New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-20
KILLED BY THE LIGHTNING.


SUNDAY STIFFNESS INTERRUPTED BY WIND ANDiRAIN
-OTHER DAMAGE.
The city was awakened at an early hour yester-
day morning by peal after peal of loud thunder that
broke suddenly upon the Sunday morning stiffness.
Heavy black clouds swept across the sky,
seeming almost to touch the church
steeples and high buildings, and for a few
moments the rain dashed violently on pavements
and housetops. The storm passed as quickly as 1t
came, and before the earliest church-goers started
out the sky was clear. the streets dry and the
atmosphere was moist and hot. At 0 a. m. Hud-
nuts thermometer Indicated a temperature of 10,
and by noon the mercury had risen to 800.
At $3.50 p m. the temperature was $50
and there were signs Of another storm
in the southwest. The clouds soon grew black in
that part of the sky, and came sweeping over tho
city with ragged, wind-torn edges The sky be-
came quickly darkened and the wind swept fercely
over the housctops. There was scarcely breeze
stirring at the level of the plvements, however.
The rain came in sudden dash, and poured down
In torrents for at least half an hour. Tho
rain and wind were accompanied by vivid flashes
OF lightning and loud peals of thunder In less than
an hour the sun was shining the city. and the
storm went muttering and rumbling over the COIN
helds and potato-patches of Long Island. At p. M
the mercury in the thermometer had fallen to ITO.
In the afternoon storm Thomas Leonard, nag-
man on the NV York and Sea Beach Railroad. was
walking by the side of the track at the
Kings Highway talking to friend. They
nad Decn standing almost shoulder to
shoulder, but had turned and were walking along
few feet apart. Suddenly vivid fash of light
ming came and Leonard dropped to the ground as If
sn0t. his friend was not hurt, bat Leonard was
Killed tly being terribly scorched about the
face and body. HIS body was taken to the morgue
at Gravesend. Leonard who was twenty-six wears
old. leaves a wife and one child and no property to
SUPPORT them.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company's round
house. near the depot, was struck by lightning and
the r00f slightly damaged 1t seemed to glance from
the states Will which the roof s covered and taks
a downward course. entering the ground near tho
building. Men who were at work in the building
| felt the shock slightly.
In the storm Of tue morning lightning struck
| hag-pole on Grammar School Building No. "a, in
| brOOIne-st. Inc pole, which Is SurmounteG by q
metallic weatnei-vane, was spntered in a lew
| places but was otherwise unnjured The ianltor
ana nls family. hvlng on the ground floor. did not
| feel the influence of the lightning
me WIND blew down large maple tree in front
OF NO. 4z ferry-st during The shower OF the after
| noon.
terrific thunder shower passed over the western
| portloh oI queens County IN the morning. between
the hours VI and o'clock he rain which was ac-
cOmpauled wlth hail, iell IN torrents washing the
Ioadways Dadly IN many places At HYDE Park
lightning struck the new Union Chapel. damaging
IL 10 the extent OF 1900. At Garden City lightning
stfuck tree under which flock of sheep owned
by the Stewart estate had taken refuge killing
lOIty OF them and seriously injurlng twenty hers
FOR the second time this summer the flag pole on
TIE top OF Castle Garden struck by hghInIng be-
tween ana O'Clock. 70 damage done the
right OUT INTO the Battery Park, and the lower half
was spiintereu.