Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-02
SsYerest Storm The City Has Expert
cnoed In Many Years.
NUMBER OF LIVES LOST.
Property Damage Amounting TO Hun
dredS OF Thousands Of Dollars.
STORM HEAVY THROUGHOUT NORTH
RAILWAY Tranic Blocked by snow
Wires Down I'm All Directions
People Suffer from Extreme Coid-
Many Marine Disasters. q

snow-storm. which set In yesterday, and
ragged until this afternoon. completely
paralyzed all branches of business, ana
the street-car and steam railroad trafi1c,
and shut off the city from communica-
ton by wire with all places outside the
city of Boston.
The storm was the most severe this
city has experienced in twenty-five years,
and caused the loss of several lives. be-
sides doing a money damage Of hundr IDS
OF thousands of dollars.
Between and 5 O'Clock this morning
foot Of heavy, wet snow settled over
the city, and levelled wires in all quar-
ters. More than half the electric lights
of the city went out in the suburban
towns, and the fire-alarm service was
crippled. In Newton, broken wires fall
ing across others started a fire in the
electric-room of the elegant residence OF
Charles J. Traveller, the wealthy Pitts
burg steel manufactures, and in TWO
hours nothing remained of the house but
ashes. Mr.. Travellers family escaped
in their night-clothes without saving
anything. The loss amounts to about
100000.
All suburban trolley lines were aban-
doned at midnight, and the steam rail-
roads were unable TO run more than Two
or three suburban trains during the fore
noon. All trains from New York and
the West, as well as those from the East,
were from four to six hours late
The city and suburbs are covered with
broken poles and tangled wires. Many
horses were killed in the streets by step
ping upon the ends of telephone wires
which had fallen across trolley wires.
CITY IN THE DARK.
Tonight the situation assumed such
dangerous aspect that Mayor Quincy or
dered that none Of the electric-lights be
turned on, except in districts where the
wires are underground.
1t will require weeks to restore the
telephone and telegraphic service. Not a
single telegraph wire out of Boston was
i'm operation all day. and the telephone
wires were in almost as bad condition.
This afternoon a telephone service as far
as Worcester was established.
Shipping in the harbor was damaged
greatly during last night and the early
morning 1t is feared that many disas-
ters TO coast shipping will be reported
when telegraphic communication Is re-
stored.
The centre of the storm appeared TO
be i'm the vicinity of New Bedford, and
the brunt Of it fell on Boston and the
territory within radius OF fifteen OF
twenty miles from here. From meagre
reports received from the widdle and
western parts OF the State, the storm
there was less severe. Here about tWen-
ty inches of snow fell
AT Dedham to-day three Italians
shoyelling snow on the Providence Di-
vision of the New York. New Haven
and Hartford railroad, were struck by
train and killed.
number Of less serious accidents
are reported.
A number Of trains met with accidents
I'm different parts Of the State. but as
far as known there were no additional
fatalities.
HUNDREDS OF VESSELS WRECKED.
GLOUCESTER, MASS, February l.
The storm at Gloucester was one or the
worst in many years, and the damage
which lies I'm its wake will foot up about
100000
About one thousand fishing and other
vessels were wholly or partly wrecked.
Eighteen lives are said to have been
lost. and there may be twelve more
which have gone down on missing yes-
sells. A great number of vessels were
driven ashore. and more or less injured.
They succeeded i'm getting off again.
There was no railroad connection with
Boston or outside towns until o'clock
tonight
ALL TRAINS BEHIND TINE.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, February l.
The snow and wind-storm of last night
and to-day was one of the most severe
experienced in this section since the big
blizzard. All trains are behind time, and
several accidents are reported, but none
of any gravity.
The storm was severely felt through
out Eastern Pennsylvania. TWO Read
| ing railroad freight trains collided near
Tamauua. demolishing both engines ~and
| iniuring the fireman, brakeman, ana
| conductor. Traffic was delayed seven
| hours
dispatch from Stroudsburg says
that communication between that place
| and other towns nearby has been cut Off.
ICE-CUTTING STOPPED.
L AL
| that Che ice-cutting industry had to be
| suspended. throwing 500 hands out OF
| work.
| The storm is very severe up the Dela-
| ware Valley, and the stage was stalled
| inst outside of Stroudsburg. and com
pelled TO return with the mail
| Upon the Pocono mountain the wind is
| blowing at a fierce rate.
A dispatch frow Cape May, n. j.,
| saws: 1.-The severe northwest storm which
| prevails along the coast tonight mas
| done no damage. The ocean Is very
rough, but no vessels are in sight. The
wind is blowing with great velocity"
TEN BELOW ZERO.
TORONTO, ONT, February 1.-The
thermometer here registered 10 degrees
below zero early to-day with the pros
| pect OF going lower tonight. Reports from
most places I'm the province show that
| the mercury fell from Is TO 20 below this
morning. Strong winds have drifted the
snow TO such an extent as to interfere
| with railroad traffic.
STORM FURIOUS IN NEW YORK.
NEW YORK. February 1.-The storm
which began Sunday night swept over
| New York State with great fury. and to-
day was central In the New England
states. Northern New York Is snow
| bound and the extent Of the damage In
| New England cannot be approximated.
Reports from Boston, with which place
communication was established tonight
| under great difficulties, after that city
had been shut off from New York for
MANY hours. indicate great loss OF life
and an immense amount Of damage 10