The San Francisco call., 1909-12-27
NEW ENGLAND
Is SWEPT BY
FIERCE STORM
Heavy Fall of Snow and High
Wind Play Havoc With
Traffic and Wires
Hundreds Made Homeless When
Breaking Dam Gate Floods
= Scores of Houses


terrific energy.
The gale drove a tide into Massa-
ehusetts bay which nearly eaualed
that of the famous storm of 1851 The
wet snow prostrated wires. telegraph.
telephone, electric light and trolley.
and railroad trains were stalled. Three
persons lost their lives in Everett and
Chelsea by the sudden rise of the tide.
From midnight until late today the
storms destructive powers were un-
usually extensive ana severe. The gale
swpt over the greater portion of New
England and was accompanid by a
heavy fall of snow
!. Coming on a fun moon. the gale
rolled a wave along the coast which
tR.. some places, reached a height of
more than Il feet above low water
mark.
CAUSES HEAVY LOSS
In this city the tide went across
Atlantic avenue on the water front, and
caused an estimated damage of more
than SlD00.O00
X In Everett, Cornelius Harkin and his
wife were caught in their beds and
overwhelmed by the food An infant
was drowned in Chelsea under similar
circumstances. Persons living some
distance trom the coast found them
selves. booking over the open ocean.
Telephone and telegraph companies
Lad a few wires through to New York
by way OF northern circuits Proyi-
dence clUng TO the outside world by
only single wire.
Large cities, such as Cambridge Som
eryilie, Lynn. Brockton. Providence,
L'au River and New Bedford were in
Qal kness-
Hundreds Of persons were driven
from their homes by a flood resulting
from the breaking of a dam gate at
a place known as the Dykes. in Chel-
sea, Just over the Everett line. Tonight
The homeless were cared for by NUM-
cipal authorities in city buildings and
churches.
-. At Lynn the tide made a clean sweep
across. the narrow isthmus which con-
meets Nahant with the mainland. and
for. several hours the rocky peninsula
was. an island. The state highway was
covered four feet deep with seaweed.
On Nantasket beach. in Hull, the
damage TO property is estimated at
s1QO,Oe0,*
Beverly. the summer home of Presi-
dent. taft, was cut of from commune
cation with the outside world by wire.
Snow Ties Up Traffic
PHILADELPHIA. Dec. 26. - Snow
which fell steadily from O'Clock yes
terday until noon today broke all rec
ords for this city and vicinity and tied
mp transportation. both steam and cleo
trio. The weather bureau announced
tonight that the actual fall was 22.S
inches. The snow was accompanied by
z high wind, which caused ii to drift
70 a height of more than 10 feet. The
two greatest previous storms in this
city were in February, 1899. and in
March. 1SSS.
All railroads entering this city felt
tile effects of the storm, but the Penn
sElvania probably was the. hardest hit
The company tonight abandoned traf-
f7c temporarily between Harrisburg.
Philadelphia and Washington. Only
one train has arrived from Washing
ton since last night.
Officisls Of the road said several
trains were stalled between here and
washington, while the trains bound
from New York for Philadelphia are
stormbound near Trenton. Y J. Pas
sengers are being well cared for.
Three men died here from exposure.
All Traffic Tied Up
- HARRISBURG. Pa. Dec 2e.-About
son passengers on the Pennsylvania
railroad were obliged TO remain here
toni ght as a result Of the snow block
ade east Of Lancaster. Pa. All trains
from the west were stopped here to-
dav, and il was announced that no
trains would be run eastward tonight
Storm Grips Gotham
NEW. YORK Dec, 2s.-New York and
its enNirons practically were storm
bound today for the first time this
winter. The west wing of railroad serv-
ice was almost entirely cut of. wire
communication in every direction was
cut on streets We're blocked with
snbw. and shipping even within pro-
tection OF the harbor. suffered much
damage
The snowfall which began before
noon yesterday. continued steadily
nearly all night, with intermittent
aurries throughout the greater part of
today. This was followed by a cold
wave which froze the damp snow TO
wires. switches and rosdways Nearly
10 inches Of snow fell in the city More
than 10000 shovelers and 5000 trucks
were called out.
Trains from the south and west bore
the worst OF the delay. service in these
directions being practically cut off all
day
The two Is hour Chicago ira ins were
DELAYED to an almost record breaking
limit. the Pennsylvania due at 1854
o'clock a. M, having failed to arrive at
8 o'clock tonight and the New York
CentraTs Chicago flyer being seven
hours late
A small tidal wave swept into the
Ia rbor and dashed over the Battery
seavrau and flooded many cellars. Two
vessels were driven ashore in the night
near the Quarantine station on sta ten
isisnd-the schooner Lizzie F. Denni-
son and a scow. They were pulled Off
lint suffered much damage.
Three deaths in the city We're due
IN the severity of the storm. The vic
ffms were men who had passed the
night vainly seeking shelter and food
ersllv succumbing to exposure. One,
Toseph Hart. e5 years old, died in
~ af a Catholic church. More than
81 persons were injured by falls
The Atlantic bsttleship feet at
anchor in the Hudson is picturesQuely
coated with ice and snow.
Storm Sweeps Connecticut
New HAVEN. Conn. Dec ga
.,,-ivI Of snow, driven by a 30 mile
I'D swept over Connecticut last night
- +o6av bringing conditions which