The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-20
WIRES GIVE WAY.
Hundreds of Them Yield to Weight Of
Their Icy Burden.


Their Icy Burden.
All overhead wires are disabled to %
greater or less extent by the present
ice storm. The telephone and electric
light wires are the principal sufferers,
and may be said to be in about the
same shape as during the storm Of a
year ago.
The lines of the New England Tels-
phone and Telegraph Company, espe-
cially trunk lines, are badly crippled,
During the day line after line went
down, until at 8 o'clock last night the
Worcester exchange was without g.
Boston circuit, and the only way oe
reaching the Hub" was through Low
ell or via Clinton. AT $50 the Lowell
line became useless. and at midnight
the only communication with the OUT
side world by way Of telephone was
over the Clinton Line.
All other out Of town lines were use
less. Beyond Springfield the storm
seems to have been Less severe but
east north and south, all lines are in
bad shape. About 9 o'clock last night
five or six poles located near the ledge
on Millbury street, went down, cutting
off all communication with points
SOUTH This pole line carried pairs ec
long distance wires, as well as the lines
communicating with MilIbury, Whit
lnsvilLe and other Blackstone Valley
towns.
There is no direct communication
with Gardner. Bftchburg or other
points north. Train orders for the To-
cal branch of the Titchburg railroad
were taken over the telephone and
transmitted to officials In this city,
Spencer and other suburban towns ara
entirely cut off. although It was i'm
possible to state last night how serious
the trouble is
Many poles are known to be down in
and about Worcester, but to what ex-
tent this condition of affairs exists out
side cannot be stated until Anemen get
to work this morning strengthening
things out. Aside from the trouble
with outside lines, the local exchange
service is badly crippled. A force Of
is men was kept at work all day yes
terday and through the night. under
tho direction OF A. r. Jacobs, line fore
man Of the local exchange patrolling
the streets on the lookout for limos than
had broken down. In most cases 10
was impossible to do. anything further
than move lines out'of the street or
remove them from other high current
wires.
At midnight Chief Inspector W. f.
feathers, who was on duty most Of tho
night, reported that upward OF 100 liuas
showed trouble at the switchboard.
and that doubtless many more WOULD
be in evidence this morning, when the
lnes are tested. In his opinion, fully
one third of the lines In the Worcester
exchange will DO found out Of order
thi? morning
The first reports OF wires being down
began to come in early yesterday morn
ing, and throughout the day similar
reports from all sections Of the city
kept piling up. The first pole to go
was at the corner Of Beacon and Rip
ley streets, about 10 o'clock yesterday
forenoon. This pole carries ~ wires
connecting with most Of the business
and residence subscribers IN this sec
ton Of the city.
The most serious break reported at
this hour IS on Millbury street near the
ledge, where six poles are reported bro
ken down. Others are down In vaEi-
Gus parts Of the city. and, taken TO-
gether with the lines broken down ~
limbs Of trees falling across Them ne
damage from this source compares vorS
favofablv with that done by the ice.
Throughout the day considerable
trouble was averted from the fact that
little breeze was stirring, and on this
point the telephone people pinned thetg
faith The wires that parted s9ggeo
with their load OF ice until they could
stand the strain no longer and then
gave way, but coated as they are with
ice the wind played havoc.
Lines OF the American Telephone ana
Telegraph Company. running through
this city are down IN all directions.
Along the line OF the Central Massa
chusetts Railroad the usual amount Of
difficulty is being experienced At
O'Clock last night 30 wires along this
line We're out Of order but while thu
testing was In progress. wire after wire
gave way until 10 became apparent that
the long distance service In this seq
ton was IN bad shape. Toward Prov