The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-02
1T WAS TERRIFIC.
A Storm of Snow and Wind
With Accompanying Cold
Almost Unprecedented Sweeps
Over the East.
BOSTON is ISOLATED.
Electric Wires Down and
Crossed Start Fires.
One Residence Destroyed Valued
at 100000.
BOSTON is ISOLATED

extent of damage in New England cannot
be Appropriated. Reports from Boston,
with which place communication was es>
tablished today 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 to property. Business has been
at standstilI in many of the smaller
towns; wires all over the country are
down; roads are blockaded and railway
traffic greatly impeded.
The "up the state residents have suf-
fered from cold which ranged as low as 20
degrees and more below zero.
At Albany, Troy, Saratoga and many
other places in the state as much as two
and three feet of snow has fallen and
reports are that the blizzard is still rag
ing, the worst storm since the memorable
one of 1883.
Residents of this city have had to bat
tie their way to business against a gale
of wind that at times swept along at forty
miles an hour and carried sheets of snow
with it.
Much delay was caused to the railroad
mail service; that from the northern part
of the state has been practically cut off,
and trains running on the New York Cen
trail railroad were from four to five hours
late From ten thousand to twenty
thousand men have been at work with
thousands of teams clearing away the
snow. and yet there has been no appre-
ciable decrease in the amount that has
piled in every direction.
Portions of Long Island suffered almost
as much from the storm as the towns far
up the state. The east end of the island
has been bIockaded by the drifting snow.
The Long Island railroad was completely
closed.
Snow plows driven by five of the most
powerful engines on the road are now
battling with the drifts on the eastern
section of the road, which may be clear
by tonight.
Boston, Feb. "A northeast SHOWS torn.
which set in Monday and ragged until last
night, completely paralyzed all branches
of business and street car and steam rail-
road traffic, and for time shut off the
city from communication by wire with
all places outside the limits of Boston.
The storm was the most severe this city
has experienced in twenty-five years, and
caused the loss of several lives besides
doing a money damage of hundreds OF
thousands of dollars.
A foot of heavy, wet snow settled over
the city and leveled wires in all direc~
tions The snow chung to the poles and
wires, and, aided by wind blowing at the
rate of so miles hour, Frustrated all
telephone and telegraph lines out of the
city. More than half the electric lights
of the city went out, and in suburban
towns the fire alarm service was Grip
pied.
In Newton, broken wires falling across
others started fire in the electric room
of the elegant residence of Charles J. Ira
velh the wealthy Pittsburg steel manu>
facturer and in two hours nothing re-
manned of the house but ashes.
Mr.. Travellis family escaped in their
night clothes without saving anything
The loss amounts to about 100000, the
house being valued at $4,000 and the fur
niture and art treasures at $4,000 more.
The big three masted schooner Charles
T. Briggs of Bath, Me, coal laden, was
dashed to pieces on the Nahant coast and
it is believed her crew of eight men per-
ished. The body of one of the crew has
been recovered.
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 the trolley wires.
The situation assumed such a dangerous
aspect that Mayor Quincy ordered that
none of the electric lights be turned on
except in districts where the wires were
underground. 1t will require weeks to re-
store the telephone and Geographic serv>
ice. Not a telegraph wire out Of Boston
the telephone wires were in almost as
bad condition.
Shipping in the harbor was damaged
greatly, and it is feared that many dis
asters to coast shipping will be reported
when Geographic communication is re-
stored.
The center of the storm appeared to be
in the vicinity of New Bedford and the
brunt of it fell on Boston and territory
oF1 90
meager reports received from the middle
and western parts of the state the storm
there was less severe. Here about 20
inches of snow fell.
St. Johns, N. F., Feb. "A blizzard is
raging here. A large number of men
have been driven off by an ice foe in
Trinity bay and it is feared there will be
repetition of the disaster of seven years
ago. when forty persisted. The thermom>
eter shows 20 degrees below zero and the
cold is so terrible that some loss of life
must result.
The government is dispatching rescue
steamer to the endangered men.
An unidentified steamer, believed to be
the Jamaica, Captain Peterson, from New
York January % for st. Johns, with a
general cargo, is visible in ice foe off
Ferryland, 80 miles south of this port. She
is flying distress signals and it is feared
/ that she has been seriously injured.
Waterville, Me, Feb. 2--Sman houses
have been buried by twenty foot drifts of
snow The Lockwood cotton mills have
| closed, the operatives being unable to
reach the factory. There has been no
! train over the Maine Central railroad for
"a hours.
! Lawrence. Mass, Feb. 2.-The storm has
! paralyzed business and traffic. Street car