The Portland daily press., 1896-06-22
AN ELECTRICAL STORM.
That Stirred Portland From Its
Very Centre.
THE RAIN CAME DOWN IN SHEETS
FOR AN HOUR.

| and vicinity-A Barn Burned at Tre-
| fethen's Landing-A Barn Struck in
| Deering-The Cape EIectrics Power
| House Gets Shock and Cars Were De-
Iayed-No One Hurt.
| Portland was treated to first class
sensation yesterday afternoon. 1t was the
liVeliest thunder storm that has been
seen in this vicinity for long time, and
1t was accompanied by oopious showers
and some wind. For the whole day the
air had been warm and moist after the
excessively hot weather of Saturday. The
mercury did not rise above SO degrees in
| the tube, and in the afternoon stood at
| about 76 degrees. Gradually heavy black
clouds grew in form and size in the west
with patches here and there of green and
yellow, something like the appearance OF
| clouds when the sun throws few beams
of sunlight across them. Further to the
| southwark, as advance couriers of the ap-
preaching storm, could be- seen ragged
patches of black clouds. Standing at the
end of Portland Pier and looking down
the harbor could be seen back of the
islands what seemed to be fog bank try
ing to work in.
About $50 o'clock greht drops of rain
began to fall; not rapidly but leisurely,
as if there was plenty of time. Then
| came curious freak. A sudden gust of
wind swept through the streets. raising
cloud of dust and feeling as if it had
just left the White Mountains. Then the
black clouds, now inky black, began to
discharge their contents, and the rain
poured down in sheets, while the tree
tops were tossed by the wind. Then came
magnificent electrical display. Great
globes of fire seemed to spring from the
| clouds and dance about the branches of
the tees through which the telephone
wires passed. With the constant play of
| the lightning came the rapid discharge
of the artillery Of the heavens. Tt was
trast with the globes Of fire came the
| long zig-zag of chain lightning. The
| thunder was so heavy it made windows
rattle. 1t WAS about as wicked sight as Is
often witnessed in Portland. For an hour
| and half the storm continued and then
! did not clear away as showers usua lily
| do, but kept up a gentle drizzle for some
time
A number of places were struck by the
| lightning, both in and out Of town.
A bolt struck the chimney on the house
of Mr.. Frederick Smith, No. 80 Cushman
street. and knocked it to pieces. The
family were at Peaks island passing Sun
day, SO it is not known whether any
damage was done inside.
Another bolt struck chimney on the
house of Miss Almira Cobb, No. 10
Walker street, and knocked that to pieces
The lightning struck the telephone in
DIR. Swazey's house. corner of Walker
and Congress streets, and made things
lively for few moments.
The chimney on the building occupied
by Small Bros. grocers, corner of Quebec
and Lafayette streets, was struck and the
lightning went into an upper cham ber
and passed out of a window in which it
broke pane Of glass. IL set some of the
boarding on fire, but the flames were
quickly extinguished.
The lightning tore some planking off
the house No. Marie Terrace, occupied
up stairs by Mr.. Ames's family and by
Mr.. Curtis down stairs.
A great tree on Oak street next to
Taylor's stable was torn badly.
The telephone in Mr.. Andrew j. Rioh's
house on Pearl street was demolished.
His little daughter was the only one at
home. and when her parents returned she
said somebody must have been up stairs,
for cigar box had been broken to pieces
and scattered on the floor. Mr.. Rich
wentsup and found that the telephone
was lying around the room in spots.
The power house o. the Cape electric
got a clip and the cars were slightly de-
layed, but no serious damage was done.
1t was reported that Spring street car
was struck by the lightning and that
the passengers had to get out and leave
it, but the officials at the office say if any
such thing had happened 1t would have
been reported to them and they had re,
oeived no such report.
a. Se1A VA oAC OOA&ICSO bOIC0u lluo l1hu6
a magnificent display Of pyroteohnics
under the car. A gentleman said he was
coming up Congress street in the midst
of tho storm and he was suddenly almost
Blinded and stunned by flash of lig ht-
ming that seemed close to him. 1t struck
an iron hitching post, near Lincoln park
and bent it considerably to one side.
On Congress street, near North, bolt
struck the trolley wire and came down
into the motor making loud explosion.
The car stopped and then proceeded, no
damage apparently being done. The
passengers on the car were greatly
frightened.
The house at "a Vesper street was
struck. The upper tenement is occupied
by Mr.. f. ii. Plummer and the lower by
Henry Alexander. The current ripped
some boards off the roof, and shook somo
of the plastering down in the upper hall.
The damage was slight.
Mr. e. B. Winslow's barn OF Deering
was another one of the structures which