Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-03-06
STORM EPISODES
Of BABY BLIZZARD
Experiences Of One Who Ventured
Forth In Search Of Eats and
How He Fared.

A man who turned In for . nap at 5
o'clock yesterday afternoon woke with a
start in the dark, lator. Eut how much
later? A glancD out OF the window toward
the usually friendly postotfice town clock
showed that TO be out Of commission. A
turn OF the electric light switch in the
fixture produced nothing in the shape OF
light rays! 1t was evident TINT the city
was electric lightless. Dressing in the
dark accomplished, the last few touches
by aid of match or two, sally forth
toward restaurant meal brought the
wayfarcr in contact with An unfamiliar
Wilmington; no street lamps, very few
in the houses--an automobile headlight
four blocks away blazed out like con-
fagration, and lighted up the pathway
for the whole distance. A whistliDg wind
that was almost gale made it necessary
70 cling TO fence, lamp post or telegraph
pole, whichever came handiest, until
equilibrium could be regained and another
start made.
At Market street, an occasional gus,
arc lamp frightened things up; the Gas
Company window WAS gay with bright
glass shades Of many colors, as il Wanting
itself over its rival across the street, the
electric light office, which was dark.
At last the familiar restaurant, but
how changed; sputtcring candle on every
other table the only Illumination But
the road to tho lips was familiar and the
rite of dinner soon over.
A sally toward the du Pont Hotel
found that brightly lighted, from it's
own isolated plant, and business ns
usual; the show in The Playhouse, q
concert and dance in tho ballroom, and
the lobby throngcd.
Every few minutes some OF those in
the lobby made trip TO The Eleventh and
Market street corner. From nine clock
until after midnight the wind blew Mt the
rate of sixty miles an hour eastward,
condensed by tho obstacle Of the big
building and whirl.ng down Eleventh
street, across Market and on down the
incline to King and French. The force
of the blast was such that heavy auto
mobiles, turning the corner, would be
skiddcd half way across Market street,
and venturcsome pedestrians es.aying TO
cross Eleventh street in either direction
usually sat down in mid passage, and
were blown or crawled the remainder OF the
way. One poor forlorn woman, blown
across Market street, was brought back
10 the shelter of the lee Of the du Pont
building, and nearly frightened TO death,
begged TO be taken home to my little
baby" Two sympathetic bystanders
led her away.
Going back at eleven o'clock, west
ward on Tenth street, the snow WINS
binding. The group OF .playgoers from
the gallery of the Playhouse, as they
issued into Orange street, were caught by
the wind that blew south at that point
and whirlcd around on the smooth asphalt
4 ct hi
without casualties.
The snow was drifted now on the walks,
now in the middle of the street, two feet
deep in places. Deserted trolley cars
stood on the rails, half dozen OF them.
At last the familiar front door>-homc
againl
Three trolley cars were blown across
the tracks ut Fourth and du Pont streets
during the night.
The wind wrecked a large sign IN front
of the Non-Partisan League head-quar-
ters, on Market street above Fifth.
Part of the sign was ripped oil, leaving
only that part reading Partisan League
OF Delaware.
Two automobiles were in collision at
Fourth ard Tatnall streets. One was
passenger car bearing Delaware license
$50 and the other was a truck belonging
to Herman Glanding. grocer.
A large stack at the plant OF the Della
ware Ice and Storage Co. went down
during the Storm. on Windsor street
between Seventh and Eighth, badly
damaging the fence on the opposite side
OF the street, as well rs seriously in!uring
the roof OF the ice plant.
A tree was blown down at Fourth and
Madison streets during the height Of the
wind. A fence was damaged by the fall OF
the tree.
About 10 O'Clock last night the fire
alarm system of the city went out OF COM
mission for about 20 minutes and toIlng
bells caused much excitement. Many
people thought that general alarm had
been sounded. but the service was soon
restored
s number OF soldiers. In an effort 10
aid pedestrians ID crossing Market street
at Eleventh requIsibioned several auto
mobiles and ran them across the street, IN
an attempt to break the force Of the wind,
but the gale was too strong and the cars
were blown down the street.
One OF the soldiers, in an attempt TO
keep on his feet after he had done lot
of rescue work, was caught by the hu1i-
cane, his overcoat was blown up over his
coat and was rolled on down Eleventh
street to King, before he WAS able TO get on
his feet.
Because the regular electric current was
of, I he Playhouse was the only theatre
that was able to give performance last
night. Light there is obtained from the
du Pont Building power plant.
Red Clay Creek yesterday afternoon
rose two feet above the floor Of the
bridge at Marshalltor.
The Newport Pike, near Stanton,
where it is spanned by the Pennsylvania
overhead bridge was flooded to depth
that would cover the top Of an automobile.
had one been rash enough to venture its
passage.
A pile driver was caught by the gale,
while resting in the Christina river,
which was very high last night, and was
driven up high and dry at the boatyard
Of Billsborough & Beebe, at Commerce
and Dock streets.
The heavy metal cornice oD the Zion
Lutheran Church, corner of Sixth and
Jackson streets, was blown loose during the
storm and was swinging in dangerous
fashion at an early hour this morning.
One OF the buses Of the Peoples line
made several efforts, early last evening,
TO negotiate the turn into Fifth street from
Smiley, but had to give it up and back
down to the garage to discharge its pas
seDgers.
A part OF the wall of a building oD
Wollaston street, between Sixth and
Seventh, formerly belonging to the ice
company. was blown down by the high