The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-01-22

Up to noon the Pennsylvania lines
entering the city had been kept open
for traffic by constant operations of
snow plows. Trains were behind their
schedules from fifteen minutes to an
hour this morning and freight service
was not suspended
Expects Trouble in East.
"The storm is from the east, conse-
ouently We are anticipating trouble"
Pennsylvania official said today.
However, we are prepared to meet
with every emergency and SO far have
been more than successful in keeping
the lines open. Only at few places
on the Richmond division trouble with
drifts has been reported but these
drifts have been promptly plowed
through. There has not been mu0h of
wind so far, which is very fortunate
II a sharp gale comes along We will
probably have our hands full, because
the drifts will become very bad in
such an event"
At the c. & O. station it was report
ed that trains had been operating
close to schedule today and that plows
had been used only in a few places.
Freights are being operated as usual.
City street car service was practic-
ally abandoned at II o'clock this morn
ing. No effort was made at any time
to operate the cars on schedule. The
snow plow was not used on the city
lines. Just why the company did not
take such action is not known, unless
it was because an ordinance just pass
ed by the city council requires the
company to haul off the streets all
snow plowed from its rights OF way.
Service Grows Irregular.
Traction cars from both the east and
west kept to their schedules quite
closely until 10 o'clock. then the SER
vice became very irregular and there
were indications that traction service
in and out of Richmond might be sus-
pended before evening unless there
was a decided change in conditions.
On many country roads snow drifts
have piled so high that farmers are
isolated in their homes. the roads be-
ing impossible.
At noon today only two of the rural
route carriers operating from Rich
mond post office had returned to the
city. Joseph Peltz. carrier on route
No. could not complete his distribu-
tion of mail because of high drifts en-
oountered northeast of the city near
the water works pumping station.
Stalls in Deep Drift.
Harry Pittman. substitute carrier
working on route 9, drove his machine
into a deep drift near the Wernle
home. southeast Of the city, and it be-
came stalled, nearly buried in snow.
Farmers learned of his predicament
and were able to dig the machine out
of the drift. Pittman then abandoned
his effort to complete his route and re-
turned to the city.
Will Morgan. carrier on route No. 8.
east of the city, was only able to 60
half way. finding mountains OF snow
piled on the roads.
John Elliott, carrier on route No. s.
southwest OF the city, was the only
one who had traversed his entire route
and had returned to the post office
up to noon.
The telephone company experienced
but little trouble as result Of the
heavy snowfall.
The storm did bring on most
peculiar atmospheric condition, how
ever, Manager Bailey said. For the
second time in my experience as
telephone man l had to deal with
static discharges, brought about by the
snow passing through peculiar
atmospheric condition. For time
these static discharges exploded in
the ears of people using telephones"