Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-03-06

Lashed by the most severe blizzard ex-
perienced in long time, and visited by q
Brandywine food only ono foot lower
than that Of 1889, which was the highest
on record, Wilmington was paralyzed
last night and early today, while untold
damage was done.
The food stopped the machinery at
he Brandyv-ine (generatlngl plant OF
she Wilmington & Philadelphia Traction
20, which is located at the foot OF
Buena Vista street, on the Bran3vwine.
As result all light and commercial cur
rent was shut off. at 6.30, and from that
time until early this morning not q trolley
car in the city or suburbs moved' there
were no street lights and manufacturing
establishments dependent on the COM
pany for current were idle.
The same conditions otained in the
suburbs and surrounding country, IN
view of the fact that the whole AREA, tor
many miles, is dependent on Wilmington
for light and power. All of the nearby
towns were dark, trolley cars were caught
all over the city and In the country and
had to remain where they were all night.
Passengers were forced to make the
balance Of their journey as best they could.
Due to the receding of the flood, and
HfTQ WOIk, All HlRbts pS Il la ~ iNiNS VI
Traction men, under the direction of
Thomas w. Wilson, vice-president and
general manager, who spent most of the
night at the power house, the company
began to gradually put the machinery
in motion at 230 this morning, but it
was not until after that the commercial
current was on and the industries de-
pendent on it could resume.
At 80 o'clock, however, trolley ser
vice on the Delaware avenue line was
restored and cars began to move over
that route. Because OF drifts on the west
ern end however, in the vicinity OF the
Wilmington Country Club, il was inn
possible TO get around the loop, and cars
could run only to the Country Club, from
which point they returned downtown.
The company placed other lines in service
as rapidly as possible after that and by
the middle OF the morning number of
lines were In operation. Even at that,
however, nearly everybody who had 20
be at their places o: employment early
had to walk, as there were no convegances
Of any kind.
The food 10 the Brandywine inundated
much of the section beyond Elever tn
street bridge, where come houses were
blown down also, and number OF fani-
lies were made nOfneteos. follce dHu Iit-
men rescued some of the people who were
marooned.-
INCIDENTS OF THE STORM.
About six O'Clock last evening young
woman waiting for car at Sixth and
Market streets, was so tightly wrapped IN
a piece of paper that she was not only,
embarrassed but uncomfortable and had
to be released by some of the bystanders;
On one of the first gusts of the blizzard
came sailing large section OF heavy
brown paper, and few along with the
speed OF a wild fowl and when coming IN
contact with the young woman 1t wound
around her, binding her as securely as
mummy is wrapped. The experience while
unusual was not agreeable
A horse and carriage were caught by
the gale at Eleventh and Market streets.
The rig was blown over and rolled and
slid on down TO King street. The man
driving was bruisded, but not injured
A plate glass window in the Office OF
Morris and Hawke, Odd Fellows Building,
Tenth and King street, was blown ID by
the wind during the night.
Many of the country roads are reported
blocked by drifting SHOW, throughout
the county.