This late season blizzard was one of the Northeast's most notorious. This photo was taken along Broadway (I think!) as the storm was ready to pack its brutal punch. Note all of the poles and open-wire lines! Poles are extended from rooftops as seen on the right! There really wasn't much more room for additional overhead wiring as you can also see. By 1900 most communication and electric distribution circuits in the busiest parts of NYC were converted to underground conduit. Very especially on account of storms like this which brought most of the lines right to the ground.