The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-06
I.4| INCHES OF rain.
Big Downpour Attends To-Day's
Electrical Storm,
Ferry-Boat and Schooner Struck
by Lightning.
--=---
Electricity Also Plays PraHks In
Ncighboring Towns.

after 10 o'clock this morning every New
Yorker who wasn't employed in cold
storage warehouse said THANK good
ness"
Mr.. Dunn, of the Equitable Building,
had said earlier In the morning that he
had his eye on nice little thunder
storm which he was trying TO induce to
| come this way frcm the Southeast. 1t
came and for an hour or SO there was a
rafting of natures artillery which made
nervous people jump.
1t was, however. just what was needed
to Clear the excessive humidity from
the air and make life more hearab.e.
The storm, according to Mr. Dunn.
extended along the entire New Jersey
| coast, and reached inland as far as the
lower lakes. With the exception IF this
storm and little rain in the Tennessee
valley AMI Northern Michigan 1t was
generally fair all over the country
There was little change in the tenn
perature. except In the upper Mississippi
| valley. where 1t was a little cooler than
| yesterday.
At l.aO this afternoon Mr.. Dunn said
that thunder-storms would probably con-
tinue all through the day. by this even
ing or late tonight he thought the
weather would clear.
! Three hours after the shower began
La inches rain had fallen. This Is more
than the entire rainfall for last month.
when 50 Inch fell
And the chaLces are" added Mr.
Dunn, that another inch will be added
to the record to-day unless all the indi-
! cations idii."
At l.3o the temperature had fallen to
! 20 degrees, u drop OF . points since 8
! O'Clock In the morning
Mr, bunn,s hImiilty machine showed
this morn.ng that the moisture in the
! air had reached loo per cent. This,
WITH the thermometer at "A at = O'clock
was what made everybody so uncom-
| Portable.
AT . o'clock the tempera ture had gone
up to ~. but the thunder shower brought
| down four degrees, which was some
thing to be thankful for, A ten-mile
to make 1t pleasanter.
The Weather Bureau reports from st.
Vincent. Minn.. show that the tempera =
i iure MAN. Was ohay eight degrees above freea
which Is very nice to think about. Al
that time II was hottest at Galveston,
! Tex. with So degrees.
Mr.. Dunn promises that a cool wave
| from the Northwest will get here this
evening. and that We will have a cooi
night ana very comfortable day OF 1t
The storm seemed to concentrate most
OF Its force on the upper bay Just off
The Battery wall. Flash after flash of
lightning streaked through the black
clouds overhead. and the laundering re-
ports followed almost instnntaneously.
denoting that the lightning could not
be many yards away.
the loudest peal OF all was heard and
u Jagged streak caught the fiag-poie
poised on the end OF the pavilion OF the
Staten Island ferry-house
The pole was bout thirty feet high but
only ragged stump. not more than a
FOOT long. was left on the roof when
the lightning got through its play. The
splinters or the remainder OF the stan
were scattered about in the water
The ticket takers and a number OF
waiting passengers fled from the build
Jured although many said they had felt
the sensation OF an electric shock per
csptibly The employees OF the Barge
once who had been sitting In the open
watching the storm, hurriedly closed UP
every aperture and remained housed UNI
I'll the storm had passed;
| Just as the Staten Island ferry boa {
Westfield was entering her slip at the
! Battery on her 1920 trip from St George
lightning struck her forward nag stan,
on the deck with crash
There was large crowd OF passengers
on board, ana NEST OF them were women
ened. and when the boat was made Ia st
to the slip many OF them rushed ashore
/ without waiting for the gang Parks to
be run out.
A schooner under bare poles was seen
River In tow OF tug. When at a point
opposite the Thirty-ninth street (south
struck her top-mast. shivering It and
sending 1t to the deck In a shower OF
splinters. The name OF the schooner
could not be learned.
During ths storm Dol, OF lightning
struck the hassiaif on the roof OF the
building , at g chg ,, street and damaseed
The poi sixty Snx dssFoynf IT.
twelve inches In diameter at the base
and four inches at the top,
The lightning knocked the ball OFF.
ana then cut out silver OF the pole
about an inch deep for twenty feet,
then partially c!rcling the pole cut out
deep and six feet long, The pole seemed
10 be as strong as ever Notwithstanding
this damage. The halilards were not
injured, and where the lightning es-
flagstaff no oae knows.
The buildings IS, 81 and SO Cliff street
are occupied BY John Chatillon & Sons:
implements. The employees in the
buildings were greatly alarmed for II
few moments after the bolt struck the
building.
I LOUIS j. Gray who was Painting the
, flagstaff a few minutes before the hol I
struck. SAID TO an Evening World" re-
porter:
! damage va done. When ! went on the
/ root after the bolt struck there was a
smell as II some one had been burning
sulphur but beyond the damage done
10 the pole there was not trace left
Of the lightning"
! A fash OF lightning Is also blamed for
: q false fire alarm. which was rung UP at
] lO,D this morning. from Al Broad way.
/ The alarm was turned in by an auto
matte fire signal. located outside that
/ building the wires OF which are sup
posed 10 have been struck during the
| storm.
! f. p. Grltfith, Wire Chief Of the West
ern Union Telegraph Company, stated
| this afternoon that no serious trouble
I hau been caused by the storm to-day
/ He said the wires were naturally a
trite heavy, bur otherwise business was
not suffering any delay.
Overcome by the Heat.