The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-20
TERRIBLE THUNDER STORM.

omces, aud nothing for God and humanity
TERRIBLE THUNDER STORM.
~~~~~~-~
Six Hsuscs In Cleveland, Ohio, Struck BY
Observation-Disclosures Of tho Cleveland and
Pittsburg Railroad Freight Depot.
fFrom the Cleveland Leader, Sept 49,
Thursday night at about half-past ten few sreaKs
Of lightning were seen from time 70 tne ,s III Tue
very slight shower began to fall and the lightning
changed from the north TO the east and soon again
tothe south. At twelve O'Clock the lightning glareo
terribly in that quarter OF the Ornament and me
thunder rOared as If all Its force was being spent
No citizen Of Cleveland ever saw such terrible
storm. the wind was almost still and the rain fell
straight down In torrents. The SKY was piack Witn
murky clouds put Inc vid ieaPea or es
' Tne storm had ragged but short time when the
lightning came down the telegraph wires at the
police station, stove hole In the solid WALL ana
then rushed out under the floor along the gaspipe.
The Waterman saw the fash, heard the plaster iall.
but had not time to recover from hn fear when the
winged nre had shot on
road bridge and ran the iron top and down on
10 the railroad track. Gaeckiey hriegef's machine
Knocked 70 pieces and the bricks sent rafting DOWN
into the building. Al the same time nre was seen Oh
the
Il rose rapidly, and illuminated the darkness Tor
miles around, and soon was over. 1t was barn ON
Detroit street, mile from the city limits It con-
tanned large quantity Of hay. one horse two
wagons, which were entirely destroyed. Tne bay
caused the flames to spread rapidly ana maoc tue
fire appear greater than 1t really was.
HOUSE OF MIR. GEORGE P. SMITH.
While NE Gre FssRS So hG
near It the front on the east SIDE was completely
broken to pieces A CRATE In one OF the rooms with
which the chimney communicated was thrown out
or place and sent rapidly ACROSS the door, A hole
Conductor. ana the hook which attached The con-
ductor to the building was torn out and the Dicks
around were roWa 1 s9e az h ro% Sou sS
was senslb.y. numbed, and every one Of the mousse
simultaneously with this the lightning entered a
house
IT was the telegraph Office OF the Cleve;ana nU
trace Of It's passage. 1t came down the WIRE burned
streak from the ceiling 10 the cut off and injured
the telegraph apparatus very materially. The
watchman Was dazzled an instant, but soon sprang
to his work and extngulshed what dre
injured by the eccentric freaks OF the light
ming. The greatest disaster was the burning OF the
The exact time when the are broke out, the way
1t caught and the loss incurred are not exactly
known yet At half past three one OF sas watcnmsa
the round house, named Pat Mcdonald, says he saw
the nre and gave the alarm at the nearest box The
wires didn't work and the alarm was not heard.
He states that then up to Water street. wnere
ana he pSSs S ns aso s @
bursting forth in ungovernable fury from the south
east corner OF the building. Chief Engineer HIM. ms
| at the scene Of the confagratiOn. They descended
Front street hill very rapidly, but on arriving near
prevented them from crossing the track for nfleen
or twenty minutes. by tins time the whole building
was In lame. Large sparks foated on In every d.
reclion aud Goals were seen this morning the side
walks in Water street as far up as Superior and on
enveloped In one vast sheet OF name, which, spread
out nearly to the nelghboring depots and made the
night e. gI. gay tn ges snas sa oeen aroused
over the 1ame and IN moment dropped down into
the fire. M.
As soon as possible the steamers were put to work.
The hose was stretched along near the river, but In
tho course Of fifteen minutes were SO burnt that iJ
medistey thrown upon the building but could not
M. William steward, the. freight agent was alb
sent and Geographic dispatches were Immediately
sent to him at New YORK, Philadelphia and Platts-
burg His brother Mr. Guy steward. was on the
very actively IN endeav0ring to save the books and
papers OF the company. All the books and all the
Obtained the SAFE Mr. steward mad stream Of
water thrown against the safe ali the time the fire
was raging and succeeded IN saving the papers and
nearly everywhere burned down TO level with the
ground, and everything contained IN IT, except the
mass Of charred RUNS, smoking raftera, and goods
half burned and completely soaked through with
water. Neither tho building NOR its contents were
insured.
There is no time in the year, perhaps, when there
was 80 little freight in the depot. Neariy all the
upper lake freight sent OF last night to Mil
waukee aud Chicago There were 760 kegs OF ten
penny nails belonging to Cleveland, Browne h Co.,
tnat were perhaps tSo-dftbs lost some of tho Kegs
being burned and nails almost melted. They are
now lying among the ruins In two heaps and a. the
bottom OF eacl there are number Of kegs that arc
not burned. Seveuty-four boxes OF fruit jars be-
longing to Compton Bachelor were completely
destroy ed, ana fifteen barrels Of Oil belonging to the
same firm were endangered and greatly injured
Some Of the barrels were burned little and others
completely destroyed so that the oil flowed about
and formed In puddles in the mud Three freight
cars were partially destroyed and two completely
burned up.
Heaps or adjourned merchandise are now lying
around and among the ruins OF the depot; piles Of
tinware, boots and shoes, books, butter and eggs,
sweet potatoes, carpenters tools. wheels padlocXs
cans OF white lead, carpets, bed quits, nails iron
pipes drugs, are seen every where among the wrecks
Of the building.
1t Is supposed that the fire was caused BY the
lightning entering on the wire ut The eastern ex-
remity OF the building. II this is the case II must
have Unopened between twelve and one, while the
storm was at It's height There were I'VE hundred
feet OF hose and hsdrant the depot, belonging
10 the company the men present tried 10 WORK
them, but had not force enough
The depot building was originally constructed for
o grain warehouse and was built OF pine plank. As
soon as the ire began lt led oil the depot. The
original cost OF tile building was $3.50