New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-06
THE LIGHTNING'S FRANKS.
WHAT SATURDAY NIGHTS STORM DID.
FIRES AND SHOCKS on ALL sIDEs-THE RAIN HELP
NO ON TILE LIVELY WORK.

The storm on Saturday night did some strange
things and few serious results followed
In the operators rooms in the top OF the Western
Union Building panic was caused by current
of elec tricty which zig-zagged all over the room
for fully thirty seconds. George L. Baker, one
of the chief operators was at his instrument trying
TO get Philadelphia" when he noticed that the
wires underneath the board seemed to be on fire.
Breaking the current Immediately, he started away
from the instrument. He had not gone ten steps
when n brilliant ball of fire as large as mans
hat eaped from the switch to chandelier some
six or eight feet away, and in an instant blind
ing cash shot the room. The phenomenon
said Mr. Baker yesterday, was at once the most
beautiful and terrifying have ever seen in my
thirty years OF experience with electricity. The
room was filled with dane ing dazzling light OF
thousands Of coiors. At the same time success
sive noises like pistol shots deafcned our ears.
The light went as suddenly as it had come The
scene was worthy of Dante's Inferno"
Mr. Bakers coat, which was lying on his desk
at the time was perforated with small round holes.
clearly cut and surrounded by black circles. 81
am thankful" said Mr. Baker with laugh, " that
was not in that coat In explaining the phe-
nomenon Mr. Baker showed the reporter the thou
sands Of wires attached to the huge board These
wires had received such charge Of electricity
that the ground wire could not carry it all of.
The chandelier, connected by the gas pipes with
the ground, formed ground connection to which
the powerful current leaped. Had the wires not
been perfectly insulated he added " the building
would have been torn 10 pieces in less than in
slant
The building OF the United States Illuminating
Company at No. 416 East Twenty-ninth-st. was
struck by lightning, and all the electric lights sup
piled from this plant went out instantly Lights
all over the city were put out by the various
shocks during the storm in many the globes
being moved from their position or shattered.
In the Equitable Building the electric clocks were
stopped by shock. The fagpole on the Union
Square Hotel was spliniered and the pieces thrown
far out into the street Several Of the guests who
were sitting in the front Of the office at the time
were panic stricken. One OF them, relating the
affair to reporter. said that all the bells in the
house were set ringing violently while solid
mass of fame seemed to shoot down the elevator
shaft The shock was strongly felt by those in the
house.
THE STORMS AMUSING SIDE.
The storm was not without its amusing scenes.
An open surface car in Brooklyn was stopped by
pole which had fallen across the track at Lori
mer and Grand SITS At this point the water was
so deep that it covered the sidewalks and poured
into cellars and Easements IL they were cuverts
There were several ladies in the car who were at
a loss how to get out Of their predicament. FL
naly the conductor and gcncrous-spirited passen-
ger came to the rescue and carried them one by
one to an elevated spot half block up the street.
where the sidewalks were above water. In East
New-Yorly the culverts became cholSed up and the
oil ~ on
tcrprising gamins improviscd board bridge across
the street at Alabama and Atlantic-avcs. and did
thriving business, charging a one-cent toll. till
policeman drove them away for refusing to let
ladies cross who would not pay the toll In Green
point several heavy shocks felt At tele-
phone Office at No 12l Frankn-st. n telephone
was shattered to pieces and the wires burned out.
The current leaped from the instrument to the
foor where it burned hole as large as a good
sized bullet through the wood
At Long Beach the rain fell almost in solid
mass. The strong wind which suddenly sprang up
caught the water and hurled it in sheets against
the sides Of the hotel An ocean breeze had been
sending the breakers inshore in long swes during
the day, but sudden shifting Of the wind caused
the TO rise high in the air and break with
mighty roar. From the hotel veranda the white
crested wall OF breakers could be seen plainly as
il 1t were day, owing to the rapid flashes of light
ming The corn fields and gardens in the surround
ing country showed distinctly the traces Of heavy
downfall CT rain and the strong wind that ac-
companied it, Vines and plants beaten down by
the rain were still lying on the ground yesterday,
while some Of the corn stalks were broken Off.
THE WEATHER CLERK ENJOYED IT ALL.
The Signal Service observer was found at his
office at the top Of the Equitable Building. He
seemed rather pleased with the storm. for he had
predicted that it was coming with grand rush.
Il had extended, he said, over the whole Of Penn
sylvania, Eastern New-York, New-Jcrsey and New
England. The temperature then was ten degrees
lower thsn at the same time on Saturday The
humidity however almost as high. Another
fall Of rain likely to occur after which the
weather would be cndurable.
Captain Van Pelt, who struck by lightning
on board his sloop at Pier No. 2, East River, aud
taken to the Chambers Street Hospital in an in
sensible condition, had sufficiently recovered yes
terday 70 he taken to his home at EraStina.
During the storm several fires were caused by
the lightning A barrel of lime in building
being erected at No. 1877 Chambers-st. caught
fire. but was extinguished before any damage
had been done new building in Waker-st.
was struck by lightning and damaged to the
extent OF $500 Slight fires caused by light
ming also occurred at No 42S Broadway, No.
60 Delsncey-st., the Dairy Kitchen No. "A East
Fourteenth-st, SiXtccnth-st and Tenth-avc., Thirty
third-st. and Elcvcnth-ave.. No. go Third-ave.
AMI No. Ala East Twenty -nnth-st.
John Gilmore, cab driver, of No. 334 East
Thirty -second-st, drove his cab into large hole
which hsd been washed ont by the rain in front
of No. 2os East Fortieth-st. The shafts of the
cab were snapped off, and one of them cut the
| l.. Il. -
church in the seminary grounds in Twenty-frst-St,
near Tcnth-avc., was struck by lightning and
slightly damaged. One of the large freight sheds
| in Castle Garden was thrown down, but no one
was injured
The Western Union Telegraph office at Eliza
beth, n j., was struck by lightning and some of
| the wires were burned No was injured.