The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-06-08
A HEAVY THUNDER STORM.
The LIghtnIne's Franks in This VII
cinlty.

A very heavy thunder shower prevailed in
this city and vicinity yesterday noon, heavi-
er even than the one of Wednesday evening.
During the shower, hail stones of large
size, two of which weighed nearly fifth of
an ounce apiece, fell in the streets.
A cat belonging to Mr.. William 0'Brion,
coachman for Mrs. Darius A. Ingraham,
was crossing Pleasant street, and.its owner
is confident as it fell dead, and large hail
stone was found beside it, that the cat was
struck by the stone and killed.
Quantities of glass in skylights and hot
houses were broken by the hailstones. Mr..
Andrew Sawyers extensive Conservatives
and hot houses at Cape Elizabeth suffered to
the extent of 1900 panes of glass. Mr.. Hig
gins's hot house lost 500 panes, and another
hot house 800 panes. Apple blossoms and
tender foliage were badly treated by the hail.
Some Of the stones looked more like pieces
of ice than hailstones. Officer Frank found
a hailstone that measured an inch and a
quarter In diameter.
During the storm the thunder was very
heavy and the lightning continuous and very
vivid. The wind was from the southeast.
William H. McKay's and Mrs. Francis E.
Browns families occupy the double tenement
No. 2 Lincoln Place. While some of the oc-
cupants were dining the lightning struck the
roof near the chimney. ripping off the shin
giles, and crashed through Mrs. Browns ten
ement, tearing the plastering from the cell
ing and passing along the pipes of the water
closet, escaping into the ground. An old lady
and boy in the room were partially stunned
by the shock. DR.. Palmer was sent for, and
on entering the room found the woman sit
ting with her feet in pan of earth, some
body having told her that if person was
struck by lightning and the feet were placed
In earth the electric fluid would be drawn
out The damage to the house will not ex-
coed $50. 1t is owned by Miss Chamberlain.
Lightning struck the houses of Stephen
Burke and Stephen Murphy, Old Valentine
street. Saccarappa. They were not much
damaged, but the occupants were considera-
bly, shaken up. The houses stand side by
side, and were both struck at the same time.
During the storm the rain fell in torrents,
washing the streets badly. The rain left its
marks all along Commercial street, and at
the height of the storm the water in the
street was from two inches to more than a
foot deep. The culverts were not of suffi-
Gent capacity to carry it off, and torrents
rushed Edown all the side streets, flooding
Commercial street as it was rarely ever
flooded before by rain storm. The water
rose above the sidewalks, and the cellar of
Harris. Gage g. Tolman's store was filed to
a depth of two feet through the grating in
the sidewalk. At Thompson & Halls, the
water was only prevented from flooding the
cellar by placing boards in front of the
grating to keep it back. From the foot of
Cross street to the foot of State, the side
walk was submerged, and when the water
subsidized, from half an inch to half foot of
mud covered the walk, making travelling
very disagreeable. The foot of State street
was badly washed out. and great quantities
Of sand and small stones deposited in the
street below. On the back of the city Gel
lars were flooded.