The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-03
HAVOC BY WIND AND RAIN.
TELEGRAPH LINES DOWN AND
TRAINS RUN WITH DIFFICULTY.

Driven From Their Houses ON
HutchinsOn's ISland-ShipDing Is
Tied Up and No Vessels Leaving
POrt-Business on the Wharves Mt
standstilI-POOr People Suffering
From the Cold.
The storm, which has prevailed on the
coast and has played havoc the last two
days, reached it's climax yesterday. Since
Tuesday morning over five inches Of rain
have fallen in Savannah. The rain has
been continuous since it began. Yester-
day over 21a inches fell, and at midnight
last night it was still raining.
At noon the northeast storm signals
were hoisted at the weather bureau. Tie
following telegram was received at that
hour by Observer Sherier from the Wash,
ington bureau.
Washington, D. c., Dec. 2.-Observer,
Savannah, Ga; Hoist northeast signals
at 1O:45 a. m. Jacksonville jacksonville
section, Savannah, Savannah section,
Charleston. Wilmington, Wilmington sec
ton, Morehead. Washington, Norfolk,
Newport News. West Point Lewisetta,
and Baltimore. Storm central in North
ern Florida apparently moving northeast
ward, likely to cause northeast gales on
the Atlantic coast, south of New England
tomorrow. Willis l.. Moore,
Chief Of Bureau.
The wind was blowing a gale at Tybee
at noon and showed little abatement dur
ing the afternoon. The temperature did
not get 5 degrees above the freezing point
all day. At $3.50 o'clock last night the fol-
lowing telegram of information was re-
ceived
Washington, D. c., Dec. O. 1896 Observer,
Savannah, Ga: High winds likely to
cause drifting snow tonight, which may
interfere with railroad travel along the
coast, the Middle and South Atlantic
states. Storm will be very severe on the
coast. Ships in should be warned not to
leave port. Willis L. Moore.
Chief of Bureau.
The lack of reports by the loss Of the
telegraph wires made 1t impossible to
issue any local forecast for to-day.
The heavy sleet and freeze, which swept
over the section just north Of Savannah
and clear to the coast night before last,
played general havoc with the telegraph
wires wherever it struck.
For the greater part of Yesterday the
Western Union had only its southern
wires and one wire north. while the Pos
tai Telegraph Company had no wires at
all out of Savannah. In splto Of this diff
fieulty, however, the Western Union m2n-
aged to get off all OF its business in az ex-
ceedingly roundabout way, some o. It go
ing by way of New Orleans to eastern
points.
The sleet damaged the wives and poles
between Millen and Augusta and bet Ween
Millen and Atlanta, and the same condi-
ton of affairs was prevalent from
that section clear over to the
sea coast SO that the wires to the norrn
all along the Atlantic Coast Line railroad
I,sl a ra1
was made during the afternoon by Man
ager L. j. Maxwell to get press wire for
the Morning News, but no wire could be
secured in any direction until about 1880
O'Clock last night, when communication
was secured by way of Atlanta. The press
service usually comes by way of Washing
ton, D. c., direct but owing to the general
condition of the WIRES it had to
be secured by the roundabout way of At
lanta, and at a late hour. The first night
press reports are usually received at
O'Clock, and the condition of the wires ex-
ceedingly crippled the service. The fact
that wire was secured by way of ATTAIN
ia, however, made 1t possible to secure a.
small portion of the press service, as will
appear.
No vessels went to sea during the day.
The steamship Tallahassee, Capt Askins,
which sailed for New York the night be-
fore anchored in the blight" five miles
below the city, and remained there all
of yesterday. Up to dark she was still at
anchor and it is supposed she remained
there all night.
The Nacoochee, Capt. Lewis, which was
scheduled to sail for Boston last night.
left her dock at 6 o'clock. Capt. Lewis
stated, before sailing, that if the weather
continued unfavorable he would not go to
sea.
The Norwegian bark Premier, which has
been anchored in the five fathom hole, be-
low the city for several days ready to sail
for Barcelona, broke adrift and went a
ground yesterday morning. She was pull
ed off by tug, and safely anchored in
deep water.
The steamship VIM Lawrence, Capt.
Peters, was scheduled to sail at O'Clock
for Baltimore, but did not get away. She
will sail this morning If the weather per-
mits.
1t was reported last night that a bark
at quarantine had broke from her moor
ings and drifted ashore near Venus Point.
The name of the vessel was not learned.
There are three vessels at quarantine the
Norwegian banks Edward Percy and Eu-
genie. and the Swedish bark Marie Mar
garetha.
Business along the wharves has been
almost entirely suspended for the past
three days. The loading of vessels with
cotton. naval stores and lumber Is at
standstill, and the incessant rain has kept
the SLeNeuOFNS luit.
The lowlands along the river are under
water and heavy damage may result. The
tide rose several feet in the river yester-
day morning and covered parts of Hutch
inson's island. Just opposite the city are
several shanties about 200 yards from the
wharves standing in water Some of the
banks were inundated, and great sheets of
water covered the fields on parts of the
island The tide did not fall very much
in the afternoon and the nights tide rose
still higher than that in the morning. No
serious damage has vet been reported,
though there was a great deal of suffering
among the colored people, whose modest
shanties are hardly fit to live in even in
fair weather.
The railroads have had difficulty in dis
charging freights, and yesterday no at
tempt was made to work at the railroad
wharves among cotton, naval stores ana
lumber.
One cotton shipper said that within
twenty years experience in the business,
he had never been detained by the wealth.
er so long a time Six years ago there
was a continued rain for three days. ana