New-York tribune., 1897-07-24

were some soap boxes on the sidewalks, and
the unfortunates who were driven from the
ground floors mounted upon them and stood like
80 many statues. IN the midst Of the water. The
food mounted higher and higher. and 1t looked
as though the soapboxes would soon float away
with their burdens.
At this critical juncture help came In the
shape OF barelegged longshoreman. who
offered for the consideration of quarter OF a
dollar from each person to carry him on his
back The few yards which divided them from
high land and safety. The offer was eagerly
accepted and amid cheers Of the spectators
from nearby windnw.. the longshoreman made
several successful trips
DONKEYs TO THE RESCUE.
When the storm broke out yesterday afternoon
there was a number Of people about the amman
houses in the Park and the sheets OF water
which came down In torrents drove them 10
shelter. The only available place was the arch.
at Sixty-fifth-st.. near the Arsenal. The ground
under the arch takes the form of hollow ana
the water pouring down the inclined paths ran
into It.. gradually rising until 1t reached the
height Of two and half feet.
The women and children screamed, and some
Of the men made rush out Of what seemed 10
be a deathtrap The awful downpour drove
and children in cries for help. The cries were
heard by Roundsmau Alcorn and Policeman
Donnelly, Of the Park squad. and they FASTENED
to the rescue Of the frightened throng. They
found it Impossible to lead the people out from
beneath the archway. The situation by this
time was actually fraught with peril for the
children. Some OF them were breast high in
water and the men. frightened. thinking only
Of her att IA
Of the little ones TO-. assistance.
The policemen finally hit upon ingenious
plan They hastened to the stables and
brought out the five donkeys that are kept In
the Park for the amusement OF the children. on
the hacks Of these faithful animals they car
ried first the children and then the women TO
the cottage about forty feet to the north OF the
arch. The men, swearing fuming and frettng,
were compelled to wait until every one else had
been cared for. and then, they. too, were per-
mitted to mount on the donkeys backs and ride
10 safety and shelter
THE LIGHTNING's FREAKS IN BROOKLYN
In Brooklyn lightning struck the feed-wires
Of the trolley lines in three different sections OF
the Eastern District causing considerable de-
lay in traffic until the wires could be adjusted
At Myrtle-ave. and Harmon-st. two men were
shocked by a broken wire. one being rendered
unconscious Neither however. was badly hurt
When the lightning struck the wire and broke
1t there was report like a cannon, which could
be heard for mile away, and caused great ex-
element among the people in the neighborhood
One end OF the wire fell on the steel rails and
burned 1t out for three feet. crowd gathered
and the police Of the Hamburg-a station
kept them back sc to avoid any one being
killed until the wire could be adjusted
One man, whose name the police did not OBJ
tain, secured pole of wood and attempted to
remove the wire from the rail. No sooner had
the pole touched the wire than the man was
seen to drop the pole and fall to the street un-
conscious He soon revived and went away
An ex-employe of the company finally disen-
gagged the wire from the rail. The electricians
then arrived and adjusted the break
At Far Rockaway bolt struck the handsome
house Of Captain George Renhardt, in Bayview-
ave No one was injured.
Parts of Staten Island were deluged. At Mid
land Beach over thousand people were driven
to shelter The trolley wires were struck three
times. The Osw aid apartment house. in Bay-st.'
Stapleton was struck and slightly damaged.
The telegraph wires Of the Western Union
Company suffered little damage in the city.
though the damage to the lines in Long Island
and New-Jersey were somewhat severe. Inc
wires were working as usual last night.