Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-28
Traffic Tangled
yS|eetstorm;
4 Injured Here
Continuance Tonight
Forecast; Bus and Air
Lines Forced to Quit
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A freezing rain and sleet storm,
which the Weather Bureau
warned would continue through
tonight, halted plane flights,
threw interstate bus routes hours
behind schedule and resulted in
the injury of at least four persons
in traffic accidents here today.
Streetcar and bus schedules av-
eraged about half an hour behind,
according to an official of Capital
Transit Co He said 81 sand trucks
and IS streetcar sweepers had been
placed in operation.
AS a mixture of sleet and hail
continued to pile up on city streets,
William A. Xanten, supervisor of
city refuse, ordered all employees
and equipment of the refuse divi-
sion assembled to begin the clear
ing of streets. AS fast as trucks
could be rugged with plows, they
were being sent out, the city official
said Some 100 trucks so equipped
were expected to be in operation
by early afternoon.
Streetcar traffic on the Cabin
John and Kenilworth lines was at
standstill for nearly 40 minutes
around am. when overhead trolley
lines parted under the weight of ice.
Linemen were rushed to the scene
to make emergency repairs.
Weather Closes Schools.
In Prince Georges County, Md,
six schools were forced to close to-
day because of the storm. Gardner
Shugart, assistant superintendent Of
county schools, said the Oxon Hill
High and Elementary Schools, the
Forestville Elementary School, the
Maryland Park High School and the
Bladensburg High and Elementary
Schools remained closed because of
icy roads.
All schools in Fairfax County, Va,
were ordered closed at noon today
following reports from school bus
drivers that they had experienced
difficulty in travelling over ice-cov.
cred roads. At least three buses
arrived at county schools two hours
behind schedule. Others, on arrival
at schools, Immediately began return
trips with students.
| w. T. Woodson, county superin-
tendent Of schools, said they would
remain closed tomorrow unless
weather conditions improved greatly,
| Several score passengers on two
Arnold-operated buses were stranded
this morning when the vehicles
Skldded from the road, one on Will
son boulevard near Arlington Court
house another on Cherrydale Hill on
Lee highway. Relief buses brought
passengers to the city.
Two busloads of soldiers bound
for Fort Meade on National Trailway
Bus Line were turned back at Ber-
Wyn. Md, on the Baltimore boule-
ward around am. because of lev
condition of roads. They finally
caught train here for their camp.
The bus line reported it had halt
ed all routes out of the city between
midnight and 6 am. today as high
ways were rendered unsafe for trav-
Ell. The New York route reopened
this morning, and other routes were
expected to be resumed later. a dis
patcher said.
Buses Behind Schedule.
Greyhound Bus Lines said there
was considerable delay" in moving
its buses, with some routes more
IMAM two hours behind schedule.
Air travel had been halted at
the Washington National Airport
through the night, and there was no
indication when 1t would be re.
| sumed.
In addition to ice coating on over
mead lines, the Capital Transit Co.
said 1t was experiencing difficulty in
keeping streetcar switches open.
Railroads were about the ONLY
transportation on normal schedule.
Union Station officials said there
had been no disruption of service,
Many persons were treated to a bril-
liant display of lights caused by con-
tact of overhead switches on electric
fed trains with ice-coated power
| lines.
Names of Injured.
The four persons injured were
passengers in two cabs that coll
lided on the Massachusetts, avenue
bridge early today. Those treated
at Emergency Hospital were Samuel
A. Walker, 46. of 919 Virginia ave-
| nue. S.W.; William H. Simmons. 81.
District Heights. Md. and Edward
T. Mcdonald, 25, of $3.50 w street
NV. May Jones of 1925 Cathedral
avenue NV. was treated at Mount
Alto Hospital. All were later re-
leased
The Weather Bureau forecast freez-
ing rain or sleet tonight and con-
inued cold Winds will be fresh. For
the 24-hour period ending at $50
am. today the precipitation was GAO
inches. The low this morning was
q degrees at Sis o'clock.
Sleet which fell early yesterday
stopped during the day but resumed
around l o'clock this morning.
In nearby Virginia and MARYLAND
police reported three traffic tie-ups
last night due to the icy roads.
Fairfax County police said six
cars became stalled on Route 1923
one mile west of Tysons Corner.
and that No. highway was blocked
for short time when two trucks
failed to negotiate Snake Hill west
Of Alexandria. The roads were
sanded and opened later.
Naval Base Work Halted.
Maryland State police reported
that traffic was halted for a short
time on the Washington Baltimore
highway when number of automo-
biles were stopped by slick roads
at Dead Mans Curve.
State troopers said an electric pole
at Leonardtown fell across the high
way there. due to coating of heavy
ice, but was removed by troopers
without causing serious traffic de-
lays.
Power officials, however, reported
that heavy ice had broken power