Sandusky’s Valentine was a Sleet Storm in 1909

 

Between February 14 and 16, 1909 a severe ice and sleet storm coated most of central and northern Ohio. Local weather official E.E. Nimmo reported that the track of the storm was very narrow, heading from east to west along the lake. Sandusky was in the very center of the storm’s fury. Many telephone, telegraph and electric wires were damaged, under the weight of three quarters to an inch of ice. Trains and interurbans were delayed, and the Lake Shore railroad had to resort to using manual signals, due to having no electricity.

John A. Giedeman, from the Sandusky Telephone Company, stated that “It is the worst storm of the kind we have ever had.”   The telephone company sent out ten men to work on the damaged wires. The electric company did not lose its ability to generate electricity, but it could not get that energy out to the local customers due to so many wires being damaged.  Residents and businesses resorted to using old gas lights and candles. The fire alarms in Sandusky were all out of service. Local police officers assisted in removing trees and downed wires that fell across the city’s streets and walks. The picture below shows a portion of Columbus Avenue, at the intersection of Hayes Avenue. 

In the picture postcard below, you can see Old Calvary Church on the left side of the picture, old fire engine house number 3 in the center, and Sycamore School can be seen in the background on the far right. There was severe damage to telephone poles and wires at this location, near the intersection of Sycamore Line and First Street.

Employees of the Lake Shore Electric Railway are seen  clearing the right of way on Camp Street in the postcard below.

An article in the February 16, 1909 issue of the Sandusky Register thanked those who helped the storm edition of the Register get to press. The Register staff had to hand-set the type. The Sandusky Democrat loaned a non-electric motor to the Register, and Ohio Motor Company brought in a 15 horsepower engine to help the press room get the paper out. 25,000 readers of the Sandusky Register got their papers delivered at 2 p.m. on Monday, the day after the big sleet storm first hit. 

To read more about Ohio’s severe sleet storm on 1909, visit the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center, where historical issues of local newspapers are available on microfilm and online.