New-York tribune., 1888-03-22
LIGHTNING STRIKES THE CAPITOL

LIGHTNING STRIKES The CAtIIOh
TIE ELECTRIc BOLT PARALYzEs LEGISLATION SoS
MoMEvT-FREAKs OF THE visIT0R
WASHINGTON, March 81 speciaD.-In the course Of
an unusually heavy thunder storm this ancrncon
lightning struck the Capitol In the House the
Eight hour law was being debated. Mr.. Lane wa
speaking The galleries were well filled When ths
lightning struck the building there was vivid nasn
Immediately followed by poal Of thundcr that seemed
to shake tho entire Capitol For an Instant tho pro
ceedings were stopped Every member started In nis
scat Some jumped out Of their seats, ana looked g
II they expected the roof to fall upon them People
in the galleries hurredy left their places and crowded
into the corridors In the press gallcry, ball OK nre
as big as mans two fists, flashed on tho switch
board, and all wires except one were cut on
In tho Senate the lightning played among the wires
which are used to light the gas above the skylight
In the Supreme Court the sound end shock startled
the Justices so that they rose from their seats.
In tho rotunda the people who were gathered there
made rush for tho doors. The sound tho massive
iron dome terrific In Its effect In front OF the
western entrance to tho CAPITOL horse attached to
cab was knocked down In the snbbasement OF the
Senate an engineer thrown from his chair. In
the Office Of the Sergeant Arms Senator Butler and
Colonel Canaday conversing when portion o
the lightning fluid passed between thcm and disap
pearcd along the floor. The telegraph instruments
In tho Senate belonging the Press Association were
The only wires remaining unInured were those which
connect the Capitol with tho different Departments
and tho Executive Mansion, and which are placed
underground.
GALE WITH SNOW IN THE NORTHWEST
LOSS OF LIFE FEARAD-A PAssE> GER TRAIN
BLOCK D-LOGGING Po,Ds iMPAssABLE.
Pcmbna, Dak., March 21-One Of the severcs
storms of the winter set In bcrc last night. II
feared there will be loss Of life on the prair!es
ST. Vincent, Mimi. March 21.-Thc worst storm o.
tho winter set in yesterday afternoon and farmers
who were in town were obliged to remain over night
iiolbrook, A T., March 21-snow began falling
Monday night and continued ysyteray Tho winc
along the roads and tn track of the Southern Pacific
W1nslOw, A. T., March 20.-With high wind from
the southwest, snow began falling last night end
tho deepest of the year. The wind blew hurricane co
several hours
RAIN IN MIDDLE AND WESTERN STATES
THE RIVERS, LARGE AND SMALL, HIsINa RAPIpLi
-,OwLANps INUNDATED.
EAsroS Penn, March 81 (spcciaD.-Ran has faer
for eighteen hours, though not heavily. Reports
from the country show that small streams arc over
their banks In all directions, that tho country roads
are flooded in many places and water backed up by
snow drifts Low lands flooded, and every indi-
cation points tsshgh wster In the Lehlgh ana Deia-
ware Rivers Both ss-aems have risen several feo
to-day. Some of the railroads report their tracks
under water in places, owing to the water courses
being cloggcd with snow
Racine Wis, March 2l.-The warm weather OF the
last week and the heavy rain Of yesterday broke tho
Ice in the river above the Northwestern Railroad
BRIDGE and In tho afternoon 1t began to move dowr
the river When the aoe reached tho Meadc-st bsidg
the outlet was not wide enough and gorge iorinss @
about forty rods wide and from fifteen TO twenty ioc
high The gorge having formed perfect aam AM .ns
river soon forced Its over the ADJOINING docl
property, and in less than hour tho land next x
the river submerged.
Poplar River, Mont, March 21-The MISSOURI Hivol
flowed its banks and the whole rivor bottom, which
includes millions Of Of land s inundated ior over
100 miles There will be a great loss OF cattle The
bridges on the Manitoba railroad are all right Settlers
living in tho bottom lands have gone to the hills Inc
wafer Is tho highest ever known In this vicinity. -
Troy. n Y, March 21.--The Ice In wynants XII
moved this afternoon, carrying away two dams ano
doing several thousand dollars worth OF damage.