New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-03
A STORM OF DUST AND RAIN.
AN UNwELCoME VISITOR TO THE CITY


early hours Of yesterday Little temptation to excur
sons up the Sound down the Coney Island beaches
was found in the brisk wind and the clear cool atmOs
phere But as the day the air gradually ceased
stirring and intense heat fell upon the city. At D.
the tower of the Equitable Building famed always by
some wind, when the roof OF the building scorch-
Ing to the feet pierced temperature that the hermome
ter recorded at 800, against $50 on Sunday. Up to
the late afternoon the city sweltered in close, sutry
atmosphere
Toward evening breeze began to stir the dust col
eced In the streets and spread the houseops 1t be-
gan 10 gather strength about .. m sweeping up long
lines OF dirt in the streets and backenng door and
window-sis with trails Of black powder Then the sky
quickly darkened, sullen clouds began to pile up
upon the other and rolled pel-mell toward the south
and ca st. until deep gray scroll unroled from the
tops of the New-Jersey hills over the city down to a
broad bright band OF light that stretched itself above the
horizon back of Brooklyn The velocity OF the wind
increased to thirty-two miles hour, the ordinary
rate being seldom above fifteen miles. With what
appeared to be the work OF a moment the furious gale
filed the streets with whiring clouds Of dust and dirt,
until 1t impossible to beyond q dozen feet.
Then the housetops wrapped with the yellow mist
and great volumes of poured the rivers The
wind was blowing from the north at one moment and
| from the northeast at the next.
WHAT WAS SEEN IN THE EQUITABLE BUILDING.
To one looking from the top of the Equitable Building
great volumes Of dust hung over the East River
The Brooklyn shore like a long line Of
mist-hid, rolling land, but Just above It
streak OF color. pale pink, stretched
between the smoke aud the lcaden lowering clouds.
Toward the south the outlines OF Staten Island had
almost faded from view, and OF the bay took
OH dull green hue, wrnked everywhere with waves
whipped by the wind. About six p. IN. the dust-couds
began to diminish and rain began to fall For fifteen
twenty minutes aftervard the rain descended heavily
and frequent flashes of lightning broke through the dark
vapor that had by this time gathered to tho south ard
east The rain copous while 1t feel but the winds
velocity fell Of from thirty two TO eighteen miles hour
THE VIEW FROM THE TRIBUNE ROOF
Viewed from the top OF the Tribune Building, the
storm presented O magnificent appear Far away
to tho west, the New Jersey hills, could be
heavy black cloud with omnous look. The wind soon
began TO assume the proportions Of gale 1t whlsted
through the cornices aud around the II blow
ing through the cordage OF ship. On the street below
people seemed unconscious OF the coming II
up quickly that within few minutes from the
time the cloud first appeared large Sound steamers sail
ing down the North River were suddenly obscured,
although rain falling. HAS went flying in all
directions and there was general scramble on the
streets for shelter The sidewalks were speedily
deserted The wind caught up the dirt in great
flying columns and cleared the middle OF the
streets In manner to bring modification the Street
Commissioner, Us showing the possibilities Of street
cleaning
Although the lightning in the west vivid, no
thunder WAS heard The storm swept up the North
RIVER and few minutes later ~ began to rain heavily
IN the city That lasted only few minutes. however
and ONLY two or three cps or thunder were heard One
tho other 20 the north ~ lively and inter
cstug storm, however for few moments aud gave rise
TO "A general expression Of belief that tornado had
swept unoomfouably near tho city.
Before the gloes OF the sunset bad died awaythe rain
had ceased fAlng and me spectacle was presenter IN
the OF brilliant bank OF hight fTnged along
blue and the east was crowded win black smoke that
Was rolling rapidly toward the south The lightning
while frequent for few minutes was apparently spend
10 Its force In OF Ter locality than NewfOrk CITY
soMT DAMAGE IN THE CITY.
The wind and rain caused the entire roat OF Miners
cop les Theatre structure IN process OF erection
on the site the old yolks Garden. in the Bowery.
po.te sprngst to cave In. The workmen had just quit
,hcir work and Injured by the accident The
wall was three s,ore. high with rs feet OF front and
ran hack 100 feet The failing OF The mas Of bricks and
oortar loosencd the walls IN the rear, knocking them
out OF plumb. The theatre wa- intended To be
nuished In few weeks. and to have seating
capacity Of 5000 persJns Tho wall, It Was as
Of the wcttng the by the rain looseung the
entire structure. The wall was not over foot thick.
The wind also blew down unfinished throO-story
frame h.uae o nel by David Hall 20 Morris and
aud forty second ST. Tho loss Ia estimated
ut ri 900. -,
force OF tho gale. largo tree blown down at
twenty sovenths. whicn fell directly across Ffthave.
vehicles were blocked aud had 10 alter tncr route and
90 M broadway 10 get around the obstruction
Violence. The wind blew very Hereby for few
minutes before the fall Of the rain, hui with the scatter
mo of few wigs IN Central and Mount Morris Parks IL
spent ts force. Neither In Harlem In aorrisana
was there any damage done by the lightning.
EFFECTS IN BROOKLYN.
The wind that preceded the thunder storm became
violent Ia Brooklyn about hatpast i've. The smoothly
paved streets ia the lower part OF the city were
.nGdcnly swept almost clean, tho dust being
ufed into the air Ia clouds In the more exposed
place. In the outer parts of tho city the wind
even moro violent and that Il almost impos
h for travellers on foot stand against It. To
aoker al elevated POINTS, great cloud or dust seemed
To rlse from NewYOrk ana TO bsswept before the wind
over the lower part Of Brooklyn. cloud that bore toe
1opearance OF water-spout carried along In the
seyrra, brcElayers were at work four new build
ugs that were being erected nj Presidents and Eighth
ave opposite tho Tesidence OF General Caristensen,
and the partly built walls had been raised to height OF
about eighteen feet The sudden gust of wind from the
northwest struck the walls with such violence that they
,ser. ho,yu dawn. Two OF tho workmon escaped but
Hugh flanagan Of No. 4s6 Presdentst, struck
by Tue failing wall and injured about the head andiDack
lie was In ambulance 60 his home His injuries
wero found not 10 De serlons large tree was blown
down opposite No AZ Grand.st. aud trees were also
prosrated vanderbtave, Nas,au-st and other paris
OF the city. The heavy ail OF rain that followed the
An Instant Though the lightning was SHARP thoro were
no instances reported of ts having struck buildings
living away Of a new sewer Of
siruction nm Evorgreen-ave near Greene Andrew
McCrav one of the workmt n who were engaged tho
sewer partly buried In the Garth, lie was slightly In
nred and was taken his homo al Grand aud Lagrange
sts.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN LONG ISLAND CITY,
The rain was light In Long Island City, only wotting
the pavement for few moments, but 1t preceded
by furious wind and dense purple cloud overriding
the city, The cloud OF dust rolled over from NowYork
and for nearly ten minutes Oiled the streets so thoky
that IL was difficult TO Distinguish objects few yards
distant. Very little lightning accompanied |
the storm and appeared to be al distance Jamaica
cxprrieneed the same cloud OF dust with hardly less
severity Hemprtead and Flushing also felt tho storm
and the dust Tho wind though severe at both places,
did damage, and tne storm was accompanied with
little aud thunder.
rfous accident occurred ut the Blissyille crossing
Of tic Long Island Railroad, In Long Island CITY. wule
the storm It's height. large wagon belonging TO
skelly N Fokarty's brewery, in which two men,
drove ,crOss the track ri when the gale