The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-27
Wind Reaches Velocity of 90 Miles an Hour Along the
 Atlantic Coast
CAUSED FOUR DEATHS
 ABOUT NEW YORK CITY
Several Cable Lines Put Out of Rusi- ness-Much Damage to Ship ping-All Telegraph Wires
 Are Down

l New York, December 26.-One of the weirdest storms the east has seen in
 many years-rain, hail and snow, &C., | companied by thunder and lighting, and gale that reached a maximum velocity of 90 miles and hour-descend- l ed from the northwest early today as the aftermath of a Christmas fog. It indirectly caused four deaths in this
 city, carried down telegraph wires. damaged shipping, crippled railroad traffic and caused considerable prop erty damage.
 The phenomenon of thunder and lightning in the midst of a driving snow awakened New Workers at the
 height of the storm, about ' o'clock this morning. A gale from the south accompanied by rain had been blowing during the night, but the tempera- ture dropped during the early morning hours, changing the rain to hail and then to snow. The local weather bu- 1 reau reported total precipitation of 5,2 inches, of which 2.S was snow.
 THE WIND SHIFTS The wind shifted to the northwest and increased in violence, reaching it's 0-nAle intesnity at o'clock, and soon after carrying off the storm clouds. The gale continued, however. hurling signs and copings to the streets and
 demolishing several partly built struc- lures. The storm had it's center in Massachusetts. the weather bureau re- ported, and the telegraph companies said their service in New England had been badly crippled, although com munication had not been entirely lost with the principal cities. Several of 1 the land lines of the cable companies between New York and Nova Scotia were put out of business.
 Shipping of all kinds scurried to shelter to escape the heavy seas and several ocean liners dropped anchor 1 until the gale abated. Twenty five per- sons aboard IS canal boats driven ashore off Sandy Hook were rescued by the coast guard crew there, as- sisted by the crew of the coast guard cutter Seneca. Those saved included the wives and children of the boats captains. James ONeil, in command oc one Of tae beats, was kFe slaeG-int
 the sea by a siying board and drowned
 BARGE IS SUNK | A barge in tow. of the tug Seneca, from Norfolk for New England ports, sprang a leak and sank 12 miles east of Ambrose lghtship. Seven Erie railroad barges loaded with automobiles sank in the East river
 The deaths in the city resulting from the gale all occurred this morning while the binding snowstorm was at it's height. A fireman was fatally injured while re- spending to an alarm woman was run over by street car, the motorman of which could not see her on the tracks. Another woman collapsed and died in the street while battling against the gale on her way to church. Scores of persons
 were more or less seriously injured The reformed church at New Brighton, Staten Island, was struck by lightning and seriously damaged Wind tore the N. J.. city almshouse and two elderly women patients were injured by falling beams. Part of the roof also was blown off the building in which aged women are housed on BlaclwelFs Island. A crowded tenement house in Passaic, N. J., was unroofed, as was church in Brook lyn just before the morning service be- gan.
 A flagman at Totenville, Staten Island, was blown in front of a train and killed instantly. A bicyclist, riding in a heavy
 rain this morning. ran into an automobile at Minneola and was fatally injured His wife. who was riding with him, also suffered injuries from which she may die.
 An aged man fell on an icy pavement (Continued on Page EighD