Evening journal., 1902-03-06
WHOLE CITY WAS
LIKE CRYSTAL
Buildings, Trees and Wires
Sheathed in Ice
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE
Bad Time in Case Of Fire as Tho
Fire Alarm system Is Ont
OF Service

Wilmington was a yeritable crystal
palace early this morning. Buildings,
trees, bushes and wires were shcothed i'm
am icy covering, which in the rays of the
sun sparkled and glistcned like myrads
oi diamonds. Later on, the ardent rays
of Old Sol dissipatcd this effect and the
world resumed its more prosaic aspect.
Failing SO closely upon the heels of the
sleet storm OF two weeks ago. that of
yesterday was particularly severe. But,
as usual, fortune smiled upon little Della
ware, and while reports come of the suf-
ferings in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
of snowbound trains. impcdcd travel
lack of outside communication. and lack
of food, the most serious phase here j.
the breaking of telephone and telegraph
wires and poles, and delay In some of the
trolley lines.
Weak Wires Down
The weak wires which survived the
sleet storm of two weeks ago, wcnt
down yesterday afternoon. Most OF
those that fell were telephone wires
The electric light and trolley companie,
suffered very little and cars ran al
night On Third and Fourth streets
west of DUPONT, almost every telephon,
pole fell. The wires were cut away "a
soon as possible. so that they woulC
not come in contact with the ligh
wires. Superintendent Aydon last nigh
said the fire alarm and police tele
graph was practically crippled. He said
There are only sixteen boxes O
the entire number in the city that ar
in working order; and by daylight W
expect THAT all of them will be out O
lGervice If the storm continues. Tn
last storm brought down the wea
wires in the fire alarm system, an
weakened other wires that rename
lup. Now these weakened wires aI
failing on all sides
I'm event of fire. residents of Wi
lmington had better not depend on tf
fire alarm system, in it's present d,
lmoralized condition. They should nc
Itify by telephone the engine companit
nearest tine fire. or should send messer
lgers to the various fire houses. to II
port the existence and location OF Oh
fire"
Poles Down
Telegraph poles were reported to /
down at Thirteenth and BroOme. an
in Fourth at Scott. Rodney and Cla,
ton streets. One Of the poles at Cla.
ton street. carrying electric wires, fc
lagainst the cornicc of a house and 81
fire to it, The blaze was extinguishC
lby a lineman.
A pole at the cast end OF Third streD
bridge, which carries the lighting wire
Ito South Wilmington, fell i'm the aftc
moon and THAT part of The city was
darkness last night
Along the River
The water i'm the Christiana river w;
lhigh, and the strong east wind thrca
ened another overflow The shifting
the wind toward night, however. a
lowed the tide to flow out and
q .froshet was avorted.
Rivermen say that the wind st0r
Ialong the Chrstiana was the heavie
since the advent of winter and as
consequence There was but little ira
p iic during the day.
Trains ON all of the railroads we
t running behind schedule time Ia
, might
] The Philadelphia and Readings w.
p N. branch was inconvenienced duru
e the day. Near Reading the fan of snC
was fourteen inches deep, and all d
D cuts ON the road were filled up bloc
! ing traffic considerably.
Il tIho storm throughout Cecil cOun
e. WAS unusually severe.
Shade and fruit trees suffered. VIII
< telephone and telegraph lines were cri
Y piled. The snowfall OfTucsday nightw
n followed yesterday morning by rain al
/ .sleet. which froze on trees and wir
causing the trees in a number OF
stances TO fall under the burden.
all sections OF Ekton huge limbs We
broken from shade trees, blocking
the streets.
a Three schoonors and a tug We
y blowm ashore at the old Battery wha
Delaware City, on their way TO I'm
! delphia yesterday afternoon. One
~ the schoOners sprung a leak while the