Evening star., 1909-02-15
BLIZZARD MOVES EAST
Middle States in Grasp of Cold
Wave.
RAILROAD LINES TIED UP
Miles of Telegraph Wires Down and
Cities Cut Off.
OHIO TOWNS SUFFER GREATLY
Natural Gas Mains Broken and
Light and Fuel Gone-Loss of
Life in Southwest.
RAILROAD LINES TIED UP
OHIO TOWNS SUFFER GREATLY

CHICAGO. February 15-Following the
example of Jaruary's blizzard, the sleet
storm which has tied up the middle west
is moving eastward. leaving suffering and
destruction i4 its wake. In Nebraska
the temperature has fallen below zero
and in Texas it is unusually cold, and it
is feared there will be heavy loss among
cattle. Thousands of telegraph poles are
down in Missouri. Iowa and neighboring
states, while passenger traffic has been
badly hampered by heavy snowfall i'll
Minnesota. In Michigan, Illinois and
Ohio similar conditions prevail.
The middle states east of the Missis-
sippi and the gulf states will next feel
the full force of the storm, which is
scheduled to hit the Atlantic region to-
morrow. A cold wave is in prospect for
some days in the northwest.
One of the serious results due to the
blizzard is the decentralization of the
street railway service in the cities and
the tie-up of the interurban traffic
throughout the country. Indications are,
however, that the blockade will be speed
lily lifted
Telegraph Service Demoralized.
CLEVELAND. Ohio, February 15.-The
damage wrought to telegraph and tele-
phone lines in northern Ohio by the
heavy sleet storm which began yester-
day and continued during the most of
last night is proving to be by far the
most disastrous suffered in many years.
Along the Lake Shore roSd, both east
and west of this city. hundreds of poles
are down, and it will require days to
even get the lines connected up tempo
rarily. Many towns today were COM
pletey isolated so far as communica-
ton by either telegraph or telephone was
concerned. At Ashtabula, Edward Lind
Sey stepped upon live electric light
wire that had been carried down by the
heavy weight of sleet and was al
most instantly killed. Upon instructions
from the mayor of Ashtab abula the electric
illuminating plant was closed down last
night and the city left in total darkness.
Trolley ear service was also abandoned.
Sandusky Cut Off.
Sandusky is still cut off from commu-
nication, as are several other towns be
tween Cleveland and Toledo. The losses
sustained by the telegraph and telephone
companies will aggregate many thou
sands of dollars.
Railway trains were all reported as
running behind schedule time today be-
cause of the inability of train dispatch
crews. In addition to this telegraph poles
fell across the tracks at many points,
resulting in traffic being held up.
Every lineman available has been put
to work by the telegraph and telephone
companies in repairing the damage, Lut
thus far little has been accomplished
toward restoring service.
Damage Around Buffalo.
BUFFALO,, N. Y, February 15.-One of
the worst sleet storms in many years has
been in operation for nearly twenty-four
hours and is still continuing without
promise of abatement. Buffalo is practi-
caly isolated from all wire communi-
cation to the west. and great difficulty
is experienced by the telegraph and tele-
phone companies to the east.
The storm began early yesterday morn
ing part rain and part snow, and con-
tinued throughout the day and night.
Ice formed on telegraph and telephone
wires and bore them to the earth. the
weight being SO great that the poles
went with them. Both telegraph compa-
MES are receiving messages for the west
subject to indefinite delay. and no 1nfor-
nation can be obtained here as to the
total extent of the storms damage. 1t
is known to be heavy.
Railroad traffic Is seriously hampered.
A strong northeast wind prevails. and
this packs the sandlike snow and ice into
compact masses so that it is almost i'm
possible for plows to remove it. In cases
where tracks have been cleared the snow
sifts back like sand and impedes prog
ress All trains from the west are many
hours late. while those from the east also
are behind time. Freight traffic is al a
standstll.
A fisherman who was blown out on
Lake Erie on an ice foe yesterday is still
missing.
Natural Gas Main Broken.
AKRON, Ohio, February ia serious
washout twelve miles south of Wooster
has carried away a half-mile of the huge
natural gas main which supplies this city,
Orrville, Doylestown, Barbertown, Shreve
and Wooster. All of these PLACES are
likely to be without gas for several days.
and the situation will cause considerable
suffering, as most of the houses use gas
for both light and fuel and are not equip
ped to use coal for emergency purposes
The sleet storm yesterday caused about
$4,000 damage in this part of Ohio,
according to estimates by the traffic
managers of the telegraph and telephone
companies.
PITTSBURG, Pa, February 1J.-Owing
to a severe sleet storm in Ohio today trains
from the west are arriving here from
two to three hours late. The Pennsyi-
fifty miles of poles and telegraph wires
are down in the vicinity of Crestline
Ohio, and that the storm is moving east
ward.
Fatalities in South.
BIRMINGHAM. Ala, February 10
Meager reports reaching this city indicate
that Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and
neighboring states have suffered very
heavily from the storm which has pre-
vailed throughout the Mississippi valley
and the southwest since early yesterday
morning. The blizzard has hit northern
Texas. Kansas. Colorado, Oklahoma,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi. Louis
iana Nebraska. Iowa and portions of IL
linois, Wisconsin and Indiana
Three men were killed and a dozen in
jured yesterday at Learned. Miss. One is
reported killed at Vicksburg. A church
was blown down at a small town north
of Vicksburg.
The property loss in the Vicksburg dis
tric. is estimated at $4,000. Several ne
groes are reported to have been killed or
injured in the destruction of their cabins.
Texas is a heavy sufferer. The mercury
at various points in the Pan Handle has
dropped dozen degrees below freezing.
At Dallas there was a drop of fifty de-
grees in twenty-four hours. There is a
heavy snowfall at Ardmore, Wichita Falls
and Muscogee.
FATAL CRASH In LOUISIANA.