The Washington herald., 1909-03-08
COMPANIES STRIVE
TO REPAIR DAMAGE
Capital Practically Connected
with Rest of World.
COST MORE THAN S2,OOO,OOO
Strenuous Work Yesterday Eesults
I'm Good Progress Being Made.
Communication with Baltimore Is
Expected for To-day - Telegraph
Companies Take Prompt Action.

Excellent progress in the re-esta bish-
ment Of wires throughout the storm area
/ around Washington and Baltimore was
reported TO the telegraph and telephone
/ companies yesterday from their gangs oi
| linemen. who returned at dark last night
after hard days work under favorable
I weather conditions.
Each company was striving all day q
! get a direct line through to Baltimore
/ and although none Of them reached the
/ goal. each is nearly ready to I'LL In the
remaining gap. Indications last night were
that three direct lines from Washington
! to Baltimore will be in working order
some time to-day
The Western Union. besides the general
| progress all along the line has estab-
/ lished twelve additional wires along the
Baltimore and Ohio, west 10 Cumberland
making total Of sixteen wires now iu
use along this important artery. The
wreekage along the New York avenue line
from Seventh street 10 the Baltimore anC
Ohio has been cleared away. and the line
abandoned for a recently constructed un-
( derground conduit. The direct line "a
Baltimore along the Baltimore and Ohio
has been extended from both ends TO-
ward the center, and the finaI connections
are about 10 be restored. The railroad
men are working along the same route
partly in conjunction with the telegraph
company, In an attempt to reconstruct
the wires Of their block signal system.
Southern Wires Intact.
The Postal Company has every South
ern wire now intact, and is working four
circuits 10 New York via circuitous
routes, one TO Chicago. three TO Birming-
ham, and two 20 Atlanta. OF the three
direct routes to Baltimore. that via Sandy
Spring is the least damaged. and con-
centrating its efforts on this one line the
company is making rapid progress with
crews working from both ends
Foreman Weider. the third scout who
has been sent along this line. has not re-
turned. and Manager Travis was confident
last night that he would get through 10
Baltimore. Some time this morning the
Postal route viii probably be intact.
The Bankers and Merchants and the
Pennsylvania Railroad routes are badly
wrecked. and nothing viii be done on
them until the Postal route IS compIete
Not 200 poles are left standing along the
Pennsylvania route to Baltimore. which
will have TO be entirely reconstructed.
The Postal expects 70 have four wires
20 Annapolis by tonight
The telephone company has been equally
successful More than 2o0 subscribers
were reconnected yesterday, and through
7 ~
boro, and Kensington. Good progress
also was made on the direct Baltimore
line via Sandy Spring. and the company s
officials are confident that they will have
this connection completed before noon TO-
day
Material Il Plentiful.
Each company now has all the men
Il can handle. and material Is plentiful.
The present work is nearly all mere
temporary repairing. but as soon as the
wires are connected the great task OF
permanent reconstruction viii be begun.
The companies officials are still toe
busy 10 make any detailed calculation OF
the losses entailed. but a rough estimate
indicates that the equipment alone will
cost more than 100000 Nearly a thou
sand men are a. work throughout the
country between Baltimore and Washing
ton
II is estimated that more than s.50J
telegraph and telephone poles are broken
or injured within the storm area AL
Of these viii have to be removed and
replaced by new ones Although the
companies have on hand A large SUD
ply Of extra poles. they viii have 10 buy
A great many, and the next few weeks
probably will witness a tremendous
slaughter Of tall, straight chest
nut trees. for which the farmers Will find
a ready sale.
Wire thieves have been very active
throughout the storm area. Some ar
rests have been made OF those who were
discovered with the wire in their pos
session but II Will be hard 10 secure
convictions. because the companies will
find II almost impossible 10 identify their
property. as the wires OF all three are
IN many places tangled together. It IS
estimated that many miles Of wire have
been stolen and carried away.