Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-11-27
WORK OF THE STORM KING
Telegraphic Communication with Western
Nebraska Practically Cut Off.
MUCH DAMAGE ON NEBRASKA RAILROADS
wind and Slcct Delay All of the
Trains and Break Down Miles
of Telegraph Lines
I'm the West.

There was but little activity in local rail-
way circles yesterday There were three eN-
cellent reasons for this. In the first place,
holiday means that the passenger men
can havo at least a half holiday; secondly,
several of the railroads took off some OF
their freight trains, and, thirdly, the
telegraph service was so interrupted as to
give but little work to the clerks of the
various headquarters who keep track of
affairs along their respective lines.
Wednesday nights storm proved to be most
severe. and there is not railroad in Ne
braska that did not suffer deleterous effects
in consequence. Telegraph poles by The hun
dred and telegraph wire by the mile went
down during the night The wires became
covered with heavy coating of sleet, and
when the wind came along and steadily
swayed the wires to and fro they could not
stand the vibration with their increased
weight and just tumbled down In heap.
The rails also became covered with sleet
and their slippery condition caused the
wheels of the locomotives and coaches to
slip and slide along, delaying all the trains
during the day.
The Union Pacific yesterday morning found
over 300 of its telegraph poles between
Columbus and Kearney measuring their
length on the snow covered ground 1t is
needless to add that all Geographic COM
munication between these points was sus-
pended. West Of Kearney there was not
so much trouble, although the wires were
pretty well tangled. The poles remained up
right, however, and the wires did not fall
down. At 1 o'clock in the afternoon the
telegraph department reported that the
worst trouble was between Schuyler and
Elm Creek. Large gangs of men were
sent by Superintendent Korty from several
stations along that part of the line, and
1t is said at headquarters that all the wires
will be in working condition by this
morning. II will take several days, though,
to put the telegraph department in as good
condition as it was before the storm.
The Burlington also reported much damage
along its line. No telegraphic communica-
ton could be had at headquarters yesterday
morning with points west Of Aurora. The
presumption is that the wires and the poles
beyond that point have all gone down in the
storm. The Elkhorn had no communication
whatever with the western part of its road
during the morning. The Iowa lines are no;
so badly handicapped They were receiving
no news from Chicago headquarters yester
day. This, however, is because all the Chi
cago offices are closed and the Windy City
has been captured by King Foot Ball, and
not because the telegraph wires in Iowa are
lying on the ground No trouble has been
reported along any of the Kansas lines and
so far is Is known all the wires there are in
working condition. The storm was a gen.
erai one throughout Nebraska and but few
points escaped ito fury. There was more
sleet than snow and everywhere there was an
abundance OF wind during the night, although
II was not so very high at any point.
Most OF the general officers came down to
their desks In the morning to
open their mail and to read the
kilograms that did not come The
clerks were given a holiday generally
although number of them showed up just
to convince their superior officers of their
loyalty to the companys interests The
foot ball fever had even spread through the
railroad headquarters and the local ticket
offices and the railroaders were during the
morning figuring out the probable scores of
the days game. rather than freight and pas
Senger rates All the ticket offices, just for
the looks of things and not for any real bust
ness, were open yesterday morning from S
o'clock until H. Then the ticket men de-
serted their posts to enjoy one of the few
afternoons they have had to themselves
since last summers excursion to Hanscom
park.
All the eastbound trains were delayed
from an hour and a half to two hours in
getting into this city. The train men re-
ported sleet and about an inch of snow as
far west as Cheyenne Overland Union Pa
ciic No. g which is due here at AS did
not reach Omaha until $50 The Rock Is
land trains were from a half to three
quarters of an hour late. The eastbound
Burlington trains were all reported on time.
Reports received showed that the storm
of yesterday prevailed all over the state.
Very little snow fell. but the wind at times
in the western portion blew small gale.