Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-17
sLEET STORM SOUTH
MOST DAMAGING IN VIRGINIA
EXPERIENCED FOR YEARS.

DANvILLE, Va, December 16.-The sleet
storm experienced In this section was the
most disastrous In years. entaiiing upon
the telephone and telegraph companies
damages of thousands Of dollars. In
the immediate vicinity Of Danvflle the
weight Of the ice which formed around the
telegraph wires caused them to break In
many places and bearing to the ground
hundreds Of the largest poles. Danville
tonight Is without any communication to
any point south. The city today for sew
eral hours was cut of from the outside
world with no telephone or telegraph COM
munication. Efforts to reach Spray. N. c..
and q number OF other towns around Dam
Ice was maintained here today under Diff
Guilty.
Many Wires Down.
LYNCHBURG, Va, December lex
cept for q single wire to Danville, which
worked ell day. and another to Washing
ton, Lynohburg was cut or by telegraphio
communication this morning with tho north
and south on account OF the sleet storm OF
last night. Every circuit Of upward OF
thirty wires of one telegraph company be;
tween here and Washington was down and
business was sent by Atlanta. Ga, until 1
spsE east and south
still out of service. The 200 lfnemen at
work here on new system have been sent
out and are restoring the circuits Many
Of them went to Greensboro, N. c., where
the worst of the storm appears to have
been experienced.
Richmond Almost Cut Off.
RICHMOND. Va, December 16.-Rich-
mond has been in q heavy coating OF Ice
since yesterday and the result Is in many
o<o 5icoc he he nf ehad a
trees and telegraph and telephone wires
are falling ell over the city. rendering travel
on the streets difficult and dangerous.
Every policeman in the city and every fire.
man, including the regular reserves and
call men, are on duty tonight patrolltng the
city to warn people away from fallen wires
and to look out for fires. The fire-alarm
system Is wreck. except in the business
section OF the city, where the wires are
underground, and the telephone and street
car systems are seriously crippled. Rich
mond Is almost wholly cut off from tele-
graph ana telephone communication with
the north and south, and at this writing 1t
is reported that Norfolk, Petersburg and
Newport News are the only Virginia cities
that can be reached. So far no fatalities
ported.
Most Severe Of the Winter.
NEWPORT NEWS. Va, December 49,
Tidewater Virginia is in the grasp Of the
most severe storm Of the winter, and shipping
around Hampton Roads Is practically tied
up. This port, Norfolk harbor and Hamp-
ton Roads are crowded with storm-bound
craft Of every description, and there have
been but few vessels to brave the fierce
storm that RACES outside Of the Virginia
capes.
Norfolk Is practically isolated tonight as
all telegraph wires leading out Of that city.
except the government wire to Cape Henry
and the life-saving line along the Virginia.
Carolina coast, are cut off and 1t Is impos-
sible to ascertain the fate of several vessels
that were reported to be in distress at Cape
Henry today.
The tide here tonight is the highest in
many years, and a number OF docks are
Hooded The government wharf at Old
Point Is completely submerged and all traf-
fc between that place and Chesapeake bay
ports Is suspended. 1t Is reported that a
part Of the Old Point wharf has been car
ried away.
The Swedish steamer Norman, Capt An
derson, loaded almost to the waters edge
with q cargo Of coal, put to sea this after
noon for Havana, Cuba, and shipping men
here fear for her safety when she attempts
to pass the treacherous Virginia. Carolina
coast. Nothing can be learned of the fate
Of the barkentine WhiteI Wings, which was
today reported dragging anchor off the
Cape Henry life-saving station.F
It Is reported that the oystering vessels
In James river have suffered severely from
the storm, and that number of them have
foundered on the beach. Complete reports
could ha aScertDtnad tonight however.