Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-22
STORM DOES HAVOC IN EAST
Heavy Shows, Followed by Rain and sleet,
Sweeps from South.
coMMUEeATIoN IS SERIOUSLY IMPAIRED
wires Are Laden with ley Coat and
Death ana Destruction Result
10 Horses and Prop
"a erty.

WASHINGTON, Feb. s1.-At this hours
D. m.-but two reports have been received
from the weather bureau stations outside OF
Washington. communication by telegraph
being destroyed BY the severe elect storm
that has prevailed since daylight.
The last adviees received indicate that the
storm. which was central this morning on
the South Carolina coast, IL moving north
eastward. Increasing ii intensity.
II will probably reach the southern New
England coast By Saturday morning, caus-
ing high northeast gales along the middle
Atlantic and southern New England coast
tonight.
Most DigagreeabIe In Years.
NEW YORK, Feb. 21.-snow, followed by
rain and sleet, today created in this city
and vicinity the most disagreeable weather
sonditions known IN many years.
During the early hours Of the day heavy
vet snow fell In great fakes. This condi-
ton prevailed for several hours. Shortly
after noon the snow turned into a steady
drizzle Of rain that continued With inter
mIttent periods Of sieet all afternoon and
far into the night. Much Of the snow from
the recent blizzard was converted into
slush and tonight the streets are inches
deep. The sidewalks throughout the city
we're covered and the crossings were almost
impassable. The work Of the street clean
ing department was undone and the city's
streets are 10 \ worse condition than before
thousands Of snow shovelers went to work
after the blizzard.
Mercury Takes a Drop.
During the evening the temperature
dropped enough to turn the dowhpour OF
rain into q coating OF ice over buildings
and trees. In Central park the big trees
creaked under the weight OF thick ice.
Many branches fell. This condition pre-
vailed throughout other parks in the city.
Trafic on the Brooklyn bridge was al
| most at a standstill. Heavy trucks could
scarcely be moved, even when four heavy
horses to each did their best to get a foot
hold on the slippery roadway. Street car
trafhc everywhere was much interrupted,
but the greatest dihiculty was experienced
on cross-town horse car lines. -Four horses
were attached to all of these cars and had
hard work getting along. z
The wires OF the FIRE department. we're re-
ported to be working all right, but the
police telegraph in some parts OF the city
was interrupted.
Fifth Avenue a sheet of Ice.
FtItn avenue was \ SneeE OF ice. ~ was
early deserted by carriages and by midnight
nothing save an occasional automobile was
to be seen on the thoroughfate.
In Broadway, after the theaters closed,
the scene was one Of great confusion. Cabs
and carriages drawn up in front OF the
theatefs were handled only with great diff
hcuity. Many horses fell. Automobiles had
less trouble than the carriages, although
they were hard to handle.
Many electric light wires were broken by
the weight OF the coating OF ice and many
others hung low. g. - @"
In Fifth avenue the sidewalk along Cen
trail park, where the trees 0verhang, II was
almost impossible, owing to the branches
which we're bent almost to the earth.
Jersey City was hit hard and by 10 o'clock
the city practically was In darkness and
there was every indication that the cleo
trlcal service, which is wholly overhead,
will be- entirely out Of order by morning.
EIsctrie wires DOwns
OF the city. The hre alarm system was
crippled and the police wires are In bad
shape. Trolley cars ceased running entirely
late In the evening.
At communlpaw and Woodward avenues
a h~igh-power wire fell across the backs OF
a team Of horses drawing an express wagon.
Both horses were killed and the driver was
badly shocked.
All the trains In and out Of jersey City
were behind time. The departing trains
were delayed by the ferry boats. which
consumed thrice the usual time In crossing
North river.
At Newark the streets were ankle deep in
slush. In the lower sections the sewers
became cloggsd. the streets were soon over