Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-29

y
five minutes at stretch. The rain guage
measured a precipitation Of L. inches
during the storm. The weather maps in
the lobby were surrounded by an interested
crowd all day, and Mr.. Randolph. the ac-
commoda ting agent of the weather bureau,
was kept busy explaining the track of the
storm and its attendant conditions.
Cut or From Com munication.
Washington was cut off largely from the
rest of the world today so far as news was
concerned. The damage done by the storm
to telegraph and telephone lines was very
great. Correspondents and news associa-
tons were all anxiously waiting for the re-
pairs to be completed Early in the day
there was no communication further north
than Baltimore, further west than Hagers-
town and further south than Richmond.
Later wires were worked to Philadelphia.
and it was expected soon to have the SER
vice between Washington and New York in
full operation. The situation was as bad as
il was at the time of the great blizzard
which cut New York off from all com
munication. At that time news was received
here from New York by way of cable. 1t
was cabed to London, thence to France.
thence to Boston and came here from Bos-
private lines were down today. The tickers
were silent. and the bankers ana brokers.
who usually can sit ia their offices anc chat
with people in Wall street, were completely
In the dark as to what was going on IN
the street"
Telegraph Lines ParnIyxed.
At ] O'Clock this afternoon the postal
company reported two hours delay on New
York and no tests with either the south or
west. This leaves reports from Savannah
out of the question, SO far as this company
is concerned
1t Is now evident that the extent OF dam
age to the telegraph lines is far more WIDE
spread than was at first supposed by the
telegraph managers who naturally thougnt
that the usual activity displayed by the sec
ton Hnemen would soon place them IN
quick communication with the most distant
points. On this occasion however. the wide
sweep of the storm appears to have para
lyzed the Geographic service to an eXtraor-
binary extent from which IL is doubtful II
1t RECEIVERS so as to serve the public with
ordinary dispatch for several days.
The damage to Geographic construction
will undoubtedly exceed that caused by the
March blizzard Of 1888, which was confined
to the Atlantic seaboard. In the present
instance the swoop of the storm covers a
territory including trunk lines of the west.
south, north and east, and the electricians
who watch the wires say that the present
instance is a most extraordinary one. They
judge from the way the wires went down,
and were able, from their tests to follow
the course of the storm with great accu-
racy and eXactness. They estimate the
damage at many thousands OF dollars.
A most lucky circumstance was the get
ting off of a large amount of press matter
before the final collapse of the wires. the
eastern papers being able to receive nearly
their entire file of special matter before
communication was completely broken on.
Disaster at Charleston.
A Charleston dispatch dated the 18th
says: While the record Of terror and ruin
wrought by the great disaster OF 1885 re-
mains unbroken. it is Charleston that has
again stood in the track of a cyclone which
has shaken the old city to her foundation
stones. the damage to property cannot De
told and the loss of life is unknown.
The citizens awoke this morning and
gaZed upon innumerable evidences OF the
hurricane which swept over the city yes
terday afternoon and last night. uprooted
trees. fallen roofs. broken fences. al d in
the less substantial parts of the town
wrecked sheds and shanties found every
where.
The cyclone with all the terrors which
the word has for the people of this section
swept up the coast and across Charleston.
Early Saturday morning the dreaded sig
nal was run up and the city held It's
breath. hoping that the storm might pass
us by.
Saturday Nights Gale.
Saturday night heavy gale started
shortly after midnight and blew for several
hours. but as a partial lull had preceded
dawn and continued throughout the early
hours of the morning. 1t was hoped that
after all the city would not fall within the
usck of the cyclone.
But the weather looked exceedingly dirty
yesterday morning. and the wind rose again
to gale and came In fitful. angry gusts out
of the northeast.
A heavy canopy Of clouds, which. during
the forenoon, lifted rapidly across the
city. 1t had that muddy tinge which sug-
gested the belief that there was plenty of
wind and rain behind IL. Seward a heavy
mist thickened until it became wall Of
clouds.
There was no longer a doubt that the
dreaded cyclone was to descend upon the
the bay were first to take alarm and from
all quarters of the harbor they came hur-
rying In. All that could do so found moor
ings along the wharves and the others. less
fortunate, moved higher up the river and
made the best anchorage they could. The
largest vessels, no less than the smallest
tempest. Fortunately there are compare
lively few large ships in port just now.
else the damage done might have been
multiplied many times.
By l o'clock a special bulletin from the
weather bureau. posted in front Of the News
and Courier building. warned the citizens OF
the impending disaster. The few people
who were out in the storm congregated
about the board. and. having read the dis
patch. anxiously inquired for further and
fuller particulars.
For the most part. however. the people
had kept to their houses throughout the
day. The attendance at the various
churches was small. and few people who
were not absolutely compelled to do SC
ventured beyond their doors. But the In
ou;ries for further details OF the hurricane
were anxious and endless.
The special dispatch had simply stated
that a cyclone was central in Southern and
Central Florida, and that IL was moving
north by northwest. The velocity was esti-
mated at from forty to sixty miles There
was nothing to do but to calmly await the
bursting of the storm.
WIRES FRUSTRATED.