The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-21
Street Lights Go Out During
the Worst Part of Storm.
Making the Streets Very
Dangerous.
TRACTION SERVICE
GREATLY CRIPPLED
Loss From the Storm Will
Total Several Thousands
of Dollars, but No lnjur-
les Are Reported.

Despite the astronomical calcula.
tions to >he effect that Wednesday
was the first day of spring. y terrific
rain, sleet and wind storm swept this
city yesterday afternoon and evening
with the result that the havoc wrought
will amount to thousands OF dollars.
Street car service and fnterurban traf.
fic were demoralized: telephone and
telegraph lines crippled; the Game
well system of the fire department
considerably damaged; street lighting
damaged and some OF the city's finest
shade trees ruined.
The lives OF pedestrians were en-
dangered by falling electric wires and
limbs of trees. Low temperature cAusr
ed the rain to freeze on the trees and
the limbs. laden with their heavy gilt
tering burden dropped under the
weight. About $50 the street lights
and lights in many homes went out.
Traffic 10 TIsd up.
Between and o'clock the local
officials of the +. H., !. and e. Tr1c-
tion company and-the city system fore
saw just what would result and inme-
diately every available man Ii the con-
struction repair department 1T the lo-
cal barns W. pressed into service.
lN1alf 16qns u y Eas4 & tts1 - Akt-a;
made by the company TO operate cars
on the different lines, but It proved !
physical impossibility. Flashes of cleo
tricity flared brightly when the cars
would attempt to move.
All of the interurban cars running
into this city both from the east and
west were delayed because OF frequent
stops to replace the trolley poles
which refused to follow the ice-coated
trolley wires. This morning no inter
urbans were coming In or going ont of
the city from the west, although nAost
of the scheduled cars ON the Ohio Elec
trio line were operating. A high teE-
sion wire was down west Of Cam
bridge City and cars could not pass
that point either going or coming.
| Scores OF telephone calls were re-
ceived by the police department 70
porting broken electric wires. An Tar.
| though this fact In considered some
| what miraculous.
Telephones Are Crippled.
| Manager william Bailey. of the
Richmond Home Telephone company
| stated this morning that the damage
to his company wrought by tho storm.
probably would amount TO $1,O0O. A
number OF circuits were down. several
poles throughout the city broken and
wires Of the company tangled with
/ other electric wires.
| I'VE are doing our best to adjust
matters as quickly as possible said
Mr.. Bailey today "All but two Of our
toll lines are out OF commission. We
have our regular force of sixteen men
| out the city, and l have sent for ex-
! ira linemen at Eaton and other towns.
The men worked all night and ! be-
lieve that we will have things running
smoothly again within short time" !"
Three of the four circuits Of the
Gamewell fire alarm system were burn
| ed out and Chief Miller and 4 number
of men were busy today remedying
conditions.
The telegraph companies were great
ly hampered by the ice on the wires
and q few wires were broken. Manager
J. p. Freeman. Of the local branch Of
the Western Union, stated today that
connections had been resumed on
most OF the lines.
The telegraph system along the In
dianapolis division Of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad west OF this city was
| :. ~ +-- 1(sr.safinHnd an Pa1o Gixl -.