New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-03
DAMAGED BY LIGHTNING.
SEVERAL BOLTS STRIKE BUILDINGS IN
THIS CITY
CHILDREN IN AN ASYLUM BADLY FRIGHTENED
THE FLAdPoLE AT GRANTS TOMB PARTLY
CHILDREN IN A

THE FLAGPOIE AT GRANTS TOMB PAHTLf
spLIr-TlIE STORM IN THIS VICINITY.
The heat and humidity Of yesterday were
harder to bear because Of the absence OF any
breeze There was q little relief In the AFTER
noon after the sudden fall Of rain which was
accompanied by q thunderstorm apparently
centring over the city. The day had been the
most uncomfortable Of the season. the mer-
curry in the street climbed almost to the ninety
degree mark for the first time this summer. Tne
highest official record Of the Thermometers. how
ever. on the top of the Manhattan Building was
SO degrees. reached at 12:45 o'clock. Humidity
registered between so and 90 per cent.
At about 3 o'clock the clouds which had been
hanging over the city seemed to be gathering
to head. and swetering NEWCOMERS looked
expectantly up at them for cooling rain. IL
came soon after o'clock. accompanied by thun-
der and lightning and beginning with terrinc
crash, which made people In the streets scatter
for shelter in considerable alarm. The lightning
is reported to have struck in n'imber OF places
The fagpole at Grants Tomb. said to be one
CT the largest in the world was damaged by
the lightning and may lave to be taken down.
The pole is about 10 feet Shigh. 1t is made IN
two sections the main one being 125 feet high.
The halllards or ropes which drew the flag up,
were fastened four feet from the top OF the pole.
When the lightning struck II splintered the upper
part five feet or more from the top burning the
halliards which dropped to the ground. There
was no one near the place at the time. The pole
is some distance from the tomb. which was not
damaged In any way.
The flagstaff of the Knickerbocker Athletic
Club at Madison-ave. and Forty-flfth-st., was
also shattered by bolt OF lightning There were
few people I'm the clubhouse at the time. The
roof near the base Of the pole was slightly dam
aged. The loss will not exceed $50.
The seven-story malthouse tower OF Eblngs
Brewery at ST. Ann's-ave. and One-hundred-and-
fifty-sixth-st. was struck while Mr.. Ebling the
proprietor OF the brewery. and q party OF friends
were In detached building. They were startled
by the terrific crash which was almost imme-
diately followed by another. and all jumped from
their chairs. Mr. Ebling saw dense cloud Of
smoke coming out Of the matho oise tower ana
also from the windows of the fifth and sixth
floors. He turned in an alarm, and Engine Com
pany No. IL responded. force OF policemen
from the Morrsania station also answered the
summons. While the f1remen were attaching the
hose, and getting their engines In place the ciouu
of smoke lifted and they saw there was no hre:
An investigation was made, but no trace ol
where the electric current entered could De
found. Five panes Of glass on the west side OF
the tower near the top. had been shattered.
Mr.. Ebling feared smOuldering 1re In the mat
below and he placed watchmen in the tower TO
watch for the first sign Of an outbreak The iignt
in the hotel and casino connected with the
brewery is furnished from the brewery dynamos;
and when the lightning struck the building an
the lighting wires were burned out ana the
lamps extnguished The damage, as far as
could be learned last night, is not more than 30.
A fifty -four-foot pole on the roof OF the elght-
story Curtis Building No. SO Stone-st:, ana e*-
tending through to No. 30 South Wiliiam-st'.
was split for one-half its length by bolt or
lightning. The pole is that of the HaytiaI Con-
sulate, and is the roof on the Stone-st sde
Of the building The superintendent OF the Cur
. tis Building was sitting in the window OF his
office watching the storm when the pole was
struck. He saw a shower Of splinters and chlps
fall to the Stone-st. sidewalk. and saw the people
looking toward the roof Of his building. He said
he also felt the shock. The superintendent hur.
ried to the roof and found that the copper pal!
and O foot two of iron rod holding the ball
above the tip of the pole had disappeared. The
pole was split in two for about half Its length.
Word was sent to the Building and Fire depart
ments and an inspection. was made by officers
of both 1t was thought safe to leave the pole
in its position for time.
A chimney on the Half Orphan Asylum at
Manhattan-ave. and One-hundred-and- fourth
St was also struck and there was considerable
alarm among the two hundred children there
when the crash came.
After the storm passed humidity had been re-
duced by about 10 per cent and there was some
little relief experienced The prediction for to-
day is rain. with continued hot weather.