Semi-weekly herald., 1914-01-19
S7UHii;' I; s. 50 SS:!a!'|'|PP[fSA[L
LOCAL WIRE SERVICE
Telephone Companys Loss is Heavy, Having 300
Local Phones and All Toll Lines out and 65
Poles Down---Power Company's Loss Small

AS the result of the heavy storm
that held Durango in its grasp fo
twenty-four hours, our town foil
awoke this morning to find that dur
ing the night they had made a hast,
retreat back to the primitive life
Electric lights were out of commits
sion, the telephone service was de
moralized and the street cars STALLED
on account of lack of power. Thos,
who breakfasted early did so by thu
lights in favor with their ancestors
good old-fashioned candles. Busi-
ness people who reside in Animas
City, Brookside and North Durango
and who are accustomed to depending
on the street car had occasion tc
wade down town through slush from
two to six inches deep.
The snowfall commenced about s
o'clock yesterday morning and gave
promise of being one of those mild
storms that have been frequent in
this section during the late fall and
early winter months. Toward even
ing the snow turned to sleet and the
storm increased in severity. Outsid,
the sloppy streets the first inconven-
ience noted occurred about 8 O'Clock
when the lights on the south end of
the boulevard went out Shortly
other circuits went out of commission
and about 10 o'clock the town was
shrouded in darkness, and the street
cars were marooned near the opposite
ends of the track. A break in the
main lire that leads from the power
station at Tacoma caused the major
portion of the trouble. A sufficient
number of wires were down to cause
trouble with few circuits.
During the night some three or
four fire alarms sounded as the re-
suit of wires burning out and coming
in contact with the fire apparatus.
The telephone company are by far
the heaviest losers by the storm. 1t
developed this morning that every
toll line leading to the city was out
of order, and that more than 300
its. At least 65 poles had fallen in
different parts of the city and wires
were down everywhere. In many in
stances these had come in contact
with electric lines, and this of course
increased the difficulty in making
repairs. Persons driving to Durango
from outside points report that the
wires are down in scores of places
and pole after pole had given way
under the weight of the snow.
Manager Morris of the Telephone
company was in Aztec but Wire Chief
Weaver increased the local force b.
more than dozen men and early this
morning started to bring order out OF
chaos. Men were dispatched to the
country to repair the toll lines. A
good sized force were kept in the
city to set the poles and complete the
other work. While everything is be.
ing done to hasten the work that can
be done; probably several days wi
elapse at best before the service in
the city is restored.
Men were hastened Tacoma way t,
and between 10 and IL the street
cars were running on scheduled time.
On account of so many wires being
in contact with the telephone wires
the light company did not consider it
safe to turn on the power until a
late hour this afternoon. Work at
the newspaper plants, laundry and
other establishments that depend on
electric power was at standstill.
On account of the troubles that oc-
Cured near the power plant opera
tions ceased at the Democrat
from 10 last evening until near
ly 5 o'clock this evening, thus the
morning paper be:omes an evening
edition today. The Herald commenc-
ed operations eight and one-half
hours late, hence our usual Saturday
evening edition becomes morning
paper.
Not a word of criticism has beer
offered on account of inconvenience to
the different business establishments
nor is there occasion for any. Man
ager Clay and Superintendent Har-
rington with their largely increased
force of helpers did all that could be
done to restore the service early ant
are to be congratulated upon their ex-
cellent results. Practically .!ery cir
cult in the city is in order tonight.
Mayor Scouton and Commissioner
Brown have had their share of troub
les in keeping the sidewalks in pass
able condition. Snow blocked the
cutters and water would go coursinf
down the walk. More than half 9
dozen men were kept busy on MAR