New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-05
A coNrINrous RAIrLE IN PArERsoY.

A CONTINUOUS RATTLE IN PATERSON.
MANY PLACES STRUCK 81 LIGHTNING. BrI so *
RloUs DAMAGE-rwo INCHES on KAIS.
A thunderstorm. the like of which has not been
seen in Paterson y. j., in many years broke over
chat city Yesterday noon For about twenty miu-
utes t rained IN torrents aud thunder and lightning
were continuous Nearly two inches Of water teh,
and most Of this inside OF fifteen minutes The
streets were transformed 20 rivers and the curb
stones were invisible. The sewers were inadequate
to carry off the immense volume Of wafer suddenly
precipitated into them, aud IN many places tho
force of the water lifted OF the covers OF the man
holes and sent fountain several feet INTO the ar
number OF bad creyices IN the sewers were made he
streets wherever there was considerable grade
were badly washed. Some of the avenues m the
hilly suburban districts are scanned with immense
gues while the sidewalks at the FOOT OF sYery
slope are piled with sand two or three feet deep
During the height of the storm dry goods boxes
standing IN front Of Maln-st. stores were hoated III
into the gutter The water IN Graud-st where 1t
crosses the Erie Railroad track under grade Wa
three feet deep.
The display of lightning was appalling. Tho
crashing OF the thunder was unceasng for several
minutes. and sounded like the constant rattle Of
small arms nterspcrsed at frequent intervals win
the booming of whole broadsides Of cannon
Most men confessed after 1t was over
that they were badly frightened. The
bolts struck in scores of places all parts Of me
city. The spre of the Market-st. Methodist Fps
copal Church WIS struck and a window beneath It
shattered. All over town chmneys were knocked
10 pieces and shingles stripped from :. Pieces
OF shingles were found from 100 to $50 feet away
from one house that was struck IN Iyler-st lbe
telephone bells rang lncessantly, aud the lnstru-
ments in subscribers houses kept up perpetual
d. a.. l.. I'll. ltnf
from them. In he central office every one of tho
500 OrmOre shutters attached TO a corresponding
number of wires dropped at once. The operators
did not attempt to answer this spontaneous and
general call The lightning arrester5 which
were put IN some time ago To provide Tor storms
like this worked well in carrying of the lightning
and little damage was done to the service. In the
Western Union telegraph office the cracking of the
sparks from the Instruments was incessant, and
the operators here also took a recess from their
duties The burglar alarm aud district messenger
service IN the same building, was consl .erably
damaged. lhe hre alarm teiegraPh sur
fered still more. The striker IN tho
First Baptist Church steeple, which had lust
been repaired after having been knocked into use
lessuess ia thunderstorm few nights ago Vas
again pendcTed unrerylCeable. The gongS ln tho
eng ne houses thrOug ghout the city rang repeatedly
The other damage done by lightning VAS surprls-
ugly small considering the terrifying nature oi the
dlsplay-a few hag-poles spllntercd, chlmneys
knocked Oft and shingles scattered sum up the
harm The damage ~ persons also trltiing.
Numerous persous felt tngllng sensations Or mors
decided shocks hen the bolts struck near them,
and Que man who driving an ice-wsgon
was rendered momentarly senselcss, bus
no person il reported "a seriously shocked
or Ina any way injured. Alarming ru-
mora prevailed one story being that
the br lge uf he Ere Railroad over the Passsio
River at law thorne had gone down with pasen-
uor tram. owing to the washing away ot the inun-
/ dntipIs. Tho .torY originated probably trum tho
tact thar lightning struck the nridgr aud played
| wildly along tho tonN grk
4 hur,p in - stable IA Montgomery At Wa allied
10y lightning IA iis stall. but tho buidhs Naa anly
aligAtlN damaged