The farmer and mechanic., 1915-04-06
BIG POWER LINES DOWN
Even Steel Towers TopDIe
Over; Cotton Mills Between
Durham and Burlington Shut
Down For Lack of Power.
Easter Social Activities Are
Cancelled
Especial TO The News and otse1s5.,


Durham, Apr. 3.-Durham todav /,
snow bound and all business. especial
ly that of q public nature, is at :.
standstill. The telephone company
operating the street cars and ngnt-
ing plant, are completely demoralize6
Mr.. I. D. Wright, manager Of the
telephone company, said that he has
900 Of the 1900 phones out Of com
mission. Poles have fallen i'll every
section of the town, but especially
in the suburban district. 4 little
army of Workrnan have been husl
since early this morning tyius t.
straighten out the tangled skein of
wires that have matted the streets.
Little can be done towards getting
the phone lines back in service for
so many OF the poles have fallen lu-
der the heavy burden Of the snow
that it is Impossible to string the
wires.
Car Service Suspended.
The street cars ran Til . O'Clock
last night and then went in. They
made another effort to run this
morning, and did get going and rap
for about two hours. At 1G O'Clock
the company stopped all car service
on account of the danger OF tho
grounded high voltage wires. The
cars were able to get along ali right
but the company would not run the
risk OF eiectrocuting passengers anG
employees or Of having some OF the
poles fall on the running cars.
| Durham people, who had to 60 u
| their work this morning, and back al
dinner time, have had to hoof it, anG
have had to walk through several
inches Of slush, for the city streer
force and their boss men took q holj-
day till early after dinner.
Not q street in the residential Sec
ton was touched today. The street
commissioner came down this after
work in the fire district. They have
cleared off most Of the sidewalks in
the business section Of the city.
Social Activity Curtailed.
Both ball games, scheduled here
for this afternoon had to be called
Off and large humber OF the E.aster
parties which were planned for this
afternoon and tonight have been call
ed off. The church socials have alse
been postponed till some later date.
This is the biggest snow that DuE'
ham and this section has experienced
in ten years, and the worst for TIM
time Of year that the Oldest citizer
remembers.
Damage Many Thousands
The telephone company says tina
its damage from the snow and storm
will amount to at least $4,000, ar
the traction company damage VII
run We'll into the thousands. IN
high powered lines OF the Southerl
Power Company near West Durham
, are down. Some Of the big stee
| n q V.T~ yJyira
J en- under the weight Of the wet sno"
1t is believed that the damage to cit
business will amount to at least g2''
0OO
The snow began falling last nigh
} at 8 o'clock, and has not stopped
: minute since that time. II has siack
ened up some at O'Clock this al
ternoOn. but is still falling.
: On the tops of the office huiloius
: where it has not melted SO rapltiE
Is two feet deep. On the streets
: IS from three to six inches deep -
' eryWhere, but is rapidly melti-~
f Mills and Factories Stops J.
:. Local telephone ana telegra api' ''-'
2 pie report that the wires are do"
e in this whole section Of the c0rnlt
E It has been impossible TO get lnj
I long distance Communication WI
] the outside world. Between here az
burlington, it is reported that u
9 Southern Power line is broken. al
: it is impossible for the mills and rat
Y tories using that power TO get tF
e necessary power to turn their ma
e chinery.
: The falling Of the power line
= the city has resulted in shutting do"
S q number Of the smaller manuia
|. turing concerns using electric poWe
= hundreds Of the homes which u
: electric lights were in darkness aft
: Il o'clock last night, and the ear
e risers this morning were also unab
: TO get any lights. They have bee
r forced TO go Ia the 1FttcG for Q