The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-04
FROM WASHINGTON BY WIRELESS
Route of the Parade Is Ankle Deep in
Slush and Snow.
Wireless Messages the Only Means of
Communication Early in the Day.

The snow storm which swept the
entire Atlantic seaboard early today
attained blizzard proportions and lines
of communication in all directions
from the national capital were
broken. Train dispatchers reported
that train movement was hampered
and that the storm had greatly
aggravated the natural congestion of
transportation in Washington.
AS showing the complete isolation
of Washington, efforts to reach that
point at 10 o'clock this morning were
made by long distance telephone
from New York to st. Louis. thence
TO Louisville and back to Lynchburg,
Va This resulted in a few words
from Lynchburg, which is 120 miles
south of Washington and is practically
the nearest point to Washington in
communication with the capital.
New York suffered delays by the
storm.
A dispatch received from Washing
ton shortly after o'clock gave the
Information that the street cleaning
department of the District of Column
bia was waiting until the fall of snow
had ceased, when it would commence
Immediately to remove the snow from
the line of march of the inaugural pa
Tade. Washington was visited by a
similarly severe storm during the sec
Ond inauguration of Grover Cleveland
and at that time, though the formal
ceremonies We're carried out, many of
those who participated never recov-
cred from the effects of the storm.
Scores of paraderS at that time, in
cluding many West Point cadets, were
stricken with pneumonia and several
fatalities resulted.
Following the inauguration cere-
monies agitation developed to have
the next inauguration held on April
80 or sometime in the month of May,
but congress did not take any action
in the matter.
Washington, March 4-11 A. MA
storm is raging here that is almost un-
precedented, blowing, sleeting and
showing all night. 1t is showing hard
now.
Everything is almost at a standstill.
Eight Inches of Snow.
Philadelphia, March A wireless
message from Washington to the Phil
adelphia navy yard at II a m, says
there is about eight inches of snow on
the ground and still showing.
Washington Isolated Early Today
New York, March 4-The city of
Washington was isolated from COM
1nunication with the rest of the coun-
late hour this afternoon by a heavy
snow storm, which brought down a
great may telephone and telegraph
wires and rendered others unworkable
At $3.50 this morning the telegraph
and the telephone companies reported
that they were unable to communicate
with Washington from any direction
although from midnight last night until
about a m, it was possible to reach
washington by way of the south.
At $3.50 o'clock this morning when the
last news report had come out of
Washington for the night, it was still
49,,
covered with snow and slush.
Lost Its Trains
Louisville, KY, March 4.-Officials of
the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad in
communication with their office in
Richmond shortly before o'clock this
morning were advised that there was
no connection between Richmond and
Washington, that the storm was very
severe and that they were unable to
find several trains.
The long distance telephone company
here is advised over a wire running into
Richmond, Va, via Spartanburg, Char
lotte and Raleigh. that the storm of
wind and snow which ragged nearly all
night in Washington, gave way this
morning to sleet. Every effort is being
made to get into Washington from
Richmond but prospects of success are
poor.
Wind and Snow in New York.
New York, March AFTER con-
er. the snow accompanied by high
gale struck New York last night play
ing havoc with telegraph and tele-
phone wires. The snow was still fall
ing at dawn today. Both telegraph
companies were cut off entirely from
communication with Washington as
the result of break in the neighbor-
hood of Baltimore. Repairing gangs
were rushed out from Philadelphia,
but conditions were still bad this
morning Unless there is continued
snowfall today traffic will not be Sc
riousIy interfered, with, although slip
perv pavements and streets make it
DANGEROUS under foot for pedestrians
and beasts of burden.
Buried i'm SluSh.
Norfolk. Va, March 4.-The Norfolk
weather bureau was in touch by direct
wire with washington for a short time
this forenoon. The official weather re-
mort from Washington was a maximum
wind velocity of "A miles an hour from
the west with snow still falling