The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-23
Snow, SIeet, Rain and High Wind
Have Caused a Partial Paralysis
of Traffic.
SOME TOWNS IN DARKNESS
AND OTHERS WITHOUT THE USE OF
THEIR STREET-CAR LINES.
Railways Running Trains in n Hap
hazard Wayne Direct Commune
cation with Philadelphia.

NEW YORK, Feb. 22-The sleetstorm
that struck New York proved to be the
most severe that has been experienced for
several years. Teegraphic communication
was almost completely supended until this
evening, when it was generally restored.
Throughout the day the streets were rem
dered nearly impossible by slush, many of
them almost presenting the appearance of
rivers. The greatest damage was suffered
in Brooklyn, where scores of horses were
killed by contact with live wires, which
were everywhere Frustrated. The Brooklyn
bridge presents brilliant spectacle, being
completely incased in ice. On Staten island
hardly a wire was left standing and traffic
was everywhere suspended
More than 100 dead horses lay in the
streets throughout the city. Many of them
dropped from exhaustion and others fell
and broke their legs and had to be shot.
Managers of the various ferry lines con-
soled themselves that the day was a holi-
day. Had they been called on to handle
the usual crowds of the morning rush
hours which an ordinary business day
brings, many of the lines would have been
paralyzed. The great storm did more dam
age in the suburbs than in the city. The
wind had full sweep and in the towns and
villages of eastern New Jersey, Long
island and Westchester county trolley and
telephone service was abandoned and the
ground is strewn with broken wires and
trees.
During the night the high wind played
havoc with ice-coated trees and wires and
miles of electric light, telephone and tele-
graph wires were down, making a heavy
task for the army of linemen who are at
work attempting to restore the systems.
The heaviest damage appears to have re-
suited between this city and Philadelphia.
Telegraph poles carried down by the i'm
mense weight of sleet-burdened wires
caused a delay of one to five hours to the
passenger train service Of the Pennsyl-
vania lines during the night between this
city and Baltimore. The main trouble, as
reported by passengers from the south,
was in the district between Chester, Pa,
and Trenton, n. ]. AT the first named
place the entire telephone, telegraph and
electric light system a total wreck,
the town was in darkness and trains on the
Philadelphia. Wilmington & Baltimore di-
vision were run without the aid of the tele-
graph, necessitating slow progress.
The worst Of the wreck among the wires
was between Bristol and Trenton, N. j. In
the eleven miles between those two points
more than one hundred telegraph poles
were broken. There were reports of burned
trolley cars in various sections. The weight
of the ice on the wires caused them to
break, and the loose ends encountering cars
set them on fire.
Central Park and other wooded reserva-
tions have suffered enormous damage
Hundreds of handsome trees were split or
denuded of branches by the high winds
Added to the other obstacles which the
northeasterly gale of last night left in its
Nx-salx wa nh iOh do af.H
greatly interfered with traffic by ferry.
By noon the telegraph companies had re-
stored communication to all points except
Philadelphia. That city is entirely isolated.
Press dispatches are being served between
New York and Washington by way of
Pittsburg, but neither from this end nor
from Washington can Philadelphia. be
| reached.
Mail advices from Trenton, N J., say:
1.-THE city of Trenton has suffered greatly
from yesterdays storm. The streets are
strewn with fallen wires and branches of
trees that were carried down with the
weight of the ice. The local trolley service
was compelled to suspend early last even
| ing. Outside communication both by tele-
graph and telephone closed about o'clock
last evening and has not yet been re-es-
tablished. 1t is estimated that over 1000
trees In the residence part of the city have
been ruined by the breaking of branches.
| Fear is entertained of rise in the Della
ware at this point. The people of South
Trenton fearful of an overflow that
might inundate their homes.
Mail adviCes from Philadelphia say: John
Hynes, Waterman, was found dead in the
snow to-day, making five deaths as a result
of the storm thus far. AT the offices of the
| Pennsylvania Railroad and the Philadel-
| phia & Reading Company it was stated that
| four or five days must elapse before their
| wires are completely repaired The weight
| of the ice the lines RACED hundreds of
| poles along the routes. Incoming conduc-
| tors report great damage in the SchuyIkill
valley. and the condition of the upper
Schuylkill river presages further disastrous
| results as a freshet is imminent. For the
| first time since 1888 the local weather bureau
| was unable to-day to issue its usual fore
| cast. From Trenton to Cape May, accord
| ing to reports brought by railroad conduc-
| tors, the conditions in New Jersey are
similar as to those prevailing in this city,