New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-28
STORMS IN THE WEST.
DAMAGE DONE IN SEVERAL STATES.
OMAHA ALMOST 1soLATED-TRAINs STOPPED.

WIRES DOWN AND THE CITY IN DARKNESS.
Omaha March e7.-About : O'Clock Yesterday
morning the rain which had been falling all night,
turned 10 snow. Such snow Not one OF the me-
Sitting drifting and blzzardy sort that fill the cutters
and leave the streets bare, but real old fash oned
downfall OF huge, feathery flakes that danced and
noatcd and eddlcd in restless. bewiderlne, lmtess
clouds. For time the motor trains, with spltciuhy
flashing trolcys struggled and groaned at the slippery
grades but by 10 O'Clock travel on all except the
IIanscom Park lire had been entirely suspended
There CONSERVATION In the Telephone Exchange
Now and then a floating shred Of wire would settle
down over Of the motor companys hot trolley
wires, when there would follow In the Exchange
iash shrek and Of the "hello' girls would
promptly stop work. By 10 O'Clock Gil work over
the wires had ceased.
Toward noon the temperature dropped several dc
grccs and the rising wind drove the snow In strnging
horizontal lines which cleared the streets OF all
except those who compelled to be out home
fear, were expressed that life may be lost in the
country. Though the day had not been cold. the
immense fall Of snow had been driven over the open
prarics with such binding fury that travel was almost
impossible All street traffic was carly bockaded'
The electric light lines stopped because Of the
danger resulting from the numerous crosses with the
fallen telephone ana telegraph imes, ana the caoie
line parted It's rope when the storm was at It's height.
At . o'clock cold drilling rain was falling and
the streets were In an impossible condition Floods
Of water ard euh covered the crossings, and not more
than half a dozen vehicles could be seen on tho whole
lcnsth 4 FarnamNt Half Of ete tall telephone poles
with their weight Of hundreds of snowaden wires were
twisted and broken. and in some cases leaned up
against adjacent buildng.. Broken wires hung in
loop, TO the Sidewalks lay in a tangled
mass across the street. while those over
head were In almost incxtrcable confusion. Linemen
were nj work with long poles knocking of the snow
and miniature avaanches Splashcd down into the Slush
below or over the heads Of the pedestrians continually
Eighty wires leading to the Western Union Telegraph
Office were Useless. The entrr telephone system was
laid up, and all the other electric companies Of the
city were In "A similar prcdcamcnt The lines OF the
Motor Company and electric companies were in running
order but currents shut OF for fear Of accidents
from the numberlcss other lines which had fallen across
them.
Last night the city was in darkness, owing to The
ccctric light currents being turned on at O'Clock out
of Council Bluffs The Western Union Company did
not have a wire wording out Of Omaha. Both the
burlington and Missouri and the Union Pacific aban
doncd freight trains in order that their passenger traffic
might not be lnterfcrcd with The wires were sadly
tangled on this side of ths river but me rally serou.
trouble the Iowa shore, as the wires we're almost
completely prOsiratcd from the river 10 the transfer.
weight poles snapped In twain and lay half
buried in tho snow, while there was any amount or
chaos disorder between the transfer and the Bluffs
uptown oiice The COMPANY .n , pn' twenty-five h"em'"
Monticello ILL.,. March 27-A tornado swept over
Plat County yesterday. lev Hing buildings and
destroying many thousands Of dollars OF property 1t
came from the south and accompanied by
severe hail storm The storm was 200 feet wide and
swept everything IN lis path Barns and houses
were carried from their foundations and demolished.
EuMlngs were seen high In the air. being carried
along by the wind 40 loss Of life has yet been re-
partcd There were many narrow escap's.
bloomington, H.. March GA coneShaped storm
skrtcd along the northwest edge Of this fifty yest'r
day afternoon. unroohng number of houses and the
working in the factory dcluged with rain after
tbo roof was blown away. and badly frightened
hut c,cancd with utc injury. An old woman by
IN, name Of Martz badly hurt when her house
was blown down.
Kansas cay. March 27.-DSpaches from Kansas
s,oto that severe rain and wind storm rag,d
-. .roighout the state yesterday. At LcnvehWOrth
,b. wind bew outhOuSe, signs and fences down. and
IeopIe we're afraid 10 venture upon the streets. IN
i.rrtprd telegraphc facilities prevent tine gathering
nf details fun any other points, so IT Is not known
whether any serious pecunlary dnnage OF loss oi
life occurred In this cts -thc wlhd plcW kdi"' Du'
no serious damages We're done, ,,,,- A.,
D,nvor COL March II" The Republcah' as
match from Durango. Say>: "A hchVy wlhi whieh
led here Yesterday afternoon blew down bulld
ing in the Of erection upon wn'n hNe ~ caip'n ~
,r. wore wording. James Cummings Is thonght To
ta,e been fatally injured while three OF ms con-
ranion.-J A. rtrom. j. j. Finley and John CniShoiih
tn''.yIIlr. Ky March 2T.-A dispatch from ssNlng
field Kv says that section was visited 10y y "n,u @
cral farm houses Window glass was badly oroAoh
lv hail.