Evening star., 1898-12-05
Washington Escaped the Brunt Of
the "Twisting."
PHE TROPICAL HURRICANES COURSE
WhrIed and Gyrated U pward From
Gulf of Mexico.
HAVOC AMONG THE WIRES

yesterday afternoon. 1t was in many re-
spects like the ''twfSter" that caused such
destruction in the latter part of September
1896. The difference was that this one
originated over the Gulf of Mexico and did
not possess such elements of violence as
accompany the hurricanes from the West
Indies from which center the '96 storm
hailed
Comparative Immunity from the tempest
Of wind and rain was enjoyed by this city
for the reason that the storm center passed
directly overhead. 1t is a ell-known fea-
ture of these hurricanes that at their CEN
ter the winds fiuctuate and have not half
the violence to be found at the edges where
the whlrling and twisting motion reaches
its highest development The telegram
companies had a few of their wires torn
down. the railroads were slightly embar-
rassed by delayed trains the river boats
were buffeted by winds and waves but the
damage IN dollars and cents amounted to
little.
In describing it today Forecast Official
Garriott of the weather bureau said:
II originated last Saturday over the Gulf
of Mexico, but had not much strength IT
moved over lower Kentucky Yesterday and
last night 1t had gone as far as PennsyI-
Vania, including the area around here and
today 1t Is up in the St. Lawrence valley
northeast of Lake Ontario. The remark
able feature was the very rapid increase of
strength Saturday night. 1t is. however
characteristic of this class of subtropjcaI
storms. Ihey are the worst We have, but
are not at all unusual, although it is rather
early in the season for one of such violence
High Temperature and Moisture.
Over the West Indies and the gulf 1t is
never very cold. and storms coming from
there bring with them high temperature
and vast amount Of moisture. Reaching
the colder regions No mo io
densed and turns into rain or snow. Yes
:erday's storm was about twelve hours in
duration and actually covered all the coun-
try east of the Mississippi valley. The
country was given twenty-four hours' no.
nee or Its approach and fully twelve
hours warning of the hurricane character
OF it. All observers were told to warn all
vessels to remain in port. Last night the
maximum velocity of the wind was at New
York t16 niles; at Block Island 80: at
cleveland, TO; at Cape May. %, and here
at times as high fifty miles. The rain
faIl in this city lasted until nearly mid
night and registered 81 Of an inch
"A cold wave is following In the wake of
the hurricane, and there will be a sharp
fall of temperature here. Rain or snow has
tallen from the Mississippi valley to the
Atlantic coast. Frost is reported at Jack
sonville, where there was a drop Of from
~ to 30 degrees in temperature"
Damage to Wires
The Postal Telegraph Company stated to-
day there were many breaks in its wires
between Washington and Baltimore last
night, but these have been repaired From
Baltimore to New York conditions are
worse, the result being that facilities to the
metropolis are somewhat limited The
wires are all right south far as Birming-
ham, Ala but below there difficulty is ex-
perienced in sending message Locally the
damage will be covered by Sl2J.
The Western Union Company reported
that all its lines will be in normal shape to-
morrow. Around this city there was little
harm done, but near Baltimore and from
there on to New York falling trees took
down many wires.
Harbormaster Sutton stated that the
yachts and shipping along the water front
were undisturbed and unharmed.
Trains on the Pennsylvania railroad were
made late by inability to run at schedule
speed against the wind. The Baltimore and
Ohio railroad officials stated that nothing
worse than slight delays troubled them.
The rain storm Saturday night and yester-
day did considerable damage to the county
roads and unimproved streets. and the po-
lice We're kept busy yesterday investieat-
ing In addition to the washouts, police
reports show that about 100 naphtha
lamps in the suburbs We're extinguished
In some cases the police were able to re-
light them, but in most instances the road
or street had to remain in darkness during
the night. While there We're many small
washouts reported, none of them were par
ticuiariy serious. Today, however, 1t was
necessary FOR some repairs to be made III
order to avoid possible danger. Within the
city limits some of the unimproVed streets
We're badly washed, and many sewers wee
obstruCted. In cases where property is
above grade many sidewalks were left coy
cred with mud. There were only two treeS
reported damaged, and the injury to tflem
was slight.
Effect lexington Fire.
The failure of fire-alarm box 61S, Sd and
Seaton streets, to work Saturday night npon
the occasion of the fire in lexington was
due, so the District electrical engineer Mr.
w. c. Allen has discovered, to a crossing
Of the box wire with a telephone wire. The
crossing of the two wires, Mr.. Allen finds
was caused by the prevailing storm, the
wind blowing one wire down upon the 9TH
er. The storm interfered to a great ex-
tent with the wires of the fire and police
departments, and the force employed by the
District telegraph and telephone service is
busily engaged today in Strengthening out
matters.
In this connection Commissioner Wight
stated to a Star reporter today that one of
the appropriations which the Commission
ers earnestly urged in their conference
with the appropriation committee last week
was one of 5000 for beginning the work of
placing under ground all District telegraph
and telephone wiras. The failure of box
61S to work Saturday night said Mr.
Wight, is another illustration of the dan
gers TO be met at any moment because of
overhead wires, and is an opportune argll-
ment in support of underground wires for
the fire and police departments.
Appropriation Needed.
Should Congress give the Commissioners
the $4,000 asked for, it would be possible he
explained, for the Commissioners to place
about all of the fire and police department
wires in the central portion of the city un-
der ground, and when that is done the
Commissioners will ask for such appropria-
ton as will enable them to complete such a
work. With the present system of over
head wires, the wires Of both the fire and
police departments, said Mr.. Wight are liza
Bile at any moment to be so interfered with
or disabled as to cause serious loss of life
or property.
Il trust" remarked Mr. Wight THAT The
Star will redouble its efforts for a complete
system OF underground wires, for no mat
ter how perfect a fira police department
we have, overhead wires are liable at anv
moment to seriously cripple the work of
each"
Gen. Miles Has a Cold
Gen. Miles is suffering from bad cold
but was able to spend several hours at his
Office today.