St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-24
SWEEPING OBSTRUCTION.
The Ruin Wrought Is Something
Tremendous


New YORK, Nov. 23.-The storm of
today. which has been so remarkable
in its varied characteristics, so disas-
trons in its effects and far reaching in
the area of its sweep, will be record
ed, especially III the log books
of the telegraph and telephone COM
panieS, as at once having equaled, if
not exceeded the utter paralysis
wrought by the great blizzard of 1888.
In truth this has been a storm kings
carnival, and, t-as the sequel may
prove, in many instances the car
nival of death, Already from numer-
Gus points come reports of damage,
destruction and death, and when ces-
sation of the warning Selements permits
Of a restoration of Geographic communi-s
cation with points 1T present inaccessi-
bic by prOStratiOn of the wires. the eX-
tent to which the seemingly wild rumOrs
will be borne out by actual facts is
wholly conjectural.
Originating near Southern Georgia or
Northern Florida, this resistless wave
of devastation swept northward and
easterly, bearing down in its path the
wires, swapping off like reeds trees and
telegraph poles; topping over chin
neyS, tearing off roofs and crush
iRg like playhouses of card
board apparently substantial build
ings. Bounding over the AlleghenieS,
it fell on Baltimore. Richmond, Wash
ington and Philadelphia in turn, scat
tering through highway and byway
mementoeS of his tremendous power.
In this city early in the day the wires
south and southwest failed. often sew
eraI at time, until at last all cOmmuni-
cation outside Of a comparatively small
cerritOry, was cut Off from us.
Struggle as they would. the most eX-
pert electricians could not, with all
their ingenuity, devise means of get
ting over or around the trouble, even
the routes via Montreal aud Toronto
having been rendered useless. The storm
seemed to divide itself into two ire
mHS douS arms, branching from center
in North Carolina. one arm bearing
down the cc.ss the other sweeping
northward; and veering north of Wash
iRgton describing a tremendous circle.
Bearing down northwest it passed sue
cessively oyer Lakes Ontario and Erie,
and finally passed away to the north,
disappearing il Batfin's bay.
Meager Y.portS continue to be re-
ceIved of cyclones to the south and
southwest. 1T Lawrence a cyclOnic
| center formed, passing over the same
route as the OIle several years ago which
destroyed the towns of Beauregard and
! Weston. One person was killed and
several wounded and much damage was
/ done. From Eastern Ohio and Western
| Pennsylvania reports as yet are meager,
| outline destruction in every direction,
| accurate reports of which can only be
secured when the storm subsidies. Suf-
| flee it 10 say that all is chaos. Tue DAM
age will be many thousands of dollars
I'M nf ha vi itnH
| by the great storm of today.
/ To add TO the confusion fire bells
were rung, OccasiOned by buildings i'll
various parts of the city being bown
down. The worst of the storm visited the
corner of Twelfth and streets, and
wrecked the entire corner. a building
| in the course of erection, and which had
| attained a height of four stories, was
| blown in on the back of several adjOin-
ing buildings. a number of people
were employed in these buildings, and,
upon the building in course of coz
struction, number of bricklayers were
| at work.