The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-27
Three Vessels Blown Ashore Near
Chicago and the Crews Rescued
with Great DimcuIty.
HIGH WATER AT BUFFALO
BANKED Up ALONG THE wHARvEs
by THE FORCE OF THE WIND.
Wires Frustrated Throughout the
West and Much Damage Inflicted
Street Cars Snow-Bound.

CHICAGO. Nov. 26.-Up to II o'clock this
morning this city was practically dead
geographically Last nights storm OF
mingled rain, sleet and snow
prostrated electrical communication
OF all sorts within the city linn
it's. The heavy accumulations of sleet
and snow broke down wires of all sorts.
In the business districts telegraph and tel
ephone wires are underground, but in the
outskirts they are carried on poles The
weight was great in many places that
the poles were broken and went down with
the wires. Even the heavy trolley wires
were unable to Withstand the strain and
were mingled i'm inextricabe confusion
with the telephone and telegraph systems,
including the city police and fire alarm
wires. Finally the Postal secured intermit-
tent communication between this city and
Cleveland. over which the Associated Press
managed to get little news and both
that company and the Western Union had
established communication with ST. Louis.
and were accepting the news and general
business. The Chicago & Milwaukee Tele-
graph Company also got up its wires be-
tween the Board of Trade and Milwaukee.
and news and business were moving. AL
together it was the mosS complete tele-
graphic isolation which this city has suf-
fered for many years. Freight traffic from
every direction by railways was practically
blocked and all passenger service, including
suburban trains, was much delayed, even
inside of the city. in spite Of every effort.
Passengers on the Calumet electric street.
railroad were snowbound in desolate por-
ton of the city and some of them were
compelled to remain last night in the cars,
being unable TO reach their homes In South
Chicago; Car No "a, which runs over
Seventy seventh street at 10 o'clock last
night. and remained there until this morn
the motorman and conductor on board. A
car of the Seventy y-fifth-street line shared
a similar fate near Stoney Island avenue,
avenue and Ninety-first street and another
at Sixty-seventh street and Vernon avenue.
Each of these cars carried passengers who
spent the night aboard. When the cars
were first stalled they carried the usual
number of passengers, but as the hours
passed and no indications Of progress were
the cars and continued the remainder of
the journey on foot. Some, however, who
lived a greater distance than did the Others
spend the night in them to facing the
storm.
Tes ss McSaan ens sn and o
Buffalo, laden with coal for this city, were
driven ashore off Glencoe. twenty miles
north of mere, about o'clock this morn
ing Just how the pilot lost his bearings is
not known, but IL was probably due 10 the
binding snow storm. In all there were
between fifty and seventy-five people on
board the three vessels, a large majority
of them, however. being on the steamer
Signals of distress were at once given, but
it was not until after daylight that they
were seen and answered. Great delay was
caused by the wrecking OF one of the Ev-
anston lfeboats few minutes after IL was
To- 11,ad Araf her hna 500
and IL was afternoon before all members
OF the wrecked crew were safe ashore. The
work of rescuing was necessarily very slow,
as the lake was running high, and the life
boat had to proceed slowly on account Of
large cakes of ice. All three vessels are
pounding badly and IL is feared they will go
to Dieces before tomorrow.
Word has been received here that the
steamers Jay Gould and City of Traverse,
for whose safety fears were entertained.
are safe at Mackinaw. and the Peerless Is
at Detroit All snowbound Nothing
has been heard from the City of Duluth.
The steamer X. A. Packer, of the Lehgh
Valley line, which arrived this afternoon
from Buffalo, was out in the worst of the
gale last night The steamers Majestic
Egyptian and Viking. the latter towing the
w. *. Moore also arrived.