The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-26
Destructive STORM.
Telegraph Service in New York
and Jersey ParaIyzed.
WIRES AND POLES ALL DOWN.
Tho soverest storm of the Season.
Great Inconvenience to Business
and Considerable Damage
done Throughout the State

and Considerable Damage
done throughout the State
NEw York, Jsa.-A violent wind an
snow storm swept over this city la
night and early this morning, an
proved one Of the most disastrous I
telegraph, telephone and electric wire
that has ever visited this city. Pole
and wires are down all over the city
Many narrow escapes are recorded an,
fire alarm and telephone service
rendered nearly useless.
A big force Of men were put to worl
repairing the damage as early as 8 o'clocl
this morning. So serious is the condi
ton of affairs that Chief Inspectol
Byrnes sent out the following instruc
tions to all police captains this after
noon: "Tbe recent storm having i'm
paired the Ere telegraph lines, You will
instruct the officers on patrol that when
tires occur alter sending in an alarm 10
the usual manner from the ffss fire
alarm box, to go at once to the nearest
fire engine house and report the same,
aud otherwise render any assistance
they may"
THE RUIN.
On Park avenue the poles and wires
OF the Metropolitan Telephone and Tel.
egraph Company are down for a half
mile, from Seventy-ninth 10 Ninety.
fourth street. A horse was knocked
down by falling pole at Eighty.second
street and so badly injured that 1t was
killed. Another falling pole crashed
through the New York Central
& Hudson River depot at Fifty.ftJh
street, but hurt no one. Brick, glass
and broken mortar were scattered over
the people living in the big tenement at
5S Oak street early this morning when
broken pole crushed upon the build
ing.
A broken electric wire killed one
horse attached 10 an Eighth street car In
front OF lis Chambers street this morn.
ing. The fire departments have estab-
llshed fEe patrol and given orders 10
patrol to carry alarms to the station
house, thence a messenger by horse Is
to take the alarm to requisite number OF
companies. The storm was off shore
and no vessels arrived. No accidents to
shipping are reported.
The poles fell across streets and
against houses, blocking all traffic on
the former and threatening death and
destruction to the latter and inmates.
At daylight this morning the work Of
destruction he'd commenced and 1t con-
tinued until the snow fall ceased at noon,
when the wreck Of trees and telegraph
poles were TO be found on every street
while irregular festoons OF wire were
hanging on every hand, detached
lengths Of wire were strung on every
walk.
GREATEST FOR THREE YEARS.
No such work OF destruction has baen
known since the great blizzard Of March,
1888, and 1t is question ifthat memor.
able storm was more serious in It's effects
upon the Telegraph poles and wires Of
tile city. Early in the morning tele-
graphic aud telephone wires were brok.
en-, and while the snow did not offer q
bar to railroad traffic, the PROSTATE poles
and fallen wires prevented the running
OF cars on many streets and even the
elevated railroad trains were compelled
to move cautionsly and were often
brought to a stop by the wires that had
fallen across the tracks.
Many quarters Of the city would be
wrapped in darkness this evening but for
the fortunate circumstance that the
moon is nearly full, and supplies in part
the lack OF the electric lights, none Of
which were working in any part Of the
city except in some sections in the Har-
lem district.
Early this evening Acting superin.
tendent OF Police Byrnes issued gem
eral order calling upon the police to use
extraordinary vigilance during the
night, as the criminal class might be dis.
posed to take advantage Of the disas.
trous condition OF affairs and commit
agaiust life and property.
Up to this writing no intelligence has
bsen received Of any disastrous Ores or
serious accidents. A partial list can only
be given caused by the storm.
SOME OF THE DAMAGE.
Atabout 8 o'clock this morning seven
huge telegraph poles on Fourth avenue,
between Que Hundred and Twenty.frst
street and One Hundred and Twenty
fifth street, were broken of close to the
ground, falling with great crash into
the cut OF the New York Central rail.
road, effectually blocking the track
Fortunately no train was passing at the
time, but the train for Peeksklll, which
left the Grand Central depot at 8 O'Clock,
had narrow escape as it came thunder
ing out Of the &orkyille tunnel Just as
the accident occurred aud was stopped
by signal at 0ne Hundred and Tenth
street, It was nearly two hours before
the wreckage was cleared away. aud
traffic on the road was resumed.
Early In the morning M immense tree
that stood in front Of No. 2l0 East
Broadway, fell into the street, narrowly
escaping a car loaded with passengers.
In It's descent it struck the telegraph
wires and carried down q lot OF poles
all the Telegraph poles og Seventh ave.
nue. from Eorty:aeQond street to Fifty.
uihtA street, covering the avenue with
wires and the irAgmenta Of the poles.
Tho heavy poles on 59th street from
8ih Avenue 20 llth Avenue suffered the
same fate. One Of the nolss would have
crushed the entrance 81 the Roosevelt
hospital but for the austsi ining strength
OF the wires running to the next poles
which tsil ia On oppaaite direction. The
pole az the corner OF 69th rect and OH
avenue fell upon the elevated station at
that point aud partially crushed It, but
hurt no one,
At 1850 O'Clock in the morning a line
OF Western Union 8Oioot poles iell with
9 crash, carrying NOT less than $50 single
wires and two cables Two inches ih...ccx
with 1t, from 40 to Is wirAs. ON them, TO
tha UFound. Toe a.,,a, t.,,, a ,.onoJ tho