New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-16
HAVOC BY THUNDERBOLTS.
A DEAFENNG CRASH IN FoURrEENTH.sr
THE cuPoLA or THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION


The Roman Catholic Church of the ImmaopIa-e
Conception, at No. sos East Fourteenth-st, was
struck by lightning few minutes before D. m.
yesterday. Rain was pouring down in torrents az
the time, and few persons wee on the sidewalk.
but as many as fifty persons who stood in door
ways or sat at windows OF houses on the south
side of Fourteenth-st. saw the bolt desce nd and
were shocked by it, Several Of them said last
evening that there was binding fash accom-
panied by report that almost deatened them.
The bolt struck the wooden cupoh which wus
erected on the brownstonc front Of the church q
few years ago in place of steeplc. A gded
cross, which surmounts the cupoIa, was untouched,
apparently, but the bolt shattered the roof Of the
cupola and tore strips Of wood from the sides ss
10 passed down TO the stoneworI
Splinters few in all directions, and moment
Inter smoke curled up over the shattered wood
work. Probably the lightning set fire to the
eupoa, but the rain quickly put out the flames.
Half donn pigeons that had taken refuge in the
cupola were hurled out by the lightning shock
and most Of them fell dead on the street pave
ment In front Of the church. One bird. whose
Feathers were scorchcd and torn from It's breast
was still alive when it fell TO the ground. stunned
and helpless. Andrew Curtin, OF No. sos East
FOurteenth-st, picked up the bird and carried it
into his fathers butcher shop. where II revived
and WAS auttCrng about in the evening. Curtin
and sevenl other persons who saw the Lightning
strike the church, said that two large balls Of
fire fell from the roof TO the ground immedil tey
aftez the shock
The Rev. Father Edwards, pastor OF the church,
and Fathers Hogan and Kelly were hearing con.
feSsons In the church when the cupoa wns shat.
tered. The priests were in the confessional boxes
and about 90 persons, mostly women, sat or lInelt
in the auditorium. They oil felt the shock and
were frightened, hat nobody was hurt and there
was no panic. Father Edwards Immediately dis
missed the Others and they went outside where n
lOrgo crowd was gathering in spite Of the storm.
Thomas MaXey. sexton Of the church, was closing
one Of the windows, when he was nearly knocked
over by the lightning lie was one OF the first TO
leave the church, knowing that the building had
been struck. The priests aud the women thought
bhat snOthsr building had been struck until they
got 30 the front doors and saw the excited crowd.
Father Edwards, Mr.. Maxey and several other
men quickly made an examination OF the roof
and cupoa 10 see II the church was on fire They
found thAt the top Of the CupOla wRs 80 badly
wrecked that parts NJ II were In danger VI fall.
ing Wotkmen were kept busy there until night
fall securing the broken beams, while Father
Edwards stood on the sidewalk and warned per.
sUnS not 20 p7Ss too clos" 10 the church IL seen
that the lightning, after wrccking the Cupola, had
struck several large stones upon which the Cnpoa
rests and then had Travelled "a short distance aloug
the slg1ting roof toward the southeast corner OF
the church. One hrgr stone weighing about 300
pounds had been muyed out Of place several inches
aud turned about slightly by the shock Frag-
ments had been chipped from several OF the stones
by the electrical discharge. The church has "A
mB sslve front OF brOwnEtone The thunderbolt
jumped from the cornice 20 the ground, as there
was no lightning rod on the edihce Father Ed
wards sad the cupOa, probably, would have 20
h. taken down anil rebuilt The repairs will cost
several hundred dollars
A tree in frOot OF the late Father Drumgoole's
school at Great Jones 49, and LAfayrtt" Place was
struck 6y lightning and knocltrd down soon after
noon. The shock hurt nob,dY, but the deIfrning
crash scared many persons IN the neighborhood
All the bells In the telegraph office at Police Head
quarters weT rung for an instant. and two tele-
phone lines were disabled