Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-05
In. TIE STORMS TRAIL
SYSTEMS OF THE TWO TELEGRAPu
COMPANIES MUCH DAMAGED.
SEVERAL CITIES STILL ISOLATED.
Regular Communication IL Expect
ed 10 lie Restored To-day, How
MEGA Warm Wave Coming.


been amcl:oratcd within the last few
hours. and the official forecast for to-day
promises much warmer weather.
Mr.. Edward A. Evans, section director
OF the United States Department OF Agri-
culture. has issued the following state
ment:
AN area OF high barometer covers the
Atlantic coast. with cool temperature and
light TO brisk winds prevailing. In the
West. Northwest, and Lake region the
barometer is falling rapidly and conditions
are becoming threatening.
Snow is falling at POINTS In the Lake
region. The temperatures have risen
generally throughout the entire West,
and II is as warm in the Upper Lake re-
sion this morning as it is In North Caro-
lima.
'Southerly winds and rising temperature
are indicated for this section"
DAMAGE TO TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS.
IL is only since the abatement of the
storm that the full extent Of the damage
effected has been realized, and it has
been enormous
The telegraph companies seem TO have
been the heaviest sufferers. Wires have
been snapped and poles blown down in
every direction, and the damage TO both
companies IL estimated at several hun
dred thousand dollars.
Mr. J. Il. Tree, superintendent OF the
Western Union Telegraph Company. said
TO Dispatch reporter yesterday after
noon:
'"rhe storm Of December % developed
into sleet, freezing the falling snow on
the telegraph company's wires south of
Goldsboro, y. c.; Chester s. c.. on the
Atlanta and Charlotte Airline, on the
NCrtolk and Western road near Norfolk:
on The Seaboard and Roanoke road in the
same vicinity. and the Norfolk and Caro-
lima road out of Portsmouth. 1t also in
terrupted our wires between Norfolk and
Sewell's Point on the county road. At
Sewelrs Point, or. rather, Willoughby Spit.
We take the cable across Hampton Roads
20 Fort Monroe
'The lines were wrecked badly between
Goldsboro' and Wilmington; out of ten
wires we now have nine working all right
or that route
Between Wilmington and Charlotte on
the Carolina Central the seet was also
very heavy; the same condition Of things
existed on the Wilmington, Columbia,
and Augusta road. These wires are now
being repaired, and We expect to have
t1ltu -. ~. IN the
ION the Southern railway system, Char
lotte. Columbia and Augusta road.
the sleet extended as far north as Ches-
ter. and between Chester and Augusta,
Ga. The frozen snow and sleet oil the
wires was about as thick as mans
wrist. The lines are very badly wrecked
between Columbia and Augusta on this
road.
WIRES BEING RAPIDLY REIN
STATED.
1--WE are now in connection. however,
with Columbia on two wires and with
Augusta, Ca, on one wire We have six
gangs at work on the damages, amount
ing TO 100 men. These gangs are placed
between Columbia and Augusta, between
Florence and Charleston. and on the
railroads out Of Augusta. The city lines
in Columbia were badly wrecked by the
sleet. and we are handling business at
present at the depot. while the city lines
are being temporarily repaired. The sleet,
in fact, covered an extensive area of
the country. covering parts of Georgia,
North and South Carolina, and Virginia.
it seemed TO have swept around from
the direction of Charleston across the
country, going of into the sea between
Norfolk and Cape Hatteras. The Nor
folk and Virginia Beach lines were very
badly wrecked.
with the heavy force we have now
placed on these wires, we can reasonably
expect TO have many of the wires at
work by Monday next. They have been
gradually coming o. K. since the
morning of me Sd. In addition to
the force already enumerated, We have
Impoverished small gangs under the leader
ship of the linemen al the repair sta
tions in the various States above named.
The railroad companies are also aiding
Us greatly in the restoration Of our cir
cults
DAMAGE TO POSTAL LINES.
The Postal Telegraph and Cable Com
pany has suffered TO an equal extent.
MIR. Joseph w. Kate. general superin-
tendent OF the company, said yesterday
that the storm had eclipsed all records
for eighteen years, both as to its violence
and the extent Of the damage 1t wrought.
All day on Thursday Richmond was shut
off from telegraphic communication with
Norfolk. Wilmington, Columbia, Augusta,
Charleston, and Savannah, and messages
for the far South had TO be sent round
by Chicago. The greatest damage to
his company's wires and poles had been
done between Columbia, 3. C., and Au-
gusta, Ga. Communication was restored
yesterday between Richmond, Benned-
Vile. ara NOrlo'k anu II - 'AP'ei'H
that all wires will be in operation to-day.
on the line between Norfolk and Suf-
folk. which was in splendid order. near
ly every pole has been blown down. The
building gangs are ali at work. and. with
some reinforcement, 1t is believed that
every line win be in order early this
morning. The damage to the Postal
lines in Norfolk and vicinity Is estimated
at about $4,000.
NnyV