The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-02
ADRIFT ON AN ICE-FL0E
DISASTROUS WRECK OFF LIT
TIE NAHANT.
BOSTON SWEPT WITH WHITE DISASTER
Most Severe Snow Storm in Is Years. Wires
Borne Down, Houses Burned, Horses
and Men KilIed--A Tale of Ship
Wreck and Darkness

wreck ana DARKNESS
Boston. Mass, Feb. IA northeast
snow storm which set in yesterday
and ragged until this afternoon, complete
~ paralyzed all branches of business and
the street car and street railroad traffic
and shut off the city from communication
by wire with all places outside the
limits of Boston. Tie storm was the
most severe this city has experienced
in twenty-five years, and caused the
loss of several lives, besides a money
damage of hundreds of thousands of
dollars. Between / and 3 o'clock this
morning the fall of heavy wet snow
settled over the city and leyeled wires in
all quarters. More than half the cleo
tric lights of the city went out, in the
suburban towns the fire alarm service
was crippled. In Newton broken wires
falling across others started "a fire in
the electric room of the elegant resi-
dence Of Chas. ]. Traveller, the wealthy
pittsburg steel manufactures, and after
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. Late last night the big
three-masted schooner Charles L. Briggs.
of Bath, Maine, cCal-laden. was dashed
to pieces on the Nahant coast. and it Is
believed her crew of eight men parished.
The body of one of the crew has been
recovered.
All suburban trolley lines were aban-
donel at midnight and tine railroads
were unable TO run more than two or
three suburban trains during the fore
noon Al through trains from New
York and the west. as well as these from
the east. were from four 10 six hours
late.
The city and suburbs are covered with
broken poles and tangled wires. Many
horses were killed in the streets by
steTping upon the ends of telephone
wires, which had fallen across the
trolley wires Tonight rhe situation as
snned such dangerous aspect that
Mayor Quincy ordered that none of the
electric lights be turned on, except il
districts where the wires are under
ground. 1t will require weeks to restore
the telephone and telegraph service
Not single telegraph wire out of Bos-
foi was in operation all day, and the
condition. This afternoon the telephone
service as far as Worcester, was es-
fabIighed.
Shipping in the harbor was damaged
greatly during last night. and the early
morning. 1t is feared that many dis
asters TO coast shipping will be reported
when telegraphic communication is re-
stored.
The centre Of the storm appeared TO
he in the vicinity of New Bedford, and
the brunf Of it fell on Boston and terri
tory within a radius of fifteen or TWEEN
ty miles. From meagre reports received
from the middle and western parts of
the State, the storm there was less Sc
we're. Here, about twenty inches Of
snow fell.
Al Dedham today, three Italians shov.
cling snow on the Providence division
of the New York, New Haven and
Hartford road. were struck by a train
and killed. A number of less serious ac-
cidents were reported.
A number of trains met with accidents
IN different parts of the State, but as
far as known there were no additional
fatalities.
EIGHT MEN LOST.
Boston. Mass. Feb. IA three-maste1
schooner. Thought to be the Charles s.
Briggs, of Bath, Maine, laden with coal,
MAS wrecked off Little Ntuhamt last
night. 1t is believed there were eight
men on board and oil are supposed to
have been drowned The vessel il a
total wreck The vessel was probably
NTeGked about eight O'Clock last night.
The fierce n0rtiAeasteriy gale which
was blowing at that time, accompanied
ibg a heavy fall Of SNOW. made passage
llpon the sea exceedingly hazardous.
The vessel struck upon the ledge north
81 Egg Rock Light and was smashed to
piecfs. Parts of tine ill-fated schooner
@ined the shore to-day. From the mo-
Inent fafa4 sile struck there was 40 Iaos-
sible chance for the members Of tho
crew To save themselves.
1he hydy ~ one of the crew. n man
about ~ years ~ age, was found this
rn0TrIiug among the wreckagc. 1t was
frozen to . plaaak ard was much dis
figured
ff1DR5s1IsS or ICE-FLOES.
5t Jolng, n, H.. Fel. 1.-The blizzard
le raging llBe to-day 4 large number
af nlep hagF bteu driven off on an ice-Hop
ID Trinity Bay, aald II Is feared there will
if b rcpetIAion " tie disaster Of ten
years ago Rllgen forty perbshed. The
til0rIn0nleteF ssshoSs twenty degrees be-
f0B zfFo and tic coli il ~ terrible that
s0f4e l0Ss % life must result The gov.
pfnmenf IS daspaaclripg q rescue steamer
~ tile endangered men. An unidentified