Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1907 — A Bad Ice Storm. [ARTICLE]

A Bad Ice Storm.

The ice storm of Wednesday afternoon and evening was the worst here for a number of years, and the fact that great damage did not result to the heavily loaded trees and wires is due to the almost complete absence of wind. Had a stiff breeze came up before the ice loosened up this forenoon, wires and trees would have gone down, in wholesale fashion. As it is the telephone company has suffered considerable. The worst damage in town consists in the breaking down of a heavily loaded corner post in th e east southeast part of town, which has put the tele phone service in those quarters of the city clear out of business for the time being. In the country numerous wires are down also, while the same company’s system at Wolcott is reported to have suffered much worse than here. In fact the whole system over there is reported clear knocked out, with poles, wires and cables all down. Four wagon loads of poles were sent there from here this morning. It is estimated that the telephone company’s damage over there will reach SI,OOO to $1,200.