Evening star., 1924-03-11
SUDDEN BLIZZARD
PLAYS HAVOC HERE:
ROARS ON NORTH
Telephone and Telegraph
Lines Wrecked, Trains
Are Delayed.
HIGHWAYS ARE BLOCKED
BY TANGLE OF WIRES
Hundreds of Workers Wallow
Through Slush-D. C. Tree Nurs-
cry Hard Hit by s0-Mile Gale.

Swirling suddenly up the southern
seaboard from the Gulf of Mexico,
cyclonic blizzard swept over Wash
ington last night, left the city virtu-
world under a heavy blanket of sod
den snow, and now is reported to be
roaring northward over Delaware
with undiminished intensity.
Two small and overcrowded under
ground telephone wires between
Washington and New York were the
only reliable means Of communica-
ton from the National Capital to the
outside world at noon today. All
aerial telegraph and telephone wires
were reported down, trains from the
north, west and south limped into
Union station from two to six hours
late. and even the larger radio sta
tions went out of commission.
Traffic in Washington moved eau
tiously and uncertainty today through
seas of slush and water, while the
snow, soaked with rain, continued to
fall steadily most of the day. Only
the most intrepid motorists venture
to drive slowly through the streets
street car schedules were late ami
many lines were often blocked. Both
telephone and telegraph lines, torn
from their supports by snow and
wind, made travelling hazardous.
Fire Alarm Boxes Out.
Two hundred and fifty fire alarm
boxes were reported out OF commits
sion before noon, special police tele-
phone systems collapsed under the
onslaught of natures forces, trees
were either broken or blown down
and special forces of men were kept
busy all day clearing the streets OF
debris scattered over wide areas by
the storm. The Fort Dupont nursery.
where many trees were being pre-
pared for use in the city this spring,
was reported hard hit
Hundreds of workers were IN
able to reach their places Of en-
ployment, and more of those who
than on time. Taxicabs were kept
busy all morning hauling to work
anxious men and women who found
it impossible to squeeze themselves
street cars. Few commuters reached
their offices before noon.
Reports that seeped into Washing
ton over all but destroyed lines OF
communication from Maryland and
Virginia suburbs described condi-
of wires we're reported stretched
across main highways, making ira
yelling by automobile dangerous IL
not impossible. Thirty telephone
poles were said to have collapsed be-
tween Alexandria and Seminary Hill
alone, and a commuter, who managed
to reach Washington from Lanham.
Md, described similar conditions
there.
Anniversary of 1855 Blizzard
The weather bureau described the
storm as one of the worst billiards
on record for this section. Falling
on the anniversary of the famous
blizzard of 1888. when Senator Roscoe
Conkling lost his way in a drift in
the heart of New York city and died
of exposure, it was said to "at least"
equal that storm in precipitation and
intensity. Washington was isolated
from the outside world for three
days following the blizzard.
From six to eight inches Of snow
and nearly two inches of rain had
fallen up to IL o'clock this morning
and at that hour the snow was sttll
falling. Maj. Edward H Bowie. fore
caster, said, however, that the storms
center had passed over Washington
and the precipitation would cease be-
fore night. He does not expect 4
change in temperature tonight, but
predicted slightly rising temperature
Maj. Bowie described the blizzard
as tremendous cyclone. Originating
in the Gulf of Mexico, it whipped over
to Florida and began sweeping up
an hour. 1t turned to a snowstorrl
when it struck the Carolinas, but con
tinued in intensity, and the weather
bureau expects it to hit New York
later today with undiminished vio-
lence. The entire south is crippled.
trains many hours late
Wind Reaches so-MiIe Speed.
The center of the storm reached
Washington early last night, still &C
companied by high winds, and sta
tions at the Virginia capes reported
the velocity to have reached eighty
miles an hour there. 1t is not be-
lieved to have blown so hard here.
however, although the havoc done by
wind is reported to be nearly as heavy
as that of the heavy, rain-soaked
snow.
The first lines OF communication
pounding of the elements were from
the south These were soon followed
by western wires, however, and by
morning, when the storm center was
raging beyond Baltimore. the north
ern lines began to weaken. The
Western Union Telegraph Company
reported all of its southern and west
ern wires down. 1t was conducting
it's business as expeditiouSly as pos
sible over two underground tele-
phone wires to New York and a lone
aerial wire that was lost and re
gained many times during the
morning.
Naval Radios Break Down.
The Postal Telegraph Company re
ported it's Washington stations as iso-
LATED. 1t had no wires in any direc
ltion, although it reported traffic con-
ditions south of Richmond and be-
,yond Baltimore to be in fairly good
condition. A through wire from
Washington to Jacksonville was rig
ged UP before noon, only to collapse
| a few minutes after traffic began to
go over it. Special crews of men
were ordered out to follow in the
wake of the storm and repair damage
for both companies as fast as weather
conditions would permit.
Efforts to relieve tho communica
tions situation through the naval
radio station at Arlington failed, too
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