Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-02
ICY STREETS HALT
CAPITAL s TRAFFIC
DURING RUSH HOUR
Thousands Are Delayed on
Way to Work by Tie-Up of
Street Cars and Autos.

A treacherouS layer of ice which
formed on the streets from a drizzling
rain during the morning rush hours
today brought vehicular traffic to a
virtual standstill in some localities and
delayed thousands on their way to work
In the city by automobile and street
car. Although no serious traffic acct
dents lad been reported at late hour
To-Day, lnnumerable lesser TniShaps &C.
Cured.
A let-up of the light rain and a grad
ual rise Of temperatures gave some re-
lief from the ice this morning, partic-
uiarly on streets bearing heavy traffic,
put weather conditions pointed to re-
newai OF the slippery coating on the
paVements OF the District this afternoon
or tonight.
Although inbound motor buses were
matted for considerable time on the
nils and incoming street cars delayed
generally between 20 and 40 minutes.
the usual service had been restored by
10 O'Clock and precautions taken
against delays from ice later.
1000 Abandon Cars.
Upward to 1000 motorists were
forced to abandon their cars on the
streets and proceed to work by surface
cars or on foot when the slippery 60
ing proved too much for them.
AS a result of the general tie-up OF
transportation the usual demand upon
the telephone service here was tripled
between $50 and $50 o'clock. The
chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co
brought in $50 or 200 extra opera
tors to care for the unusual volume
of calls, but considerable difficulty was
experienced before emergency meas
ures could be put into effect
On top of the unprecedented demand
Tor service to frozen radiators over
the week end, the local division oil
the American Automobile Association
was besieged with calls this morning
for chains. Some 800 or 400 motorists
ordered them sent either to then
garages or to points on the streets
where they had been forced to aban.
don their automobiles.
Fewer Motors Freeze.
Although TOO motorists called fol-
service on frozen motors over Sunday
| the demand for relief from this trouble
had appreciably lessened today.
Thirty operators are on duty taking
the calls, and some $50 service cars in
| operation this morning, most of which
were busy distributing chains.
Several persons were treated at Cas-
ualty Hospital this morning for hurts
sustained by pedestrians who slipped OF
| the streets. Mrs. Matte Smelling, 40
of the 1900 block of Potomac avenue
southeast sustained a dislocated Shoul-
der when she fell to the pavement al
John Marshal place and Pennsylvania
| avenue. She was admitted to the hos
| pital
Virginia Keefer, SIS. Of s33 Fifth
| street, was treated at Casualty for
shock after she had slipped and fallen
Pvt. M. j. Geary of No precinct in
tured his left hand when he lost his
balance and fell to the street near Wis
consin avenue and w place.
| Several other victims, none of them
seriously injured, were given first aid
at Emergency Hospital during the
morning.
Skidding Car Sounds Fire Alarm.
The fire apparatus made a run tc
Fourteenth and Belmont streets wher
an automobile, skidding on the CLASSY
street. went over the curb and broke
the alarm box down. No one was in.
lured. Another skidding automobile
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