The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-09
THE CHANGE IS SUDDEN
sLEET, COLD AND SNOW TAKE THE
PLACE OF WARM WEATHER.
Streets I'm Bad Condition During the
Night-Severe storms I'm Western
InSiana-warmer Saturday.

The weather which indianapolis has ex-
perienced during the last thirty-six hours
has been remarkable both in regard TO the
kinds of weather and sudden changes. At 3
p. m. Wednesday, there was some indica-
ton Of the clouds which had obscured the
sun throughout the day clearing away,
but it was not long until they were as thick
as ever and at D. m. drizzling rain again
began. With the rain came slight drop in
the temperature. At p. m. however. with
the rain still falling. there was percepti-
BILE rise in the temperature, which con-
tinued gradually until yesterday.
when the thermometer registered 81 de-
grees, a rise of 20 degrees since Wednes-
day at a. m. The rain continued through
out the night. and at times the fall was
very heavy and accompanied by wind so
strong that 1t was almost impossible for
people on the streets to make Roadway
against ii. Umbrellas at such times were
next to useless, each succeeding minute
bringing a change In its direction. About
midnight the heavy downpour of rain was
accompanied by flashes of lightning and
dull. heavy thunder.
a HIGH WIND.
falling and the wind increasing in velocity
the mercury began falling and by noon
difference of u degrees was noted. AT s
O'Clock a perfect gale struck the city, and
the gauge showed velocity OF fifty-four
miles per hour. The gale a part of the
heavy windstorm travelling from the South
west. starting in the vicinity of st. Louis
and passing over Illinois and western Indi-
ana. doing great damage to property. The
full force of the gale was not experienced
in the downtown portions OF the city, but
was felt in West Indianapolis and Haugh-
vile. where considerable damage was done
to buildings, fences, telegraph and tele-
phone wires. At the Interstate Stockyards
one hundred yards of new fence was laid
to the ground. Down town, however. the
building occupied by the Indiana Cigar
Company, at No 80 South Meridian street.
was separated from it's roof, portions of
which were carried over the Commercial
Club building and dropped in Pearl street.
The rain continued at intervals through
out the day until about 545 p. m, when the
rain was, by the lower temperature,
changed to sleet and later to snow. AT
D. m the thermometer registered degrees
below the freezing point, drop of 40 de-
grees in twelve hours, and the walks and
streets were soon covered with ice, which
made travelling for people and horses very
dffncult. So slippery were the streets that
a number of keepers of hacks and cabs re-
fused to send their horses out on account
of not being sharp shod.
CHEMICALS AXLE SNAPS.
About p. an alarm of fire was sent
in from Box AZ, at Capitol avenue and
Washington street. and the department
was very slow in getting to the scene on
account of the slippery streets. making 1t
impossible for the horses to travel at good
speed. At the corner of Illinois and Wash
ington streets, because of the fire having
been put out before the arrival of the de-
partment, a man tried to flag the teams
running to the fire. The driver of chemical
engine No. tried to stop too soon and the
wagon slid to one side, struck street car
rail and snapped the rear axle just inside
the right wheel. letting the wagon down
TO the pavement. The sudden stop almost
threw the horses off their feet.
The mercury remained almost stationary
up TO midnight and light snow fell at
frequent intervals.
Reports from the storm section showed
that Vandalia passenger train No. IA. due
TO arrive In indianapolis at $40 a.. m, mar
rowly escaped being wrecked near Collins
vile yesterday morning, ny debris which
had been blown on to the track. The OBJ
struction was noticed by a farmer who
was out looking for his stock and he pro-
cured lantern and tagged the train,
which was running then at rate of about
twenty-five mlies per hour
The Western Union wires between mere
and Chicago were down and the Postal
Company suffered considerable damage by
broken wires west of here.
Although the local bureau yesterday gave
out that the mercury would probably reach
zero by Friday, the Washington dispatches
last night contained the welcome predic-
ton that, though Friday would no doubt
be cold, Saturday would bring again
warmer weather.