The sun., 1896-09-20
SUMMER ENDS WITH HAIL.
LOUIS EDWARD brown KILLED
By Il THUNDERBoLT.


tan leland and tho Surrounding Country
Much Damage at Rocknwny Beach
Several Bonts Injured and Overturned.
Summer vanished from this nelghborhood
yesterday afternoon In n series of spectacular
storms caused by an invasion OF cool westerly
winds, in the course of which good deal OF
damage was done hereabouts. Before the storm
spirits reared their cloud ramparts in the west
late In the afternoon. the temperature was 81
degrees, which is not much below the AVER
ago for August. Within four hours the
mercury fell 30 degrees under the cooling
influence of several electrical storms. Tho
first of these storms crossed Manhattan Island
from west to east. The second missed tho
island altogether. but created ferment In the
bnv. and gave Brooklyn and Long Island an
aerial display. commingled with chilling rain
and hail.
After the first storm the sun glowed through
tangled masses Of cloud and painted n vivid
rainbow on the eastern horizon. The rainbow
was evanescent. Within less than Ave minutes
after its first appearance 1t vanished, the clouds
OF the second storm having obscured the SUM-
The second storm Was accompanied by \ good
deal Of lightning, which expended its energy on
tho other side of the East River. Tho third storm
had much more wind than rain In IL. and con-
tained only q suggestion Of electricity. Com
puted by tho experts Of the Weather Bureau.
the several storms spilled LOG inches of rain on
Manhattan Island and forced the mercury down
to 6lo. The experts declared that summer
probably had come to an end, and that 1t was
improbable that the temperature would again
reach So this year.
' In westchester county the lightning was the
most severe In years. Louis Edward Brown,
aged 90, of White Plains was struck by a bolt
and instantly killed. Brown was seated in
Alfred Cox's general store at Unionville. There
were several customers in the store al the time.
Brown was seated In n chair near the door when
the building was Illuminated by fash of
lightning followed by deafening crash. All
in the store were affected, and two women
became unconscious.
1t was first thought that Brown was all right.
but after the ladies recovered attention was
given to the young man. He was still sitting in
the chair, and his friends, upon examination.
found that he was dead. Tho lightning had
struck on the right side of tho neck. Browns
family. who live at Tuokahoe, were notified.
Brown was employed in o dry goods store in
White Plains.
The crack half-rater Ethelwynn. owned by
Crosby Leonard. was upset while anchored in
Gravesend Bay off Bath Beach. Tho yacht
Arrow. owned by II. w. Brecht. was also cap
sized. Tho 45-footer Pirate broke from her
moorings off Ulmer Park at Bath Beach, and
was smashed TO pieces by being dashed against
the pier.
The schooner yacht Vidette. with Capt Latin
and Eve other men aboard. started from Bay
Ridge shortly before tho storm occurred. James
Terry of the Crescent Athletic Club. who was
out in a small boat and had hard work reach
Ing the Fort Hamilton shore, reports that he
saw the vidette strasEiihs outside the Sarrows.
with the BaSis torn and one rnast gone. Up to n
late hour last night the Videtto had not re-
turned to her anchorage. but tho friends of
Can't Latin were confident that she had wealth
cred the storm.
The Gravesend, Fort Hamilton. Bath Beach.
and Bay Ridge shores are fairly strewn with
the wrecEage caused by the storm.
The sloop yacht Kathleen was struck by a
heavy squall in the Ship Channel. near tho
Romer shon at half past and dismantled.
she was picked up BY the steam yacht Theresa,
and towed to siaDleton None OF the yachts
The napntha launch Colonel j.. owned by Col:
johnson of Fort Hamilton. swamped and filled
in the Ship Channel. The United states tug Engi-
on her way from sandy Hook TO the city. went
lowered and the occupants OF the launch safely
! transferred to the Engineer. She was then
The The catboas "a Lester. owned bv Cornelius Fer.
gueson Of Bens9nhurst, was upset on tn! the
Brighton Beach Hotel Capt Henry "a ErSnhlIn g.
street, and Peter F. Eaean OF is7 Eighteenth
street, who were in the yacht at the time Of the
attached to the yacht and rowed ashore.
Lightning struck two freight cars on the
threw them both off the track, blocking the
! west-bound track. Foreman Anthony Loope
and his wh" wsre IN sas os were be
parted her chains and went against Jamieson's
and Bonds docks. She was badly damaged, and
other boats were reported lost. The WIND blew
7 nifty miles an hour.
Telegraph poles and wlres were blown down;
tSSns Channel Hotel was badly damaged and the
| Boulevard was strewn with wreckage. Henry
of by
| French of Arverne was cut about the face by
flying glass.
Loury Hotel. Bath Beach. over ffty feet iIl
length was swept Off by the wind and carried
damage damage to tt the hotel was $500 The haspols on
the Bath Beach police station v as also Wrecked
The HGk BAR Tsn
| that turned the streets into mud banks and
flooded the sewers backing up on fls, the side Idn
into the hotel; ana road houses rouse, through 3,
on the payements with explosions that sounded
like small cartridges. Men and women who
as M'tH though ugh the the walks were coated with Ice.
The hall cut several flags to bits and reduced
hotel awn!ngs TO rags Persons who were struck
flowed. Some of the stones were shaped like
wedges. with sharp edges.
The fall at hail Was 40 thick that birds were
knocked to the ground and pounded into insen
sibllty. Those that were able hoppcd to the
shelter Of piazzas and sheds where they roasted
under tables and chairs.
After the storm had passed birds were picked
up by the dozen. Most OF them were stunned
ana others were SO exhausted that they mnd'
no effort To escape when approached:
One English sparrow was founn IN Batf
avenue, near Eighteenth street, with Its heat
completely severed from Its body. The out wa
ns clean as though 1t had been made with
knife. Two feet away from 1t was a deat
robin. The robins head was crushed as thougi
n rart wheel had run over IL.
The pat OF the storm. which came out OF th
northwest was marked by uprooted trees am
overturned fences. A small clubhouse near III
shore was nlcked up ana blown htty feet. !
brought up against a lamp post with bang
The building WAS split In two and the door wa
smashed into IL dozen pieces.
| The storm struck COney Island with terrih
force at 4:40 o'clock. Tho wind demolishe'
RankinH tOboggau slide on Surf avenue. caus
ing damage to the amount OF $4,000. The roo
| OF a large building near tho Sea Beach Railroad
station was also blown Off.
TIE storm burst very suddenly at Manhattan
Beach, where about S 900 people were watchn
! The bicycle races OF the Quill Club Wheemen
40 the sky became suddenly dark, ant