Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-01
SNOW AT PITTSBURG.
DISASTROUS STORM IN DAMAGE
TO ELECTRIC WIRES.
LARGE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS.
Assistant weather Observer Has n
Terrible Fail. and May Die from
the Effects of It-Blizxnrd In New
York.

PITTSBURG. PA. December 3L-Pitts'
burg and Allegheny to-day experienced
the most disastrous snow-storm. in point
of damage to wires. railway traffic, etc,
in their history. The loss to the Bell Tele-
phone Company in both cities will reach
$4,000, and the prostration OF their wires
In Indiana, Jefferson. and Westmoreiand
counties. where their business is prdcti-
cally at a standstill. will run the total up
TO $685. 900. 1t will be impossible to say
when communication will be restored.
In this city the police and fre-alarm
systems are utterly useless, and in case
Of fire, arrangements have been made 10
ring the school bells and use whistles 10
spread the alarm.
The Duquesne branch telephone line has
been entirely abandoned, OF account OF
the great number Of telephone-poles which
were broken.
a large force Of men are at work en-
deavoring to clear the streets for traffic
Tomorrow. A large number OF ACCIDENTS
are reported. and many horses were killed
by coming in contact. with live wires, but
fortunately no human fatalities occurred.
Nathan s. Eddy. the assistant weather
observer, however, may die from the ell
fects of injuries received this evening
while taking the temperature and snow
fall on top Of the government DulldlhB'
He fell from the weather-guage DulldlhB
to a roof 10 feet below. and from there 10
another lower down.. His collar-bone was
broken. and his skull fractured. The ply
sicians say his case IL very serious.
Among others injured to-day was Lee
Campbell. a colored driver. The horse he
was driving was instantly killed, ana
Campbell was badly shocked. His condi-
ton is critical.
Joseph Daley. a telephone lineman. was
shocked to insensibllity and badly burned
by a live wire coiling about his body. lie
may die.
John Gill. telephone lineman, was hurl-
ed 60 feet through a network of electric
light wires and severely injured.
A number of others sustained slight in
iuries.
The loss to the two cities cannot be es-
timated tonight, but 1t will reach away
up into the thousands.
Many of the telegraph-wires east ano
west are down as a result Of the heavy
fall OF snow. The wires as far as Al
toona have succumbed to the weight OF
the snow and rains. and at some points
not a single wire was left on the poles.
HEAVY SNOW AT CLEARFIELD.
CLEARFIELD, PA, December 3l.-One
of the heaviest snow-storms of the sea-
son has been raging here since 4 o'clock
this morning. and tonight reached a
depth of twelve inches. The wind has
increased. and the snow will probably
drift badly tonight. All trains on the
PENNSYLVANIA railroad and Buffalo,
Rochester and Pittsburg are late.
BLIZZARD AT SARATOGA.
SARATOGA. N. Y, December 31.-Four
inches of snow fell this evening, and a
blizzard is raging tonight throughout
Saratoga county and the Adirondacks
IN CHAMPLAIN VALLEY.
WHITEHALL. n. Y, December 91.-A
blizzard is prevailing throughout the
Champlain valley tonight. about six
inches Of snow having already fallen.