Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-04
Destructive Gale Wrought
Damage to Craft in Cities
Along It's Path; Wire Ser
vice is Crippled.
SNOWSLIDES ARE
MENACE TO TRAVEL
While Eastern States Suf-
fer From Gale, North
west is in Danger From
Floods and Avalanches.

Washington, d. c., Jan. 3.-The soutf
Atlantic coast states today are in the
grip OF terrific wind and rair
storm which worked havoc with ship
ping in and out OF the cities of Norfolb
and Newport News. All land wires
ieadins 4,ut OF the cities were destroy
ed. Before the last wire went down
4 telegraph operator in Newport News
remarked that the gale was so terri
flc that the waters of the James river
were surging up into the lower parts
Of the city with the violence of small
tidal wave.
The navy wireless sparked out un.
answered calls to the ships of the
Atlantic deet gathered in Hampton
roads. Great anxiety was field for the
safety Of torpedo boats in the narrow
sea way
Incomplete reports coming in while
the :torm was at its height were that
many small craft had been sunk. The
loss Of life If any is not known.
In this city the gale whipped down
signs and trees. Telegraph and tele-
phon- wires were demoralized as far
lsoutE as Atlanta. /
& Destroys Wire Service.
New York. Jan. 3.--Three storms Of
extraordinary violence occurring al
most simultaneously in widely separ-
ated sections Of the country were re-
ported by the telegraph companies
here today.
Th, first ragged south of Washington.
For a time there was but one wire
" rking between Washin gton and At
lanta. Shortly before noon there was
not wire working south of Atlanta
Next In violence was wind storm
IN the middlewest which levelled scores
OF wires between here and Chicago.
At one time. during the forenoon, there
were but Ave wires working between
the two cities
The, third storm area was in the
states OF Washington and Oregon.
Hundreds of wires had been prostrated
by the heavy blow there, the teleghaph
companies said.
Stops Ferry Service.
Norfolk, Va, Jan. "a sixty mile
gale with heavy rain whipped the At
lantic coast here today with terrific
violence, downing wires and demoral-
izing shipping. Several small crafts
were sunk with loss Of life.
The terrific gale swept the waters
OF the James river up into the lower
portions of the city of Newport News
Inundated streets and warehouses and
Is driving the people to the elevations.
Ferry service across the river to New
port News was impossible and the
city was cut OF from all communica-
Hons.
Damage in Richmond.
Richmond. Va. Jan. 3-Richr ond
Has storm swept today by the gale pre-
NAiling along the coast line Much
mage was done to property.
M Snow. Causes Danger.
IN Seattle. Wash. Jan. 3-Rain in fall
4!g today in the mountains melting the
Heat mass of snow that fell recently.
Unless there is a change to cold wea-
her soon there will inevitably be
Hides in the higher attitudes and foods
Ind washouts in the lowlands that will
Tie up railway traffic. Tho weather
bureau gives no encouragement.
All Great Northern trains are
marked indefinitely late. Northern
Pacific trains are an hour or two late
and Milwaukee trains are on time.
It is only by the most siren ,us ex-
ertion that the railroads keep their
tracks clear. At the summit
of the Cascade mountains yesterday
The water was ten inches deep on the
tracks.
Slide Struck Train.
z Ellensburg, Wash, Jan. "a snow
slide shortly after midnight struck the
Northern Pacific passenger train No.
258 just west OF Loster. The sleeping
passengers rushed from the cars in
their night clothes.
A mass Of rock, brushes and ice
slipped down the mountain and across
The tracks under the sleeping cars.
The train arrived here three hours
late.
House Carried Away.
{ Seattle, Wash, Jan. 3.-The first
i.atf from the flood in Seattle occur
IS. today when house situated on q
slope in West Seattle was carried away
oy landslide, killing John Larson, an
j mate. ThyAA others we're severely