The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-02-04
Number 5.
STORM KING RACES,
ELEMENTS CUTOFF COMMUNICATION
WITH NEW ENGLAND.
Fire Departments Helpless-Telcphone
and Telegraph Lines Prostrated-Three
Masted Schooner Dashed Upon Rocks on
the Nahant Coast-Many Horses Killed.

Boston, Feb. "A northeast snow
storm, which set in yesterday and ragged
until this afternoon, completely para
, lyzed all branches of business and all
street car and steam tramroads and for
time shut off communication by wire
from all places outside the limits OF
Boston The storm was the most severe
this city has experienced in 20 years
and caused the loss of several lives be-
sides doing money damage of hund-
reds of thousands of dollars.
Between and o'clock this morn
ing foot Of heavy wet snow settled
over the city and leveled wires in all
directions. The snow clung to the
poles and wires and aided by 50-mile
an hour wind, Frustrated all telephone
and telegraph lines out of the city.
More than half the electric lights of the
city went out, and in the suburban
towns the fire alarm service was Grip
pied
In Newton broken wires falling across
others started fires in the electric room
of the elegant residence of Charles J.
Travelli, the wealthy Pittsburg steel
manufacturer, and in two hours moth
ing remained of the house but ashes.
Mr.. Travelli's family escaped in their
night clothes without saving anything.
The loss amounts to about 100000.
Late last night the three -masted
schooner Charles 7. Riggs of Bath,
Me-, dashed on the rocks on the Nahant
coast, and it is believed her crew Of
eight men persisted. Today one of the
crew has been recovered.
In the business district it was nearly
noon when many employees reached
their places of employment all subur
ban trolley lines having been aban
doned at midnight, and the steam rail
roads being unable to run more than
two or three suburban trains during
the forenoon.
Trains Are All Delayed.
All through trains from New York
and the west, as we'll as those from the
east were from four to six hours late,
and many did not get in until late in
| the afternoon. The Boston and AL
bany road started two express trains for
New York before noon, but it was 2
o'clock before they were able to pro-
ceed beyond Natick, ten miles from the
city. The tracks were not only blocked
with snow, but masses of broken poles
and wires scattered over the road were
encountered at many points. Many
horses were killed in the streets by
stepping on the ends of the telephone
! wires which had fallen across the troll
ley wires. Last night the situation as
sumed such a dangerous aspect that
Mayor Quincy ordered that none Of the
electric lights be turned on except in
districts where the wires are under
ground. 1t will require weeks to re-
store the telephone and telegraphic SER
vice. Not a single telegraph wire out
of Boston was in operation all day and
the telephone VIE; Were in almost rs
bad condition..
This afternoon telephone service as
far as Worcester was established. The
wholesale and most of the business dis
tricts OF the city were deserted all day.
The stock exchange was lifeless and
transactions were very limited. Ship
/ ping in the harbor was damaged greatly
and it is feared that many disasters to
coast shipping will be reported when
telegraphic communication is restored.
! The center of the storm appeared to
be in the vicinity of New Bedford, and
the brunt Of it fell on Boston and terri
| tory within radius of Il, or 20 miles.
| From meager reports received from the
middle and western part of the state
! the storm there was less severe. Here
about 20 inches of snow fell.
Phenomenal Railroad Run.
| CHEYENNR, WyO., Feb. "A phe-