Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-26
Devastation in New York Equaled
Only by the Great Blizzard.
TELEGRAPH SERVICE INTERRUPTED.
Electric Lights Extinguished as a
Precautionary Measure.
THE STORM IN NEW JERSEY.
HOW NEW YORK SUFFERED.
No Such Devastation known There since
the March. lssS. RliEEnrd.

the March, lsss. Bliuard.
The following lie the report of the storm In
New York and its damage. which wss made up
to be telographed from that city last night. but
which, on account Of the lack of telegraph
wires, was brought 10 Washington this morn
ing by train:
NV loRK. Jan. 2s.-The storm which set in
nj III O'Clock last night aud continued until
noon to-day was the seNerest ~ the season thus
far. About slN inches of snow fell. and II was
OF the Wet. clinging Kind that fastened
ing trees unul they were shorn Of
their branches or fell PROSTATE Nilh their
trunks snapped on though the, had hem
mere twigs and chnging 20 the electric wires
until they gave way under the pressure and
broke an all directions. or unul the poles ON
which they we're strung. breaking under the
enormous weight. fell across strcets and against
houses. blocking all traffic on the former
ana threatening death and destruction
10 the latter and their inmates Al siaN hight
TINS morning the work Of destr action had con-
unucd and II continued until the snowfall
Ceased at noon, when the wrecks of trees and
telegraph poles were 10 be found on every
street while irregular festoons Of wire ~,r,
hanging on every hand and q, tacied Iengti.s Of
wire were strung ON every sidewalk.
No such work ot devastation hls been known
since the great blizzard Of March. lssa aud Is
Is a question: f that memorable storm wss more
and wires of the city. Early in the morning
telegraphic anu telephone connections
were broken, and. while the snow did
not offer bar TO railroad traffic.
the PROSTATE poles and fallen wires prevented
the running OF cars on many streets aud even
the elevated railroad trains were coml,ell,d 40
move cautiously and were often brought o. q
stop by the wires that had fallen across the
tracks.
PoLIcE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The police and fire departments were especial
sufferers All wire connections between the
various police stations aud the central Office
were broken and recourse wac had 10 mes-sn-
gers lhe hre department circuits we're gem
orally broken. and as no alarms could be scnt
out, excepting on very few cir
cults, patrols OF fremen were established
throughout the city. Men were set 60 reisair
damages at once, and these two most important
OF the city departments viii soon have their
telegraph service restored. The same NAV lie
said OF tine telegraph. telephone and electric
hight companies. all of which had their fun
effective force engaged all day. Many quar-
tiers OF the city would be wrapped in cimmerian
darkness this evening but for the fortunate
circumstance that the moon is nearly full and
supp lies IN part the lack Of the electric lights
none of which were working in any portion u
the city. excepting in some sections in the Hsr-
lem district.
Early this evening Acting Superintendent Of
Police Byrnes issued a general order calling
upon the police to use extraordinary vigilance
during the night. the criminal class might be
disposed TO take advantage of the disastrous
condition of affairs and commit depredafious
against life and property. Up 70 this writing
no intelligence has been received Of any disasr
trous Tires or oyart acts.
DAMAGE or THE STORM
partial list only can be given Of the acci-
gents caused by the storm. At about 8
O'Clock this morning seven huge telegraph
poles on Fourth avenue between Ialst and
l25th streets were broken of close 10 the
ground, falling with a great crash into the
cut of the New York Central railroad. effect
ually blocking the tracks. Fortunately no
train was passing at the time, hut the train for
Peekskill. which left the Grand Central depot
at . o click, had a narrow escape. ~ il came
thunds ring out Of the lorkyile tunnel just ~
the accident occurred and was stopped by slg-
nal at 10th street. Ii was nearly two hours be-
fore the wreckage was cleared away and traffic
on the road was resumed
Early in the morning an immense tree that
stood in front Of No. 40 East broadway fell
into the street. narrowly escaping a car that
was loaded with passengers. In its descent il
struck the Telegraph wlres and carried down
lot of poles.
All the telegraph poles on 7th avenue from
42d street TO 5sth street went down early in the
day. covering the ayenue with wires and the
fragments of the poles. The heavy poles on
5y;h street from Sth avenue 20 llth
avenue suffered the same fate One
of the poles would have crushed
the entrance porch of the Roosevelt Hospital
but for the sustaining strength Of the wires
running to the next pole, which fell in an op-
posite direction. The pole at the corner Of
59th street and 9Th avenue fell upon the ele-
waited station at that point and partially
crushed il, but hurt no one.
POLES FALL WITH A CRASH.
At 7:3o O'Clock in the morning line Of
Western Union eighty-foot poles fell with a
crash in seth street, carrying not less than $50
single wires and two cables two inches thick.
with from forty TO seyenty-tve wires in them.
to the ground. The cross bars scraped the
sides of the brow i-stone flats on the south side
Of the street they fell and shook the
buildings TO their very foundations.
The fall made sound like thunder.
startling people for blocks away. Many Of the
enormous poles were broken in three pieces
and the cross arms were shattered. The houses
we're so blockaded by the wreck that until near
midday ingress and egress WAS impossible.
Police reports coming in slow. only sixteen
out Of thirty-fve precincts having sent re-
ports TO police headquarters up TO pm
Mayor Grant has ordered the police through
out the city To see TO II that the electric cur
rents be not turned on the various wires Until
the head of electric control should certify that
the wires are safe. The dangerous condition
because Of the vreckage was the cause Of the
order. In consequence a large portion Of the
city w;l be darkness tonight. Several poles
fell against the Union Square Hotel, 18th
street and 4th avenue, doing some little
damage 20 the building. The entire line Of
polos on the west side of Park avenue from
IS IA street TO 18th street went down, encum-
bering both street and sidewalk. The poles on
l.Sth street between lst and 80 avenues and
between sth and 10th avenues are down. The
debris blocked the l25th street cable road for
several hours
HORSE SHOCKED TO DEATH.
At an early hour this morning q telegraph
wire broke in front Of No. lis Chambers street
and fell across an electric light wire and re-
ceiyed it's current The wire fell ON the horses
killed one Of them instantly.
Two or three fires were caused by the broken
electric light wire, but we're extinguisbed with
trifiing damage. The whole story of destruc-
tion will not be known until tomorrow. although
il is believed that proyidentially no hamsn
lives have been lost. The Western Onion q
badly crippled by the storm. all wires being
down but three. those being on the western cir
cult connecting Albany, Rochester, Buffalo and
Chicago.
The work Of repairs will take several days and
the company viii suffer more tomorrow, be-
cause of more business than today. One thou-
sand men will leave the city today on the work
Of repairs
The police and fremeu are ordered 70 Co
operatS each with the other in event Of trouble
In either branch of the service. The blow vas
ID shore, hence no damage TO shipping n re-
ported. Long Island is dead 10 the world