Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-29
ELEMENTS GHOST DANCE
Wreckage of Saturday Nights
Severe Storm.
THE WIRES ALL CRUSHED DOWN
Telegraphic Service Is Abso-
lutely Frustrated.
The Blow Came Almost Unheraided--It
Broke Ont In Texas and Swept Across
Country Probably to Maine--slcet
Loads the Wires and They Snap
Asunder with the Weight.


over the city only four or five hours
previously. At daylight there were
three or four inches of snow on the
ground, the sky was clear and there
was no definite indication of the extreme
menced late Saturday night there was
nothing to suggest the sudden violent
storm which made its appearance about
2 a. m. Pelting hail, snow and rain
driven and dashed by furious wind |
from the north and west reduced, within
about an hour, the whole city telegraph
and telephone wire system 10 wreck
The police telegraph system was the
first to become disorganized. Then the
telephone system gave out in numerous
quarters in the city, and at length it was
reported that the Western Union had
succumbed, its connection with Phila-
delphia being entirely cut off. The city
fire telegraph system gave out stimuli
taneously with the telephone and other
electric wires.
The only telegraph connection that
survived the storm was the Postal Tel
egraph.
At the office Of the Delaware & At
lantic Telegraph Company Monday
Manager NIehahy said that the com
pany's wires can't be fixed up for
week out of the 600 city phones about
$50 are out Of service, He went the
rounds all over the city Sunday. 1t was
noticed that the greatest DISCRIMINATION
Of wires was on the streets running
north and south. The east and west
streets were not in such bad condition.
So far as reports have come in only one
of the 700 poles belonging to the com
pany has been blown down. There is
no attempt to talk telephone outside of
the city.
AT the Western Union office the re-
port Monday is that there is a COM
! plete smash-up between this city and
| Philadelphia. No messages come from
the north. Wires are working all right
| south between this city and Baltimore
and Washington. The storm was of
| short duration, the official added, but it
/ injured us as much as a heavy one. The
circuit down the Peninsula is broken
| up also.
At the Postal Telegraph Company's
office Manager Brown is particularly
proud of his company's record. They have
had service right along with Philadel-
| phia and are sending and receiving as
usual north and south.
At the police station the report in re-
gard to the new police telegraph system
is one of complete Reorganization since
Saturday night. The brand new
machinery is useless, and the police say
iokngly they want to sell it. The tcle-
phone and electric wires fell upon the
police wires and Immediately burned
them out.
The fire telegraph system suffered
from the same cause as the police sys-
TEN, that is, the phone and electric
wires dropped on them and interfered
with the service. Lineman Haley, how
ever, Immediately went to work with
his men and had everything in working
order again at p. m. Sunday. The
fire telegraph is in full working order.
The streets sunday morning was
mass of slush and running water. In
every direction coils of hanging wires
depended from above Saturday night
the burning cross wires made overhead
Examinations in every direction.
But for short cessation Sunday
morning the electric cars have been run
ming regularly on the through route
between Fifth and Union streets and
Riverview
The City Electric Light Company
experienced very little trouble. The
only circuit temporarily derangcd was
the one known as RI" around Front
and Union streets, which has been re-
paired.
A frame dwelling at Fifth and du Pont
streets was very badly damaged by the
storm. and will need, practically. re-
building.
4 large weepinr willow in the church,
ward at 81. Johns. Brandywine. was
blown down.
~ rur p,,,po,ns
~, ~ 20 Ds = :.
ne lallIoipt wires q every me out
ol lhe Glly were PIoslIatcu ny Ihe
slolil aiiu liVGh ihco ili aiia al-
hoyahte Iesulicu' rams were run
close to schedule time SUNDAY, but
uhdef no Geographic orders. owing 10
tne great care ana watchiuiness eAer-
clsed, no accidents occurred Not since
the telegrhpn came mo use as = factor
-, 49,, ~, ,,, w. ,i'.'s mas
'''7e'
| p, W. II, RAILROAD.
, Beginning at an early hour on Sun
day morning, the instruments in the
5 train dispatcher's office at the p, w. d
b. station, one by one became silent.
! AT sunrise one sonndcr only was click.
I ing. Steps were at once taken to repair
the damage, and trains were meanwhile
I run on their schedules.
Northward. every wire but one 10
a Thnrlow was down and hopelpsslv
tangled. There were few fallen noles
however. Southwark N nnlas war,
down between Newnort MA \ Min
about three miles mis- side of Newarl,
Z Men were out Sunday ndcarlv Monda,