The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-25
STRIKES THE CITES OF THE NORTH
ATLANTIC COAST.
WORST STORM OF THE WINTER
Mp From the south the
Heavy Rain Turns TO Sleet-Teie-
graph Wires Down NORTH OF Baltt-
Thick Cont OF Ice-Trafac Almost
Telesraphic Communt-
cation West and Soath interrupt
ed-ersey city without Electric
Lights.

Washington. February Ala severe
sleet storm struck Washington today.
and tonight the national capital Is Sn-
solutely cut of from all Geographic or
telephone communication north OF
Baltimore AMI Is compelled to depend
on uncertain wires TO Richmond and
Atlanta for reaching the country at
large.
Aside from damage to wires, how
ever, the storm did no injury. the sleet
not being heavy enough to do much
harm to trees The storm came from
the south and in travelling north the
rain turned Into sleet and snow as 1t
struck the ,oIler ATTITUDES.
1t is said AT the weather bureau that
it will reach the New England coast
Saturday morning and will make 1t
necessary for shipping to lie by. Clear
ing weather is expected in Washington
and the vicinity tomorrow. Trains on
the railroads entering Washington are
from two II three hours late.
New York, FEBRUARY 21.-The storIG
which prevailed here today turned TO
sleet in eastern PENNSYLVANIA ana
Maryland, badly gripping telephone
and telegraph service. The wires Io
the south as far as Washington aid
Baltimore went down intIrely. prac,:c
allv cutting OFF communication.
New York, February IL Snow fol-
lowed by sleet and rain today created
the most disagreeable weather condi-
ito s known in this city for man years.
The citv's streets are in q worse condi-
ton than ven before. Thousands OF
snow Shovellers went to work after the
blizzard. During the evening the tenn
perature dropped enough to turn the
down pour of rain into a coating of ice
over buildings and trees.
In Central park the big trees creak
ed under the weight of thick ice. Many
branches fell. This condition prevailed
throughout other parts of the city.
Traffic on the Brooklyn bridge was al
most at a s%tandstill. Heavy trucks
could scarcely be " ven when
four stout horses. each doing their best
to get foothold on h slippery road
way. were attached.
Street car traffic everywhere was
most interrupted. but the greatest diff
icultv was experienced ON ,ross town
horse car lines. Four horses were at
tached to all those cars and had hard
work getting along. Fifth avenue was
a sheet Of ice. 1t was early deserted by
carriages.
In Broadway. after the theatres clos
ed the scene was one Of great Confusion,
cabs and carriages drawn up in front OF
the theatres were handled with great
difficulty. Many horses fell.
Jersey CITY was hit hard. and bv IL
o'clock in the evening the city practi-
cally was in darkness. and there was
every indication that the electric SER
vice, which is entirely over head will
he entirely out Of order py morning,
Trolley cars ceased running entirely
late in the evening.
At Communipaw and Woodward ave-
nues. a high power wire fell across the
backs of a team of horses drawing ar
EXPRESS wagon, both horses were killed
and the driver was badly shocked.
Telegraph and telephone wires were
Frustrated early In the afternoon, and
there was no communication with Chi
cago this evening nor any communica-
ton with Philadelphia and Baltimore