Morning journal and courier., 1891-01-19
nAyoa ~ THE sroRm.

the EASt Cut OM.Th6 scene ON Up
per State state-The Center OF the
Storm-Wreck of Trees and Poles.
The havoc created by Saturday nights
ice storm has rarely been equaled since the
great blizzard. The center of the storm
seemed to be in this vicinity, and it was
most severely felt about three miles back
in the country. There the precipitation,
in it's later part, assumed the form Of
snow. In this locality it fell chiefly as
rain, which was frozen as it reached the
ground or trees and formed a thick coat
ing Of clear ice: The sight upon Saturday
night and all day yesterday was most
beautiful one. The trees and wires were
dressed in their glistening apparel of ice,
which shone and sparkled with the refec-
ton Of every ray of light. The spectacle
presented by the huge old elms upon the
green, with their icy environments, was q
most remarkable one.
The storm began to show its disastrous
effects Saturday night in the breaking Of
fire alarm, telephone, telegraph, electric
light and other wires. The fire alarm and
police signal system was early disabled,
and the broken wires were seen every
where about the principal streets, dangling
over the heads of passers-by. Communi-
cation by telephone and telegraph with all
points east of this city was cut off during
the night or yesterday morning by the
breaking Of wires. There has been no
communication with Meriden since 10
o'clock Saturday night. The Boston trunk
lines are all down, but it is expected
that they will be ready for use
by 10 o'clock this morning. Superintend-
emit Baker of the telephone company went
to Hartford last night to give directions
for the repair of the wires in that vicinity,
where they are badly damaged. Only the
Birmingham and Bridgeport lines of wire
could be used last night. Milford has
been cut off from all outside communica-
ton by wire since Saturday night.
Between Taftville and Providence on the
Norwich and Worcester railroad about fifty
telephone poles are down.
In Middletown, upon the main thor
oughfare, there are seventeen poleA down.
At the Four Corners, annex, five poles
are down, and these lay directly across the
Branford road. This shuts off communi-
cation with Branford and other towns up
on this line.
The telephone company had linemen at
work yesterday to repair the damage done
to poles and wire. The greatest havoc is
that upon upper State street where six
eighty-foot poles are down, and sixty
wires, most of them long distance wires
are disabled. Cables will be put up this
morning temporarily to re-establish these
lines.
The scene of the State street is chiefly
between Forsythe's dye works and neck
bridge. 1t was the stretch most damaged
about the city. Several of the poles were
splintered and broken. One Of the Large
poles was bent over like reed with its
load of tangled wires and ice. Another
large pole, almost as big around as a mans
body, was broken completely of
and stood leaning from the wires upon
the ground. Many of the cross-arms were
blown or torn completely free from the
poles and hung dangling from the ice
coated wires. A large number of the wires
were broken off entirely and lay trailing
upon the ground. This stretch is one Of
the most important line of wires going out
of the city, as it forms the principal com
munication through this city between New
York and Boston, and large force of line
men were set at work yesterday to repair
the damage. This they were able to dc
with the greatest difficulty and last night
they were at work with the aid of lights
which had been arranged. Hundreds Of
people visited this locality yesterday to SET
the havoc which had been wrought.
The sight from East Rock park was
remarkable one. In the park itself th,
| utmost confusion had been accomplished
by the storm. Huge trees were broken of
and the ground was strewn with broker
tree limbs and branches In the exposed
portions of the park, where the winds hat
| full sway, the wreck of trees was sur
prising. ..-.
At Spring street and Howard avenue
large telegraph pole was blown down an,
| narrowly escaped falling with its burde1
| of wires upon one of the cars of the Yves
| Haven road.
The narrow escapes of pedestrians fror
being crushed or injured by falling tire
limbs were numerous, and reports of dam
age from this source are heard from all k
calities.
Chief Hendrick of the fire department
says Saturdays storm was the most sever
one since the blizzard in its damage to tn
fire alarm wires. At one time the chief 8
hear from but two of the houses. The Gil
cult is now in order, but no alarms can b
sent as yet from the street boxes. A
alarms must be given at the engine houses
This state of affairs will probably continu
for day or two, until all of the wires al
put in order. For tho greater part {
Saturday night the communication wit
the chiefs headquarters at city hall was i
working order, but Sunday morning til
circuit was broken. It will be repaire
this morning.
| Owing to the disabled condition of tn
fire alarm telegraph, Chief Hendrick CAV
| orders Saturday night for a watch to b
| kept patrolling before all of the engin
houses to get an alarm as soon as it we
sounded by the city hall bell. Men wei
also detailed from all of the houses t
separate the fire alarm wires from til
other wires. Superintendent Smith {
the fire alarm telegraph has been at wor
necessarily since the storm with an ext1
force Of inemen. Wires were repaire
wherever this was possible and pole
which seemed liable to break or fall frol
the unusual strain upon them were secure
| ly propped.
At Court and Artisan streets, 1are
pole was broken off and a short distanc
below this, the street was blocked fc
some time last night by large tree imt
Augustus Island of steamer 2, who We
at work repairing the wires at city ha
last night, received severe shock whic
was caused by the crossing of a fire alarr
with an electric light wire.
/
Elm street before the residence of J.
Darlington and another before the res
dence of Ex-Governor Ingersoll, bloc
above.
A largetree was blown down on Broa'
street, just below George street.
At Orange and Pearl street, a massiv
tree limb was broken off by the weight o
ice. In its fall it smashed the fence an
ornamental shrubbery about the yard.
| Near the convent at Franklin and Stat
streets, large tree was snapped complete
ly off at the trunk. It was taken into tn
small park near by to allow passage wa
fer pedestrians.
At No. S's engine house two fine el1
treets which we're greatly priced by tn
fremen, were nearly ruined and it wi
take ten years growth to repair the injur
to these trees, if they have not been total
destroyed.
| Before Saittig's grocery store on Stat
street near Pearl, a,bundle Of crossed wire
emitted continual display of sparks dul
ing the early part of Saturday night.
Near the precinct, on Grand avenue, th
wires were the subject of much havoc
They were broken, crossed and loosene
by their heavy loads of ice. Many of tn
electric light wires which were broken CAV
forth a vivid succession of sparks until tt
circuits were closed.
The danger from tree limbs which hay
been broken and hang ready to fall
very great. There are two large limbs
this condition on Hillhouse avenue, one
Temple and Grove streets, one at Geort