The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-02
Almost Completely Cut
Off From Wire Com
municatiOn.
TRAFFIC BY RAIL
PARTLY TIED UP
Trains in Several Instances Halt
ed by Fallen Poles Across
Ira cks = Telegraph Com
panies Report Worst Con-
ditions in Years-Warn-
ming to Shipping.

New York. Mnrch IA destructive
storm swept the northern section Of
the country to-day. and still was rag
ing late tonight. From Pittsburgh
and Buffalo. on the west. TO the Allan
tic seaboard and up through the New
England States heavy gales carried
rain, snow ana sieet. the maximum pre-
cipitatton In some localities being more
thGn nfteen inches. ships were blown
ashore, interurhan communication 10y
telegraph and telephone was inter
rupted for hours, and trains were
blocked or delayed on nearly all rail
road Inns In New York and vicinity
there were five deaths due to the
storm. The safety OF the crow Of an
unknown schooner aground of the
Connecticut shore was ia doubt
The storm was central off New York
tonight, with the temperature rapidly
falling. telegraph companies report
cd the damage 10 their service as the
most serious in years. and officers of
railroad companies made tho same
statements. The possibilities of dan
ecr We're greater than adviccs ~ q
late hour indicated. Generally il was
only by roundabout routes that Interior
cities ~ tho storm zone could bc
reached telegraph poles. blown over
10y winds reaching n velocity of moro
than eighty miles an hour. fell across
tracks. aud trains were halted alto
[
the time. Trains ou somc lines were in
effect lost IL the storm
Cities in Darkness.
IN Northern New Jersey cities; were
thrown into darkemss at nightfall. au-
thorities In several Instances discon-
tinuing electric light service because
OF tallcn wires. In this city al mid
I night moro than nine and n half inches
OF snow had fallen, nearly par;,lyzinS
surface traffic, and entirely cutting of
+! some OF tho sut"rbs.
Trains for the most part left the
railroad terminals on time. but with
/ wires down. quickly We're lost track
Of. Nothing could bc learned concern
( ing incoming trains except rs they
arrived late ON ali lines. Wet SHOWS
snapped telegraph and telephone wires.
and win a gale blowing seventy o
I miles an hour 1T. times. many poles
toppied over ON some lines, The poles
! fell across railroad tracks blocking
traffic.
I serious, Hooking Of Traffic.
-is reports began 10 come in later to-
night. il was learned that the block :
ing OF train traffic on some railroad
! lines was even more serious than had
\ been thought earlier. The westbound
! Twentieth Century Limited for Chica-
\ go was reported halted by fallen poles
across the New York Central tracks
T
! line were stalled at various points.
/ Al local Offices OF telegraph compa :
Y nies IL MAS said conditions wcr" among
/ the worst In years. The Western
4 Unions fifty wires to Chicago and
most OF tine, l61 wires to philadelphia il
/ We're down. Chicago was reached carly
In the evening by few remaining
I Pittsburgh.
+ The Posta! Telegraph Company re
! ported wire prostraiion Of similar Sc
/ robustness. 1t will be nearly week.
# was said, before service can be
wholly resumed.
I ships due L. reach this port to-day
We're held up outside. ON adviccs from
/ Washington, the local bureau warned
| shipping not to put 10 sea.
| Centred at Hatfcras-
I The disturbance centred at Capc Hat
/ tcras early In the day and moved
north, gaining in intensity and was
expected To pass directly above New
York. Albany reported a six-inch
1 snowfall.
More snow and colder weather was
! forecast foi tomorrow Between IS
ono and 1900 men viii he put To worl,
Tomorrow shovcling snow, providing
I jobs for that many OF the unemployed
/ Wires broke and poles and trees
were blown down In ail parts Of the
/ city. Trolley and elevated service was
delayed and in some instances tied up
I . Al s o'clock tonight the Weather
/ I3urcau rep srtci 96 inches of snow n
\ l6-degrSe fall in temperature was pre-
7 dictcd for tonight. with continued
snow and high winds. The icmpera
t'irc to-day ranged from 30 to 80 de
arecs. Both streets and sidewalks
were covered with deep snsh and
conditions were such that out of the
street cleaning army Of from 10000 to
5000 men, all that remained at work
! at sunset were ION men The others
! had ned indoors most OF them before
noon, rather than face the swirIlng
/ storm of mingled snow and sleet any
/ longer
/ II was tho most trying day for auto
mobile traffic In years. Stalled ana
abandoned machines were 10 he found
all over the city
/ Vessels Reported Lost.
I Six vessels were reported lost off
the New England coast. with the loss
| OF from twenty to twenty nine lives
Thirteen towns In New Jersey are
completely isolated and in darkness
In many places interufhan trolley cars
are stalled between towns with pas
senEers on board. who cannot he res
cued until the storm abates.
New York city, In addition to the
traffic blockade, faces grave fire peril
| because OF fallen wires. and there Is
| also danger OF an epidemic In the con
/, gested districts because or tho unsani-
tary condition brought about by the
| failure to clear the streets and remove
| garbage dnd refuse.
To-niEhrs gale did considerable
damage throughout I. city, break
ing windows. blowing down signs
| awnings. etc.
The total storm damage In the mo-
CONTINUED On Seventh PagOl