River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-02-09
south SWEPT BY
BAD SLEET STORM
WIRE COMMUNICATION INTER
RUPTED-TRAINS DELAYED
THROUGHOUT SECTION.
ATLANTA ISOLATED
FOR A SHORT TIME
Hundreds of Telegraph Poles Down
III Vicinity of City - Government
Weather Bureau Says Cold Weather
Will Continue.

Weather Bureau Says Cold Weather
Will Continue.
Louisville. KY. Feb. ALI means of
communication in the central southWere
crippled Monday 10 a degree OF serious
ness unknown in late years, by s4eet
storm of many hours duration extend
ing from Georgia over into IeXas anu
as far north as the Ohio river Inc city
of Atlanta, Ga, which under norman
conditions keeps in touch with the
world over $50 telegraph wires, was cut
off from all communication with any
point for several hours, but this condl-
tiCn was remedied at noon When one
wire to Washington was secured. Inc
telephone wires were also unWorkaDle
for awhile and railroads, deprived Oh
their usual method of transmitting teIe-
graphic train orders by their own hnes'
were forced to use other methous Oh dl-
recting train operation.
500 Poles Down.
The telegraph companies have large
gangs of men at work in sleet-sWept ter
ritory, but it will be several days before
the wires are restored. One OF the f1rst
reports which came from Chattanooga
was that 500 telegraph poles were nat
on the ground in the vicinity of Atlanta.
This information was brought IN py
train. The city of Macon, in the center
of Georgia, has also fai.cd to communl-
cate with any neighboring towns. III
fact the only part of Georgia reached by
wire was Columbus in the southwestern
corner Of the state, and 1t reported that
no communication had been had with
| Atlanta or Macon for two days.
New Orleans also suffered from lack
of communication and only two wires
were working to that city Long
reaches of poles were reported down ID
Mississippi. The commercial telegraph
companies, owing @tosthe impaired 1acll-
| tiles. were forced to route telegrams
originally intended between cities only
a short distance apart over territory
covering thousands Of miles and involV-
ing much delay. Many southern cities
report the Gripping Of street car and
lighting facilities and in every direction
trains were hours late.
Zero Weather to Continue.
Washington. Feb. 1.-THE weather
bureau announced Monday that the out
lock is tor continued cold weather not
onlv in this section but over a large
part of the United States Zero wealth
er extends as far south as Oklahoma and
the Dakotas reported 20 to 80 degrees
below zero Monday morning. The cold
est point shown by the official reports
is Valentine, Neb., which registered 81
below. The snow and Sleet storm,
which centered Sunday morning in the
lower Mississippi valley states, has
travelled rapidly nOrtheastward and is
now off the New England coast and the
maritime provinces, passing out to sea.
An unusually heavy precipitation OF
rain has occurred through New Mex
leo, Arizona and southern California
for some days While the cold snap
continues undiminished in the north
west and the Missouri valleys, there
are signs of moderation in ASSN
niboia The forecasts are for contin-
ued snow in New England, the lower
lake region and eastern New York.
Harbors Filled with Ice.
New York. Feb. lice foes COM
letely fill New York harbor, rendering
e passage of vessels into and out OF
...e port slow and difficult. In the
Narrows the ice pack was SO dense
that even the powerful transatlantic
liners had trouble in forcing passage
One of the serious results OF the pres
ence Of vast foes in the lower bay
during the past four days has been the
breaking and carrying away or great
numbers of spar and can buOys IN the
various ship channels. Capt. Shepard
of the lighthouse board, said that the
displacement of broys by ice during
the week was unprecedented III the
history OF the department and that the
conditions of navigation into and out
of the port are the most dangerous
that have ever existed.
All Water Traffic Suspended.
New Haven, Conn, Feb. 7.-EYery
port on the Connecticut shore from the
mouth Of the Connecticut river at Say
brook to the westerly end OF the Long
Island sound was securely ice-locked
Monday. Marine men, especially vet
eran tug boat captains, say the ice con-
ditions have never been so bad within
their recollection. All water traffic
out of New Haven and Bridgeport har-
bors is at a standstill, and oyster fish
ing is impossible 1t is believed there
will be famine in shell fish from the
grounds Of Connecticut growers.