Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1902-02-22
Damage Will Amount to
Thousands Of Dollars
NO LOSS OF LIFE REPORTED
Superintendent Of Fire Alarm System,
Which Is Out Of Service, Gives
Advice in Case OF Fire

Wilmington is in the grasp of one of
the worst storms in its history Rain
fell all of yesterday and last night, and
left an icy coating on almost every
object it touched The result is that
the city is almost isolated from the
outside world. Traffic is practically
stopped, business hindered and citizens
distressed. Innumerable accidents
have occurred Horses have been kill
ed by coming in contact with live wires
and many persons have had narrow es-
caDes from the same fate.
Telephone and telegraph wires are
down. and the fire alarm signal system
is out of service.
All trains that left the city last
night were Immediately cut off from
all communication with the dispatch
ers Office. and ran without orders. All
that the dispatcheTs knew was that
trains had started. and many serious
accidents might have occurred with
out the railroad officials being in
formed.
nAANAb AeAA AA4AAN Mua al Il AlOl =
chaotic condition than on last Monday,
when the streets were piled high with
snow and the sweeper had to go over
the lines repeatedly to keep them open.
There were blockades after blockades,
and strings of the cars could be seen
at a standstill for from five to ten
minutes to half an hour. Hundreds OF
persons accustomed to ride were
Obliged to walk, and sometimes in
slush and water ankle deep.
The damage to wires was so extern
sive that many portions of the city
were in total darkness last night. The
night was a terrible one, and the
streets for the most part were deserted
except by thos who were compelled by
necessity to be abroad The menace
of death-dealing live wires, apt to fall
at any minute, made pedestrians hurry
along under the masses of overhead
wires that stretched stiffly across the
streets like ropes of ice, while the
wind blew spasmodic gales and raiT
swept down into the already deluget
streets.
Stores Closed Early
There seemed to be an attempt OF
the part of everybody to get hom,
early. The stores were so nearly de
serted that they were closed long be
fore o'clock. some of the proprietor
allowing their clerks to go home al
early as o'clock in the afternoon
Everybody was late in returning &,
work this morning, and everybody wa
excused. Most of the street car line
were again out of service, and every
body was Obliged to walk so CAREFUL.
on the slippery thoroughfares, tina
their progress was necessarily slow.
Beauty Was Wonderful
To those philosophical enough Z
forget for a moment the danger an
discomforts of the elements and OBJ
serve the aesthetic phases of nature
the scenes on every side were mar
velously beautiful The city street
were transferred into miniature forest
of purest crystal. Every tree was en-
cased with ice. and broken like a YER
table ghost tree. But it was a cruS
beauty for many branches fell beneat
their heavy, unaccustomed weight
Eaves of houses were fringed wit
rows on icicles and tasselings of thel
hung from the roofs and sides
every street car.
Bad Day for Horses
Il was a day of misery and dang,
for the unfortunate horses that had
work Aside from the danger fro
fallen wires. they were almost unab
to keep to their feet on the slipper
streets and many of them fell und
their heavy loads. While at Eight
and Jackson streets this morning ty
horses of Thomas l.. Weldin, the Co
cord dairyman, became entangled in
network Of telephone and telegral
wires. They were knocked down, b
not killed.
Owing to the danger from fallil
wires. the Wilmington Transfer Cor
pany early in the evening announc
that 1t would not rent cabs. All L
teams were sent to the stables and [
cab stand at the p. w. & B. railro
station was deserted.
Nights Darkness Unbroken
Arc lights did not shine in Wilmiu
ton last night Here and there e
light glimmered. From the windO
of private houses and stores a f
lights shone, helping to make the ia
of walking possible The Wlmingt
City Electric Company was not out
service but decided not to turn on
currents because of the number