavily tiAcd ~
the communications with Long Island and NewJersey
were cut Of, and all messages from those quarters
had t. reach brooklyn by way Of Ncw-York Poles
were down In Myrtlcaye., from Hudson ave. to Abel
phi.,t: f. De Kabavc., between Lewis.avc. and
broadway; all along Broadway and throughout the
Gr,.cnuuint district The largest force Of men that
could be gathered together wa put 70 work, put all
that could ne done To clear away the wrecks.
The Edison Light Company was reported Dy SUPER
iucudcnt IarStow 70 have had no trouble a. II nau o
supplied power 10 twenty two church organs. ihcy
were all able to get what wind was needed Tor the
r. F. EocAford. Of the Postal Telegraph Company.
reported that hi, company had no WINS "orhho' ho'
even to Now y FORK. 49, -. -. TT,
rraph services were almost absolutely parayzed ana
only AN occasional call wa, possible. Nhete 'dliS
could DC heard, However goa ,otNr ICE, va Tn,,v
usuallv has thirty five nucmen ~ work SuprrH
trndcrf Coon told Tribune reporter last evening thl
Yesterday hc had eighty men out ana reports 'dulc III
hat mole, vcrc down IN Myrtle, De hdb' plNlsl"l'
r'lrd' Flnh ana Ninth aves., broadway, sixteenth 81
and t,rcrppJini. lie thought about 100 poles Were
down. and ,id 1t would take at hs>t w N.r t ~
gt the -y~tem I'm perfect order again ~ ~,
the damage ~ fully 10000. and says he hopes tla.
he ttriuk lines will be In wording order 10 day. but
!. .urc that few other will be- 49,,
The service Of the Citizens Electric llIumnatth7
c,rnany In th, Western District. and the Municipal
Electric Light COMPANY IN me tas,epm ct and no
completely blocked. The circuits were Guy a w. io
r,.r - Adams cave orders that tho companies Nhouu
nt tlr on uny OF their circuits for fear on t'
n,, nig, ne done by ~ed wires, so the "hpe NV
wa, In darhue,-. save for -"nc -, c's .a, " an
OF occasional lncaIuc>'t"S I''"P ''Ff -
underground wire. -, ,-.. ,.t.,a Flo,
bush aud Grycscnd were cur on -. ..,,od mill
The electric railroads, IN the suburpS N'"'", .h
40 s,ou. va. cleared IN I'm the morning, AKA th'l
,tarted up and ran without trouble. , e., ,,o ,,or,
The .tr,et, which were badly blocked III l' "I1.nn
len ,,.,,. cleared on I'm the early afternoon anu "l.
- ,,,,cr. had hecu cleared that the WtWT '"u'i
,, 80 ,,,ll,luc wa, easy. II was Interesting nov
aver f1 watch the caro- of driver In gp.ns thIouEi
the street, 10 avoid the numerous o I'm r,l
" o.. 81 me striking aud beautiful features 81 u'
storm In Bron.dyn was the sight which prc''nrN
- Va Tic puhlc Yesterday of scores ." EId''iu'
,,t .,,r,s r1mulet.ly -hroIded I'm NANTES pi snow
udlug the con pi;atiNc mildhr-e ul w 'l.
nam the ,now on the spin, did not, apparently n,,
Al all and all day people we're trea''n IT, ' h;isrt
~. ,iablv ever dreamed II. The thFohB' Vi 'h"''"
eocrs especially were dchGh'eu