The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-22
TRAFFIC
SERIOUSLY
|MPE0ED.
Trains Delayed, Wires Down
and Telephone and Telegraph
Communication Suspended

worst weather conditions Il has faced this
winter" Telegraph and telephone wires
are down I'm all directions, train service
IN and out OF the city delayed and irreg-
uiar,s and suburban trolley service
throughout the adjacent portions Of New
Jersey and Long Island practically at a
standstlll
When day broke a cold rain was still
falling and had turned the snow TO semi
frozen slush, impeding traffic and flooding
low lying streets.
During the night the high wind plaved
havoc with ice-coated trees and wires and
miles of electric light, telephone and tele-
graph wires are down.
BY 10 o'clock the telegraph companies
had restored limited communication with
the rest OF the country except south oe
New York, which was still isolated The
heaviest damage appears TO have resulted
between this city and Philadelphia.
Telegraph poles carried down by the
immense weight of sleet-burdened wires,
caused a delay OF one to five hours in
the passenger train service OF the Penn
sylvania lines during the night between
this city and Baltimore. The main trouble
as reported by passengers from the south
was I'm the district between Chester, Pa,
and Trenton, ~. j.
At the first named place the entire tele-
phone, telegraph and electric light system
was total wreck, the town was I'm dark
ness and trains on the Philadelphia VIII
mington & Baltimore division were run
without the aid of the telegraph neces-
stating slow progress.
The worst wreck among the wires was
between Bristol and Trenton. ~. j. In
the IL miles between those two points
more than 100 telegraph poles were
broken.
There were reports of burned trolley
cars in various sections.
The weight OF tho fee on the wires
caused them to break and the loose ends
encountering cars set them on fire
Central park and other wooded reserva-
tions have suffered enormous damage.
-1tssndress---s,f irsndsonrc- trces werv sfSfft
or denuded of branches by the high winds
The various ferry lines are running on
Sunday schedules. Added 20 the other
obstacles which the northeasteriy gale of
last night left In Its wake was phenom-
enally high tide.
The usual high water mark was passed
all OF two hours before the tide had
ceased running I'm.
The full moon had much to do with the
the tide. The high water lifted the ferry
house bridges above the level OF the docks
of Incoming boats and the foot planks
when run out presented a steep and slip
perry hill up which passengers were forced
TO scramble.
Even the uncertain telegraphic commu-
nication which existed last night between
New York and Washington by way OF
Chicago and the South ceased early to-
day. The Western Union offices at Allan
Ia reported trouble due to stormy weather
In Virginia.
Live wires killed one man i'm Jersey
City and dozens Of horses were killed by
the same agency on suburban roads
The Hackensack river Is greatly swollen.
Jersey City is ankle deep In water. Gel
lars are flooded and the fire alarm system
seriously interfered with.
IN CONNECTICUT.
New Haven Conn. Feb. 22-Traffic all
,ver Connecticut is greatly impeded to-
lay by the snowstorm, which began yes-
.erday morning and has continued since
With variations OF sleet and rain. Suburb
IN trolley lines are in many instances
led up and trains on all steam railroads
ire running behind their schedule
ON the Naugatuck division OF the New
York. New Haven and Hartford road.
'our passenger trains and two freights
ire stalled this forenoon near Beacon
Falls and Union City and no train from
he south has reached Naugatuck since
asst night New Britain reported over %
inches of snow fall I'm that section Of the
tate. causing practical suspension OF
BUSINESS. In it's effect on traffic generally
his storm is more severe than that OF
asst Monday.
IN MASSACHUSETTS.
Boston. Feb. 22.-The storm which came |
10 from Hatteras late YESTERDAY after |
period OF threatening force last night.
ettled down into determined snow
all. At one time during the night tho |
Wind reached velocity OF - miles an |
our. hut as the snow was very moist, |
did not drift.
Towards morning the wind died down |
he snow continued 10 fall without in |
eruption. but as Il was wet IL packed |
own so that the total fall amer u hours |
vas about three inches.
In New England no serious damage was |
eported and traffic was not seriously |
eranged. In fact by the time the storm /
cached tho Massachusetts coast 81 was |
ardly more than an ordinary wintc- 1
lsturbance.
The prostratlon Of telegraph wires |
0uth and west OF New York and poor |
with number OF New |
snbHuu todSl points kuuuN cut OF near i
7 all reports which are daily received by 4
he government weather bureau IN this
lty.
The officials did not have enough in
on hand up to 80 o'clock this
fternoon 90 warrant the preparation Of
forecast
IL Is believed that the storm which Is
eneral In the Eastern states was CEN
-al OF the Massachusetts cOnst this fore
oon and will pass of over the provinces
morrow
Unonicially II is expected Sunday will
2 fair with snow in the northern portion |
Z New England. winds brisk westerly.
IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Philadelphia. Feb. p The severe slcet
nd ralnstorm which struck this section
lring the early hours of yesterday is
-obably the worst that has visited this
~ since the blizzard Of 1855 Telegraph
ld telephone communication with out
lie points has been completely inter-
ipied since early YESTERDAY afternoon