Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-14

crowd patiently waited for trains to leave.
Railroad officials were as silent as Sphinxes.
They were as much in the dark any one.
At che bureau of information the clerk in
charge in reply to the same question,
when will such and such a train ieave?'
said: Il do not know. Just hang around
here and wait for it to be called. We are
doing all we can
The first train to arrive over the Penn
sylvania road was beautiful sight. The
big engine was covered with a white
coat, while icycleS in fantastic shapes hung
wherever there was drop of water to con-
geal. The engineer and fireman vera soak
ed 10 the skin They We're in bad shape.
We are almost at a standstill," said
Pennsylvania railroad official to a reporter
of The Star last evening. The few trains
that are arriving are hours behind time and
the very few we are sending out are dis
patched on any kind of time. 1t is impos-
sibie to follow the schedule.
The Philadelphia train which was due
here at 4 O'Clock yesterday morning pulled
in at II 40. 1t followed few minutes
afterward by the owl train from New York
which was due here at 7:3O. The New
York papers did not get in until nearly
o'clock
At the Baltimore and Ohio railroad there
was general stagnatiOn. Two trains from
the north. one from Baltimore and one from
New York, managed to get through, but
they were many hours late. The train
from Baltimore took three hours to make
the forty miles. The train officials re-
port heavy drifts throughout the whole
route between Washington and New York
Danger From Fires.
We are trusting more in Providence to-
day than in anything else" remarked Chief
Paris Of the District fire department, to a
Star reporter, for the conditions are
about as bad as they could possibly be,
y q c Il t.
l am very much in doubt whether the COM
panies could respond to an alarm much
faster than in walk in this kind of
weather. and for that reason people should
be more cautious al this time than ever be-
fore
Il would advise people to have in handy
places about their houses buckets of water,
for bucket of water near at hand often
prevents serious fire. Then, too, | would
advise people not to get frightened when a
little blaze is discovered, for in such
weather no box should ne pulled unless 1t
is absolutely necessary. In the event of
small blaze being started a telephone mes
sage Will get assistance from the fire de-
partment almost as quickly as would the
pulling of fire alarm box.
Then, too, such Il message would simply
call out one company. which could render
all the assistance necessary in case of
small blaze, whereas when q box is pulled
TWO, three or four engine companies and
one or two truck companies are required
TO respond thus putting the department to
unnecessary expense of time and ,abor and
almost killing the horses. We are taking
unusual precautions ourselves lust now
and we hope the people will not call out the
department unless serious danger is i'm
pending.
Fortunately, our wires are still In good
working order, but, in view of the fact that
the county roads are practically impass-
able little or no assistance could be rem
dered IN the event Of fire in that section
unless the scene of the fire should be very
near 10 the Anacosta. Brfghtwood or Mt.
Pleasant engine companies. Therefore. un-
I'll the normal conditions again prevail in
the county and suburban sections, people
living there should be unusually careful"