Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-04
early. and kept the tracks In n pass
nble condition.
Light SERVICE CRIPPLED
IN RESIDENCE SECTIONS

early. ana Kept the tracks In pass
able condition.
Light SERVICE CRIPPLED
IN RESIDENCE SECTIONS
THE storm greatly interferod with
the light and power service in tho resi-
dcnce section OF the city and In the
suburbs said Mr.. Palmer last night.
The high wind and the heavy snow
broke down many small wires which
were unable to withstand the combined
loads OF Ice and snow and tho heavy
wind.
The company received approximately
200 trouble calls during tho day, and
at times 1t was necessary to cut off
current on certain circuits. in order TO
clear trees and foreign wires. Our
reports show that few of our Gus
toners wero affected by the storm.
Tho service will be restored to normal
some time tomorrow.
beginning with daybrenk, all rcKu-
lar employees of the line department,
as we'll as all other employees avail
able for this duty, were detailed to
the work Of inspecting and cleaning
up the lines. BY nightfali. with the
aid OF automobiles. the force had In
spected more than 100 miles of line.
The situation. as far as this company
| Is concerned. appears TO be we'll in
hand"
IIIGII-POwER CURRENT
SHUT OFF on NORTHSIDE
While no breaks In the lines that
supply the arc circuit in the northern
suburbs had been reported said Mr.
| Palmer. It was thought wise TO cut
of the current last night. for fear that
broken telephone wires and other OBJ
structions might have crossed these
lines and become electrified. The fact
that the current had been Off all day
on this circuit prevented possible
breaks OF this character from coming
to the surface.
1t was estimated last night that be
tween 900 and 400 linemen in the en-
ploy OF the Virginia Railway and Power
Company. the city OF Richmond, the
Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company and the Western Union and
Postal Telegraph Companies were at
work all day repairing the damage
and inspecting electric and communica-
ton wires. An even larger force will
De at work to-day
with between 200 and 1900 tele
phones out or commission and $50 poles
down.. said District Manager Tanner
of tho Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Company. I'VE spent the most
trying day that ! can remember. The
situation was made more difficult By
the fact that yesterday was the dav
! before Easter The day before every
holiday Is always a hard one for the
exchanges.
our operators carried the heaviest
load yesterday in the history Of the
company. The entire force and all the
extras we could muster were pressed
into service, and their hands were kent
full The storm kept Easter shoppers
nj home and the whole city. II appears
descended upon the telephone to order
It's holiday necessities and transact Ito
business. And. in spite OF II nil. leay-
] ing out OF consideration. Of course. the
{ stations which the storm had put out
! or business we handled tho traffic with
very little delay
our worst breaks occurred in the
suburbs. where by far tho greatest
number OF our poles were broke,
Here, Of course. the telephone service
suffered badly. The rehabilitation will
be slow work and normal service to
these sections Will hardly be restored
before the latter part OF next week.
We have more than 100 lnemen n.
work. and moro viii arrive tomorrow
I rom Washington and Baltimore. Of
hcials were dispatched to those cities
, to-day TO bring them here.
LoNG-DIsTANCE WIRES
WE'RE FIRST TO GIVE WAY
IN the city proper there was little
'rouhle In the central section where
the wires are carried In underground
cables and arc unaffected by storm 4
number of "cut-in" wires. however
running from distribution poles to the
houses, were broken Considerable
damage was done In the West End
where number OF telephones were
put out OF commission"
l.ong-distance wires were among the
hrst 10 give way. Not single line
was III operation all day and last night
Crews are now at work mending the
breaks on the long -distance lines, with
the probability that the service on most
oil them VIII be restored by tomorrow
night.
Local Manager Sale, OF the Western
/ Union. reported late last night that his
company had succeeded In restoring
6irect communication with Washing
! ton by means Of n detour around the
| break near Ashland. where wires were
down over a stretch OF several miles
Communication with Norfolk and VIII
mington. Goidsboro and Raleigh, y. C.
which had been completely cut off
during the early hours OF Yesterday
morning. was last night partly restored
with nine or ten gangs OF linemen
at work on the wires running out OF
Richmond. said Mr. Sale, 1t Is more
than probable that all the breaks will
be repaired by tomorrow or Tuesday
night. a large number of poles, he
said, were down between Petersburg
and Norfolk. Small railroad points