The sun., 1891-06-27
SCURRYING THUNDER GUSTS.
DRIVE ON A NARROW TRACK FROM
TIE PALISADES TO ROCK4WAE

|
and Torrents OF Rain-I.iehtninG Brins'
Down n Row OF Telegraph Poles, and
| Blocks all Trains on Railroad Avenue
While most OF the Inhabitants OF this island
and Coney Island were waiting for the rain
| yesterday afternoon. rain and hail skirted
them on the east. dousinG and peltinC tho an
nexed district. crossing Newtown. giving Eas,
New York touch, and flying of over Jamaica
bay. 9.
The annexed district had two thunder
squalls. The first came at 2 o'clock and was
soon over. The second, beginning between 8
md o'clock. opened up with hail and closed
with deluge Of water which was not over
until s.
The general route OF both squalls was south
southeast. Tho black clouds came rolling ono
after another over tho Hudson from beyond
tho New Jersey Palisades and deluged the
suburbs OF the city ami Harlem. The pnrt OF
the city below 1o5th street had scarcely rain ut
ALL and tho rain did not extend much below
l2Oth street on tho west side.
The hail storm was remark able. The hail
stones camo down so thick and 20 fast
that 1t was necessary to stop the cable
cars Just above 16sh strest for several min.
utes. rs nothing could be seon a few foet in ad-
vance during tho storm.
One cable err conductor had to lock the door
OF his car to keep tho frightened women inside.
The stones made such n rafting on the roof
that it sounded as thongh q dozen men we're
came almost liystrricnl with fright.
about ten or fifteen minutes and the roads and
walks We're covered with layer OF little ice
repples about two inchos dee. some of tue
boats btsa,s that ply between Harlem Bridge, and
wns y hnil OF any account below l4nth street
but nll tho west side above High Bridge and
Ire Gs snd Gsoass bsa
share otit.
a, tremendous wind accompanied the s1uall
played havoc with tho enormous number OF
little stands and tents which are erected iem-
crowds who swarm into the country districts
OF the city on sunday and holidays.
ton Bridge at Isl st street is tenn uorarS rue
tnre, eighty feet long occuried BY u California
ee hs baps s%ays D1s nn5 sha 1 h
though It would 20 over. 1t lost half It's roof
the exhibit, was hit on the back OF the head BY
a falling beam and stunned. A few feet away
iTo & ireee We're struck NY lightning. and largo
' On Is fort s Geolse Hin the Wind swept nearly
s,ery.hinE 1xay big Oh"t.graGhsrs tent
the street. ami nrarly ali the little laErr Beer beer
and candy tent were carried on. telegram
poles went We down. and tree branches were
's At ie5h 5t street on the west side o, the Har.
rve Hf little HhtsinK .ho sraes see
II Telegraph pole at Railroad avenue and 16Oth
street. shivering the top and leaving the weight
upon the adjoining poles.
gust OF wind completed the mischief Fiji:
Fourth avenue, between l59th and, It7,h
streets torple'. oyer the granite, wall which
sffs ssw svsn s faesas Of IF vs nn 81 bs Soes
snapped Of. on . short again 2. they struck the
the roads:
sent Wi'r; W aud raj DAD ana srtssraph A msa nsa
Wnted Wn nj. IN rasnmsS ns, ac
lines Of waiting trains filled with pnsseneers
stre, ,ehed frr many blocks each side OF the OBJ
TniSn Wires. S Postal t Teesrarh wires and
railroad sign nj wires.
ike With peny ESaH Of fb1f" h1il in ~as i
and it drove or the ball Gnmc. huge. back
the a f darR n
when the rain came it ie!l in sheets. flooding
TIE wind freshened and blew the water in
waves over the smooth field. and alec sent u
fine srray into tho grand m stands. soaking the
teats. So thirk was the All air WIFI With rain ufs and
mis-, that buidinss close by and the elevaied
railway STRUCTURE Wer9 entirely 0bScured.
Flashes OF sharp lightning occasionally cleft
Il q gloom. aud the thuuder ronred terriHraly
The rain came down in torrents for fifteen
minutes. when it eased up. and the sun
shone out. After a few moments OF fright
ness, the air grew black again and the rain
started u:resh and continued llteea minutes
longer.
A beautiful black cloud came up from tho
north over lie RidGswond reservoir Blooklyn,
at nbout Z. n. and presently broSe over East
New York. There WAS tablespoonful OF
water in every one Of the big d. ops that imme-
dately preceded the deluEe whicn came down
ohliGuely and overtiowed the cutters.
In ten minutes the sun was out and tho sky
was clear overhead. while the back cloud
moved rarihly OF ovOr Jamaica BAY and Rock
away 10 the ocean. Then it seotned hotter
than ever until about O'Clock. when half u
dozen sharp claps OF thunder followed one an
other rapidly and the rain again came down In
torrents.
big haiIstones battered against the window
ranes. and awning. and fences. were blown
down. A substantial two-s' ory franc build
ire in course Of construction In Linden street
and Blake avenue was demolished.
Both squalls passed over Jamaicp Bay. max
ing for Rockaway. No rain fell with the FIRST
The second pouie heavy rain into the bav.
Passing about 1000 yards east OF Canarsie
landing and striking Tockaway savagely.
mn JOHNSON DFD JyEIE