The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-08
HAVOC WROUGHT
BY THE SLEET.
Trees Broken and Electric Wires
Badly 0isarranged.
STREET-CARS lNTERFERED WITH
4 Letter Carrier Has a Narrow rs
cape from Death Under a Failing
Tree-TrolIcy Wire on Main
Street Parts.
STREET, CARS lNTERFERED WITH

Yesterday morning the whole face Of
the earth IN and around this city was
covered with mantle Of ice and an
day long a fine rain fell, alternating
with hail and snow The icy overcoat
grew heavier and heavier, until is
weight became greater than the older
trees could bear. Then the limbs began
TO give way and the air was iaIl oil 'ea'-
Ing. ronding sounds
Inc muulauon was great AID over the
city. but 1alucuariy severe DO the taPi-
toi suuatr, Nntre no iess tnan se'efaI
nun4reus nmos we're brONen on.
Just in 'front.' OF the Library pudding
stood "a tree, winch fOrKed he1l lhe
1round. the two prongs EXTENDING nieh
mo tne ar. IL was used oy oue OF Lie
toieohone companies 90 h0ld one end o.
some guy wires
sCARlJD LETTER CARRIER
Astne ice grew thicker on the branches
OF TINS tree tney began 10 incline lo"dtd
the ground until uualy there was
cracking SOUND. and the tree spit ia tWo'
one portion failing on the emoankmeht
surrounding the Library
Just at that moment letter Garner
was ascending ;ho steps with bag Of
droppiug his mail took 10 flight lie
b,af the falling tree 10y a short neck,
and did not stop running until he reach
eli the fountain IN tho southeast corner
OF the square.
While the damage done the trees Is
matter OF regret the most serious ~
convenience was the trouble with the
wires au over the city. thc te.ephoHe
wires looked like ropes and the are hsn'
and trolley wires had much the appear
ance Of submarine cables
IN some places the weight or inc ice
had caused the wires 10 sag until YOU
rould almost touch them with your hand
So low they hung. i'm other cases theF
had parted and hung dangling down,
ag8keuirg q lively fear of live wire
i'm the breasts OF the slipping. struggling
pedestrians. ...l.,---
SYSTEMS DISARRANGED.
Early yesterday morning 'ne fHe
Alarm and Police Patrol system got our
of order. and all day and pracllcaily All
NIGHT Superintendent W II. Thompson
bad ov.rv man available busy repairing
the damage
Tbe street car lines had a hard time
,.~.i.ularlv the Main street branch.
A,,nt IS O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
when the homeward rush was heaviest
right hand trolley wire going west broke
near ninth and Main, and there was a
brilliant pyrotechnic display watched oy
hundreds. .,.
THE damage was repaired as quickly
a. possible. but the long, cold wait IN
m. slush did not improve the temper OF
the citizens.
rakcn al in all last night was lhe
worst experienced in "a long time The
streets we're covered with sloppy. SIP
u.r,. comround. which insured cold wet
feet If moi a fam ON the hard praFemen's
AN pedestrians got ,ne former ANA not
"a few the latter
The telephone lines shared in the gem
eral Differentiation. by reason OF lines
crossing with hich-current wires several
'pbones were burned out. while others
were rendered useless boy the swapping
OF the wires. ,
Tinesmen and inspectors were out an
night and the damage done will De quick
~ repaired. ..
Two or three trees fen in ST. John
church yard on church HILL but no dam
age was done
Nearly AN the police had reports 10
mako at the station houses at o'clock
of broken electric wires. fallen trees
or limbs Of trees that had yielded TO the
weight of the Ice.