New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-26
DAMAGE BY LIGHTNING.
TWO CHURCHES STRUCK.
TALL srgRD IN HARLEM ATTRACTS BULL
,,xrrnE DESTRUCTION OF ROMAN CATH
oLIc CHURCH IN NEw-RoChhLhr'

.,o soyoro storm which broke over the
It,. h.,wor,7 | and . O'Clock yesterday morning,
49, ,.u snire of the Pilgrim CongreS"'iohai
C,h,rcb one of the most conspicuous edihces al
Helen was struck by lightning. Inc churcn
a, . sro h,icl; structure built in les-' al h""iso"-
.ve and Observation-Disclosures I-nIsNS'' Inv
pss,or is the Rev. DIR. Samuel II. 'hsi"' Jus, "
po,icemap John C. Mendelson had ie"on'" VIC"
=, Lie he,, in Madison-ave. opposi'e the
ah,rcb the storm burst upon him anu he n"'
ia,.' 0a,,,h, shelter in the narrow porch at
a., t, of the brick tower below the splre. lhc
W.. n. bas q slate roof. is pierced with numerous
sn.u windows, and is tipped with SaiVanizeu
inn cope Tic officer had hardly tlnie 10 thihh
hi,seIf safe when there came pilhdlhs HASH VI
,ah,nino followed by a terrific peal of thunder,
ona a shower of broken states and glass came
ra,,linc about his feet He was partially stunned
for q moment but shortly recovered 10 nnu '"''
the spre had been struck.
Subsequent investigation showed mat the llSh'-
ming had been playing another OF lis peculiar
nrantS and that the escape of tie church from
more serious injury, if not total destruction was
something remarkable The bolt had struck 'ie
south side of the spirr lew feet below 'he 'op'
breaking the States, and then passed around I"
The north side, where 1t ripped OF le" more
states and made a hole IN the rooi' Gh'eiins
here the electric current passed dowh INC III
terror OF the spre by way OF an iron strengthening
rod until it came TO one OF the small "lhuo"S.
Forcing the windows lead framework, II fouhu
an exit and ran downward until ii reached an
other window at the spires base Here IL seeihs
70 have found another non-conductlns 0bstacie'
for from that point all trace of It's progress Is
lost unless two discolorations on the stone steps
where the policeman was standing may De tsaIueu
rs evidence OF It's travels. SUhe "l Lne lh'tiioi
of the woodwork was slightly scOrcicu, ana II
seems remarkable that u hre was not s''i'C''
To repair the damage Will probably cost not uoic
than $500, and SlOJ OF this sum Will ne eApchue"
in the building of the necessary scahoIus Inc
regular Wednesday night prayer-mcetlng was
held as usual last evening III the church ounu"'
school room . ,;i,,;,,o,
At an early hour yesterday morning iightnihs
struck the steeple OF the Church OF the bleSSeu
Sacrament in Ientre-ave, near Maln-st, NV %
Rochelle. of which the Rev. L athcr lhohias NC
Iourhliu is pastor. AS the bolt struck the stecpie
it set the bell ringing IN the tower ms aiousIu
tatner Mclaughlin and the people ilVlng III tllc
neigh borhood In a few minutes iianss pesah
to sboot from the roof of the church, when was
a frame structure. BY the time the fire company
arrived the building was completely eHNcIope"
in flames. Tlf firemen succeeded IN saving con
siderable furniture and valuable articles III 1he
church They also prevented the flames from
spreading TO the chapel nearby; me church was
totally DESTROYED, involving loss oil ABOUT Sl",-
600 The loss is nearly all covered by Insurance
Lightning also struck the chimney ana rooi
of {. Penteld's home on chester L|h, Mt' NcI-
not. scattering the bricks and shingles III every
direction The inmates OF the house were, how
ever not injured.
The carriage factory of Frand Becce, in East
chester. was struck by lightning and damaged 10
:he amount of several hundred dollars The hight
ming also did considerable damage TO property
on City Island. The house Of John Levlncss
Was struck and the chimney wrecxed. \ por.
ton Of the roof carried away; The house OF
Thomas j. Boyd was struck and Mrs. Boyd S aged
mother was badly stunned Mr.. Boyd himself
was partly paralyzed from the shock he received