Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-24
OUT OF THE WORLD.
Philadelphia Shut Out by Wire
for Two Days. &
Hundreds of Miles of Lines Frustrated
by the Storm.
Telegraph Companies Doing NobIy but
Have Gigantic Task.

Philadelphia, Feb. 23.-(By Train).-|
Although the sun shone brightly, today,
and the weather cond.,lons were all
that could be desired, this city remain
ed cut off from telegraphic communica-
ton with the outside world with only
a hope that one, or possibly two wires
of the Western Union Telegraph Co.
might be put in working order between
Philadelphia and Baltimore before
nightfall. 1t was known that few
wires were in working order between
Wilmington, Del, and Baltimore. 1t al
son was known that New York had
succeeded in getting into Baltimore by
way of Chicago, Atlanta, Jacksonville
and Washington. With this knowledge
in their possession the Western Union
officials placed large forces of linemen
in the territory between Philadelphia
and Wilmington, covering y miles.
These men rebuilt wires and planted
poles.
In the face of their almost complete
isolation, the newspapers of Philadel-
phia have made extraordinary efforts
10 obtain the news. A lucky chance
placed the local office of The AssO-
ciated Press in possession of the knowl-
edge, yesterday afternoon, that a wire,
was working between Wilmington and
Baltimore.
A working force was hastily sent to
the former city and these men were
fortunate enough to secure the use of
the wire for part of the time, the
news thus received being sent by train
to Philadelphia. By this means the
full details of the sensational encounter
between Senators Tillman and McLau-
rim, the report of the great fire in New
York and the McGovern-Sullivan fight
and the latest news regarding Prince
Henry were obtained for the Philadel-
phia newspapers in time for publica-
ton, this morning.
The wire was operated to the utmost
limit of speed and between o'clock P.
NJ. and 2 A. NJ, nearly 10000 words
were received. One object in getting
the wires in working order to Balti-
more was to facilitate the handling of
the train on which Prince Henry will
travel to Washington, tonight.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Co. is to
convey the prince to Washington on
special train leaving Jersey City at
A. NJ, Monday. This train will be run
without the aid of.the telegraph from
New York to Philadelphia, but from
here to Washington it will have the ad-
vantage of the wire and thus add to the
safety of the distinguished traveller
and his party. The track will be free
of traffic between here and Jersey City
but as an additional precauton a pilot
engine will be sent over the road ahead
of the official train.
Word has reached by train that the
three-masted schooner Arthur c. Wade
from Brunswick, Ga. for Providence,
r. l.. was wrecked, Friday night, while
trying to make the harbor at the Della
ware Breakwater. The crew was
saved.
Capt w. G.. Croker said that he
sailed from Brunswick, Feb. 4. with a
load of pine lumber. Continuous gales
We're encountered and for 16 days he
tried to get away from Hatteras. The
schooner was driven off shore 800 miles
out of her course and part of the deck
load was lost. ,,
"A northeastern struck us after get
ting up the coast towards Cape Henlo-
pen," he said. land we decided to make
run for the Breakwater. When we
arrived off the capes the wind was
blowing at a furious rate We missed
the east end breakwater light and
dashed on the rocks and the vessel
quickly filed. Fortunately the steam
pilot boat Philadelphia was near and
after her heroic work in the part of
her crew we were taken off in their
small boat and landed at Lewes"
The Wade probably will be total
loss.