Evening star., 1948-01-02
BY the Associated Press


NEW YORK, Jan. IA heavy
ice storm fastened an icy grip
on the New York metropolitan
area today and storm -harried
residents were warned a new
storm with high winds and
freezing temperatures would
strike before nightfall.
The Weather Bureau said one
or two inches of snow would fall
later today with strong winds and
lowering temperatures. Ice already
had caused hundreds of breaks in
power lines, leaving thousands of
homes and business places without
light, heat or cooking facilities in
the Nations most densely populated
are.
Several inches" of snow were
forecast by the Weather Bureau
within so mile radius south and
$50 mile radium north of the
snow-burdened city.
Flying Operations Cancelled.
All flying operations were Cancelled
at La Guardia Field. Pennsylvania
Railroad officials said trans from
Chicago and the West were arriv-
ing'two and three hours late. Many
commuter trains were late.
\ No casualties had been reported
in late morning.
So widespread were the effects of
the storm that power companies
could offer no immediate estimate
of the extent of service interruptions
or when service would be completely
restored. AL available telephone and
power company emergency crews
rushed into immediate action.
officials said much power was out
in midmorning in Mineola on Long
Island. Newsday, daily newspaper
said its presses stopped when power
went off after completion of 1000
of a 74,000-copy run.
Pennsy Railroad Hit.
Three of the six main tracks of
the Pennsylvania Railroad were put
out Of service at 10:17 am. when
freight cars left the tracks near
Elizabeth, N. j., the railroad said.
The ice disrupted schedules on
electrified railroad 1ines-the Della
ware, Lackawanna & Western in
New Jersey and Long Island Rail-
road on Long Island.
Power failure caused oil burners
to stop. Many early risers ate cold
breakfasts by candlelight.
Thousands of commuters, harassed
by transportation difficulties since
last Fridays record 25.S-inch snow
fall, stayed home.
Fallen trees clogged suburban
streets. All motorists were urged to
keep their autos at home. In some
areas trees were cracking like rifle
fire under the weight of ice, bring
ing down power lines as they fell.
In Manhattan, service on the
Broadway Seventh avenue IRT sub
way line between Times Square and
Ninety sixth street was halted at
8:06 am. when power was shut off
after a 36-inch water main burst.
Fire box operations failed in SOM
areas. Many trolley lines through
out the area were not running.
Bus service was sloW-or non
existent in some areas, although
New York officials reported main
routes in Manhattan in better con-
dition than at any time since last
Fridays record snow.
Hundreds of Wires Down.
Power and light companies
throughout New Jersey reported
hundreds of wires down and nu-
merous residential communities
without electricity.
The condition is the worst in my
experience" an official of the Jer-
sey Central Power & Light Co. said
Most of our distribution and
transmission lines are down, leav-
ing many of our customers without
service-and they probably will be
out for some time"
The utility serves six counties.
In all darkened areas, telephone
communications were clOgged as
thousands of householders besieged
power companies or notified author
tiles of dangerously sagging trees
that threatened to fall on rooftops.
Parted live wires that cracked on
the 1ce-coated roadways presented
other perils to traffic.
In New York, police closed a sec
ton of the heavily-traveled West
express highway because of icy con-
ditions and occasional flooded areas.
Mayor William O'Dwyer predicted
yesterday that all of the city's 5,719
miles of streets would be open for
deliveries by tonight.
Commercial trucking was per-
mitted to return to the streets today,
but the ban on operation of private
automobiles was continued.