New-York tribune., 1902-02-23
1NSLUSH FROM END TO END
STORM SWEPT CITY IN WORSE PLIGHT
THAN FOR MANY YEARS


The city .awoke to a realization of the fierce
ness Of the storm OF Friday night when 1t got
M yesterday morning to find cellars flooded
furnace fires out, communication by telegraph
and telephone wires so badly crippled to be
almost out Of the question trees denuded OF
their limbs the mail service blocked and the
streets a swamp Of slush that in many places
dehed passage. And these conditions, instead Of
growing better Were becoming worse, for the
triumvirate Of rain, sleet and snow alternated in
pling discomfort on discomfort. and adding to
the mess underfoot and overhead
The old resident is one from whom much Is
borne. but there was no gainsaying the truth Of
his remark yesterday that not in years had
the city been the sport of such wild storm
not in years had it been SO unsightly place
choked and chilled ana shattered in mush from
end 10 end.
Few persons were out of doors on Friday
night and il not until yesterday that the
after effects Of the storm became apparent It
vas only when one went out that he realized
the condition Of the streets and found that ex-
tempore bridges Of boards covered pools of rain
and slush a foot deep at the crossings
Cars and vehicles were jsmmed and blocked in
the downtown sections. II was a common sight
to see men pick women up in their arms and
carry them over submerged crosswalks.
BRONX TRAFFIC AT STANDSTIIL
TraEc in The Bronx was practically at
standstn The Union Railway up 10 noon had
sent out only forty u three hundred cars usually
running at that hour The officials met with
new and unexpected difficulty in handling their
cars and one which has never before confronted
them-a breaking Of the trolley wheels The
ice On the wires threw the wheels off as soon
as the attained a speed Of over eight miles
an hour. The trolley pole would rebound in the
air throwing the cast iron wheel against the ele-
waited road structure and smashing il in pieces.
The would then be hopelessly stalled
About the only roads which teams could find
passabe We're the surface line tracks. and this
greatly retarded the trolley system. The major
portion Of the teams had four horses attached.
and even then made but poor headway. The
cross roads were weIlnigh impossible, and teams
and even carriages were stalled on almost every
block
With the exception Of the elevated lines about
ali traffic was suspended. The surface lines
were not running over one-ffth of their cars,
and those came AT rare intervals, and none OF
them were able 10 make more than few miles
an hour. owing TO teams in front Of them.
The telephone and telegraph wires generally
were down. and their service was greatly Grip
pied.
Crossings were knee deep in slush and snow,
and only those with rubber boots could get
about The policemen had their hands fun in
getting women over the crossings. having 10
carry the major portion OF them. Occasionally
one came along so generously proportioned that
two bluecoats were required 10 get her across
the street
Streets were flooded in Harlem and sewer
drops we're stopped UP. In some cases the side
walks were under water and cellars were flood
ed by water pouring through the coal holes
Streetcar service on the trunk lines and cross
town lines was not inpeded TO any appreciabie
extent Trucks had a hard time on account Of
the icy sleet which covered the paving.
At Bellevue Hospital an elaborate system Of
messenger service between the allied hospitals
Of the city was hastily arranged. TO make up for
the lack Of telephone connections. which were
In nearly all cases completely disab bled. In Har-
lem a large percentage of the telephones Of the
district were out Of use.
STREET CLEANERS DISHEARTENED.
Snow Inspector Clarke said late yesterday Of
ternoon that IN his twelve years experience he
had never before encountered such conditions in
street cleaning In all thirteen and haIf
inches Of snow had fallen in two quantities, and
with the rain coming ard the cutters blocked.
the awful condition Of the streets was
natural consequence ne ponce were dDiIl6
their best 10 get the cutters open, but the clu-
zens were not complying with the request TO
seep the cutters clear TO any remarkable ex-
tent
The department devoted itself yesterday prin-
cipaIv to cleaning the cross streets The So
called Prince Henry route was gone over for
the third time and the department felt as Mr.
Clarke expressed II, that it was doing its duty
In contributing 10 an American welcome 10 the
Prince. The contractor was working yesterday
with reduced force. as, on account Of the hard
weather some truckmen and drivers refused 70
work The department mad augmented its force
10 thirty-rhree hundred men, but a number or
them yesterday were evidently under the i'm
preston that they did not have 70 work on a
holiday
Inspector Clarke said that the department was
aoing the best il could in the circums tances
many men working fifteen hours day. Work
was 10 be continued last night below Four
teenth-st. with all possible vigor. It would be a
week, however before there a return to the
condition Of the streets before the last storm
Al present the department chiefly concerned
In relieving the downtown streets where the
snowfall was heaviest.
BREAKS RIGHT AND LEFT.