The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-24
WORST STORM Of SEASON
High southerly Winds Play Hav-
90 With Telephone Wires.
SLOW IS or SHORT DURATION.

violent Gales Monday Might
telegraph Wires Threatenea, hut
Now working Well to All Points.
The wind storm of Monday night was
the worst OF the season. Tugboat mas
tiers and telegraph operators along the
northwestern coast OF Washington re-
ported Monday afternoon a rapidly fall
ing barometer. This signal Of the APP
proach OF bad weather was followed later
In the day by reports of a low pressure
center in British Columbia, just across
the international boundary line BY
midnight Monday the storm had gathered
full energy and broke with great violence
upon Seattle and Puget sound.
But for the warning conveyed in the
Monday afternoon report of the local Of
flee of the weather bureau. no intimation
was given Of the approaching storm.
Monday was fine day. the weather be-
ing mild and springltke and the Their
mometer registering UP In the f1fties. At
10 o'clock Monday night, however. the
wind was fresh from the south and the
sky overcast. At midnight the storm
broke, and from that time till late in the
morning 1t ragged with undated fury
But for the security of-the~ harbor of
Elliott bay much damage would have
been wrought to local shipping interests.
As 1t was. several vessels In the harbor
were blown from their moorings and one
wharf suffered slight damage. No seri-
Gus loss Of property was reported. how
ever.
Over 900 telephones were rendered use
less by the storm, while for time inter-
ruption Of telegraphic service from Seat
tie south and east was threatened. The
storm moderated its fury toward morning
49, t.oI al l~l
away. 9@aM
Cause of the High winds.
1.-THE area Of low pressure was central
on the Northwest Washington coast
Monday morning" said Local Weather
Observer wollaber last night. 1.-THE
storm developed unusual energy during
Monday afternoon and night. The storm
center moved eastward, keeping well to
the north Of this section. AS a result Of
this barometric movement, high winds
prevailed over Washington and all along
the coast during the past twenty-four
hours The lowest barometer reached
at Seattle was 2o57. This was recorded
Monday night at about 6 o'clock"
Reports received at the local office of
the weather bureau yesterday morning
showed the storm center to be over the
British possessions north of Washington,
the lowest barometer being 1922 at Bark
ersville. b. c., The highest winds at Sc
attic attained a velocity of thirty-four
miles from the south, which occurred
at 3:45 yesterday morning. The wind
appeared to have a much heavier velocity
than this, owing to the fact that it came
in gusts. The extreme velocity for any
one minute was forty miles per hour.
The high winds wrought considerable
havoc with the local telephone system. It
also caused the telegraph companies more
or less difficulty. The maximum velocity
Of the wind was not often higher than thir-
ty-four miles per hour, although several
times during the night gust Of wind
would come sweeping through the town
at q rate of forty miles. es
1t was not a steady wind Now and
again there were moments of almost per-
feet calm, and then the storm would break
out afresh and with apparently redoubled
energy. Late pedestrians on the street
were caught and buffeted about in these
bursts of tempestuous fury. while the signs
on the big brick buildings in the business
section ratified and trembled in their fas-
Jennings and telephone wires snapped under
the heavy strain Of wind and weather.
Telephone Wires Down.
At the office of the telephone company
1t was stated last night that something
over two hundred telephones were rem
dered practically useless for the time be-
ing by the heavy winds. When morning
telephones had suffered injury fastened to
register their complaints at the main Of
fee of the company, on Third avenue.
''Kicks'' were piled UP rapidly during the
early hours Of the day. and an extra force
OF hnemen was summoned to repair the
damage.
The long distance telephone system also
suffered somewhat from the storm, al
though the damage done was not very
heavy. The long-distance lines between Sc
attic and Tacoma, and Seattle and Ever
EFT. were reported working last night.
South of Olympia. however. the service
was interrupted for nearly twenty-four
hours. The local office was in communica-
ton last night with Spokane, Walla Walla
and other Eastern Washington points, but
at disadvantage.
The telegraph companies reported that
the storm did not interrupt telegraphic
communication between Seattle and Coast
and Eastern points to any extent. The
wires of the Postal Company were trou-
working yesterday. The Western Union
wires were broken in several places, but
the damage was quickly repaired and all
lines were reported working well last night.
High Coast Winds.
1t is probable that very high winds pre-
vailed off the Strait of Fuca Monday aft
ernoon and night. Shipmasters, however,
do not believe that the storm was severe
enough to cause the loss of vessels off the
coast.
Monday nights blow was the first taste
of winter weather the Sound cities have
had. The forecast for today is for occa-
sional rains. with fresh southerly winds.
Damage ON the Water Front.
The gales whistled through the myriad
Of mats in the bay holding high carnival.
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