Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-03-13
Marcn Produces Worst Storm
of Year.
PLAYS HAVOC With WIRES
Telephone Service Out-of-Town Cut
OF and Street Cars at Stand Still
For Hou or more-Heavy Fail Of
Snow.

Of the worst snow storm Of the WIN
ter. Telephone. telegraph and electric
light and current feed wires were
broken down by the weight Oi the
snow. All of the long distance teie-
phone wires leading out OF this city
to Hampton. Norfolk. Richmond and
elsewhere went down early in the
evening and later the electric current
wires went down. tying up the street
car system for nearly an hour.
Both the telephone and electric
light companies had linemen out look
ing for broken wires and burned out
fuses last night. bat the men were
greatly handicapped by the snow ane
Il probably will be several days De-
fore all of the wires are repaired ana
put back into first class order. IKE
ports Of broken wires down in the
streets in various parts OF the cliy
were received AT the police station
and transmitted 10 the telephone ana
electric light offices. Linemen re-
moved all OF the charged wires IA
quickly as possible and so far as was
if1i atN ia tatt Nei'
Follows Lona Rain Storm.
Last nights snow storm followed
two days and more Of rain, hail and
sleet The first storm broke Thurs
day afternoon and for half hour al
midnight that night there was a light
fall of snow From that time unul
early yesterday afternoon rain fell al
most continually Hail and sleet began
falling yesterday and at i;45 O'Clock
the snow storm set il.
From the start the fall was I'M
usually heavy. but owing TO the heavy
rains OF the past two days, the snow
did not begin to stick until several
hours later by Z o'clock. the ground
was well covered and the streets and
sidewalks were mass of Slippery
slash Pedestrians found walking
rather difficult task and many people
feel On the streets and sidewalks dur
ing the night
The falling snow soon covered all
OF the wiIes and telegraph poles and
before o'clock the wires began fall-
ing The telephone wires between
THIS city and Hampton Went down ana
later the wires TO Richmond and Nor
folk became damaged. Fortunately
none of the telegraph wires To Rich
mond, Hampton or Norfolk were dam
aged AMI the city was not entirely
Isolated
Cars Are Tied Up.
Mucn havoc was wrought 10 the
electric light and current feed wires
between this city and Hampton ana
in different parts of the city and short
ly before II O'Clock, the entire car
system was tied up. Cars loaded with
passengers who were homewaId
bound stood On the streets for nearly
an hour before the damaged wires
could be repaired Shortly after the
cars began running the feed wire Tor
see arc lights on Washington avenus
went down and the avenue was leil
In darkness for the remainder OF the
night
In spite of the slippery conditions
OF the streets. many DRINKS were seen
last night and many OF them landed
in Jail Several prisoners were re-
ceived who had wallowed about n
the slush underfoot and their clothes
were sooking wet through ana
through. Only the liquor within tnem
saved these men from literally freez-
ing to death on the streets. one man
was picked out OF gutter where he
had lain for probably an hour or
more.
The fall OF snow ceased shortly al
ter midnight and vas followed by a
light rain. which also later stopped.
This rain washed much OF the snow
away and made the conditions OF tue
stree; even worse than before. fair
weather is promised for TO-DAY by the
weather man, but az ! O'Clock TnIs
morning there weren't any indications
OF break in The storm.
Shipping is Crippled.
The snow storm practically Grip
pied SHIPPING IN and around the mar.
Dor and Hampton Roads. A big fee,
OF coal laden schoOners and barge
is anch bred in the Roads WAITING
clear weather before putting 10 sea
The storm has been sevefe all aionl
the middle Atlantic states. but SO fzi
as has been reported no serious acci
dents TO shipping have occurred.
u Is a peculiar coincidence ihat ths
last big snow storm that visited New
port News was in March two years
ago. However. that storm occurred
on the first Day o. spring and 10.
snow fan vas heavier than that o.
last might
The storm q the last three DAY.
followed week Of baimy sprini
weather and it Is feared that muci
damage has been done % crops 81
the Pen.rsris. Fruit trees which b.
gan bidding last week also pr0hsbl