The age-herald., 1902-02-01
WEATHER CAUSES
 MUCH SUFFERING Peculiar Conditions Bring DiS- aSter to Many Small Towns TELEGRAPH WIRES DOWN In Arkansas, Texas and Tennessee Stock Has Suffered and In Some
 Sections the Wheat
 Crop Is Ruined.
TELEGRAPH WIRES DOWN

Memphis. January 31.--The peculiar weather which has prevailed in this sec tion during the present week has brought disaster to all the small and even many of the large towns and villages in the states of Tennessee, Arkansas and Mis- sissippi.
 It Is difficult to estimate the amount of damage It is known that at Little Rock alone, the damage amounts to half million dollars; and the footings altogeth- CT will, it is believed. run up several million dollars.
 Business has been at standstill in many towns. In addition to stocks of goods being ruined, the streets and high ways are blockaded by broken telegraph and telephone poles, twisted wires, the trunks and limbs of trees and other debris.
 The damage to stocks of goods is due to the tremendous weight of accumulat- ed ice and sleet. and to the insufficiency of roof supports to sustain such loads.
 Seriously Disconnected.
 Denizens of the smaller towns have been seriously discommoded by the inter rupticn of wire service by telephone and telegraph In the country the losses have been heavy. Stock has suffered. and in some sections the wheat crcp is reported to be ruined
 Such siege of sleet and cold rain is altogether unprecedented. In some places the ground has been covered with ice to a depth of six inches.
 In central and western Tennessee the damage to houses and stocks of goods has been enormous. Reports from Paris. Dresden, Mckenzie Jackson, Hunting don and Union City state that the storm of sleet and rain has been unprecedented in those sections. North Mississippi has st ffered severely, the people being wholly unprepared to protect themselves from the unusual conditions now prevailing. In Arkansas the storm played fearful havoc to houses and other property.
 Telegraph and telephone wires are down in every direction and it will be several days before the extent of the damG ge will be known.
 There was a rise in the temperature to- day and 1t Is believed that conditions will rapidly improve.
 Slowly Restoring Wires.
 Nashville, January 31.-Telegraph lines in this section for the past three days have been in the worst condition ever known in the history of the business, ac- cording to a statement made at .the Western Union office today. The Western Union people have been able to restore connection with Paducah Memphis. At lanta New York. Savannah, Montgomery, Birmingham. Jacksonville and New Or leans but no direct connection can be had with Louisville St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago and Cincinnati. Business for Louisville Is being sent by Atlanta or New York. The wrecking crew of the company has been at work since the sleet storm. but the breaks are so widely scattered that little show has been made, and for that reason the wreck of wires is said to be the worst m history. Asso- ciated Press reports from Washington are coming by way of Atlanta, where they are relayed. The wires are working poorly all over the country.
 The Postars business Is four or five hours behind. and they have not yet se- cured Louisville wire. The system is badly crippled In It's connections with all parts The railroad wires have been nearly entirely restored.