The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-29
DARKNEss C2ME ar NOON
All the City Fnn,bl~d Around for Fnteen
Mimi ea In Itsiue. etrnbl Glnom.

NEW YORK. May y. Darkness settitd
over the cits about noon Yesterday. Inc
phenomenon caused anxi13s ,dces OF both
men and women to appear al WINDOW
Clouds and sunshine had ul'crnaIed all
the forenoon, and there had been frequent
showers. suddenly the sky assumed a
deep brownish drab color. with a STEAK
of lurid light on the southern horizon
The gloom be ,amc deeper ana deeper,
until finally the city was shroudcd IN
darkness. and lights glimm'red from tho
windows of Offices and stores.
The lamps In tho Il trains were nsht.
cd. The city seemed 10 become quiet ana
calm as the gloom increased. anS me
noise of the busy sfrcsts vas almost
hushed. About n quarter past IL CLOCK
the storm broke, and II rained heavily.
The rain seemed 10 come from every a.
recticn. Umbrellas offered little prOteS-
ton, ami numbers Of pedestrians maze
no effort TO continue on ,hcir
ways. but scrambled into the ADJACENT
The darkness was not dispelled fsr iif.
teen minutes. when tfi1ht spo- appeared
or the western horizon and the -'onni
gradually disappeared. The ram con
tinued 10 pour the baseball cranAs iooh-
ed downcast. and the oldest inhabitants
began 10 wonder whether they had ever
seen anything like IL before. About
crerter after the sun began 20 shine.
on the Brooklyn bridge the gloom was
almost awe-inspirlng. The walk WIS
the rain began 10 fall there was hardly
a soul In sight. The fcrry-bOats on the
rivers lighted their lamps, the pilots es-
ercised unusual care. and many travellers
The cause II ,he sudden darkening was
the vapOr-charged condition OF the at
mosphere. ,oWliAed with extremely low
pressure and A dense fog. 'fhe CLOUDS
banked I'D to an unusual depth, the vapor
cO.rienscd and the rainfall followed;
During tie pos ress OF the $40, IN IN ntnht
ming struck the building at 20; ~ SCUM W.,
stree. but Ci. TO damage. a pai OF IRE
ABOUT the size % a baseball rs sal1 10
have fallen IN Ann street during me
storm. IL struck the car track, broh
into thousands OF pieces, and d'sap-
The business Of the Supreme Court was
suspended for "A time on account OF the
darkness In the room. This is one OF tne
few rooms I'm the county courthouse III
which there are no gas Jets
Tho interior Of the Criminal court
building also presented dismal aspect.
The gas light In ali the cleVatois went
out. and on the lower floors The l-Shts
dwindlcd To mere glimmcrs All the
lights IN the cOroners office had 20 90
lighted, and were kent burning during
bolt OF lightning struck one Of tho
cabins In the grounds ut Ambrose Park,
South Brooklyn, used nN the heEI'eN
I'm "Rlack America. Their" we're ieur
persons i'm the cabin at the time enSdSed
In nlaving "craps None Of them were
injured. but ali were stunned. mule
used I'm TIE working OF the cotton gun,
and haillng from South Carolina. was
Instantly killed. There was cons;rrha-
ton among the supcrHtitiols negroes on
tho grounds After he torn had sun
SIDED about three hundred Of them gain
cred together aui, kneeling down, chant =
ed hymns OF thankfulness Tor th'N
escape. -,
The rainfall from 8 o'clock yesterday
morning unt.l 1 o'clock in the afternoon
was O2 inches, the greater part OF when
fell between the hours OF J. ana !.