The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-16
PATERSON IN DARKNESS.
NOW THE JERSEY ToWN cor ALONG
WITHOUT ELECTRJCITF.

- biHhtH-EtNEfh UsNthU ~ hEotttlb-H
Thunderstorm Conniicntcs Conditions, hut
Tonight RverS thing VIII He as Csuai.
PATTERSON. n. j., Aug. l5.-Darkncss holds
this city tonight. As yet tho men who arc dig
RinR at tho coal which foil and buried the Edi.
son Electric Compnny's boilers yesterday after.
noon havo not reached bottom. and there isn't
an electric light going in the place. Save where
a railroad lantern flashes or an out.of-dato
street gas lamp sheds a glimmcring rny. or u
gas.lit store front spreads n space OF light on
the sidewalk, everything Is blackness. Tho
business streets arc like alleyways. The sido
streets are like tunnels. Gangs of youths march
about the streets singing an improvised ditty,
the refrain OF which is:
Thercli he q dark time
In the old town
Tonight.
But II there was lack Of electric light on the
Garth there was n supcrabundanco in the
hoavens, enough to light up fifty Patersons.
Such q thunder storm as has boon raging here
hasn't come this way for several years. 1t was
one long flicker OF binding radiance, with the
intervals between the flashes so short that the
proportion Of light to darkness seemed to DO in
favor of the former. Now and again a Jagged spear
OF tho electric fluid would dart down through
the sheets OF light. and then would come n stun
ming report that shook the world under foot. So
furious was the rain that nobody ventured forth
while the storm lasted. For an hour, therefore,
the darkness Of the town made little difference
ono way or tho other.
But when tho downpour tailed Oft into a
gentle rain the 500 persons who, having como
in on trains, were stormbound in the stations,
found themselves In all unpleasant plight. Not
alone has the accident deprived tho city OF Its
normal light, but II has also rendered null its
chief method OF transportation by shutting of
the trolley power. Therefore the crowds walked,
all but n few. who being forehanded hired the
waiting livery rigs at advanced rates and got
homo in that way. In the most part the crowd
walked in groups, and where one or two persons
turned of into a black side street they generally
exhibited symptoms Of haste. There was n
prevalent feeling of distrust in the air which
a Sun reporter encountered in passing through
one of the side streets which 60 into Main street.
1t was . particularly dark street, with one feeble
gas lamp ut one end. The reporter had walked
but q few rods when. by a flash Of lightning. he
saw a man approaching from the opposite direc-
ton. The man promptly stepped behind a tree,
which was not reassurinG. AS a matter of eau
ton the reporter did likewise. Presently a voice
came from behind the Paterson mans tree:
Hey, there!'
Nv hat do you WANT" asked the reporter,
wondering whether it would be watch or money.
what do you want T. inquired the voice. en-.
phasizing the pronoun.
Nothing" replied the reporter. meekly.
Look out, then. I've got a gun"
Il haven't" said the reporter, regrctfully.
why haven't you, IL you're an honest man r.
demanded the other. with asperity.
The reporter explained that he was a stranger.
and didn't know he was going West in time to
arm himself. Reassured. the Paterson man
came forward and explained that under the cir.
cumstances precautions were necessary.
In on my way home from church. he eN-
planned, and before l went out l put my pistol
been the greatest hunting up of guns and lanterns
you ever saw. Tho family next to me turned
a loaded cane. the mother u lantern. and the SON
q revolver. This town is more afraid OF the dark
than a three-year.old kid. and the fear is con-
It is some relief to the citizens to know that
the night force OF police has been doubled. but
the. officers are not distinRuishable from
ordinary citizens or thieves ten feet away. and
to come upon two q them lettering on q corner
was q very popular path here tonight.
There haven't been any hold.ups vet said
reported. tits generally known that most ofthe
sufficient check, But IL we enforced tho law
against concealed weapons the police stations
drunks.'
1t was very different tonight from what 1t was
last night. As soon as the news became known
that an era OF darkness was impending, that en-
tire portion OF the town between the ages OF l6
and 40 tacitly agreed to regard the affair as a
sort Of picnic. Out they iocked upon the streets.
mainly IN pairs. and as il was u most g glorious
moonlight night. every shaded street and avenue
looked as Il an excursion party had taken pos
The drug stores did the biggest soda water
business in their history. and did 1t by lamp or
candle light. such stores as could get enough
and the saloons were v%eritabs, ~grottocs. Patcr.
son hasn't had SO merry n niGht for years.
One party that got the wrong end Of the fun
yeRtnrday WAS the pntrrSOn Rihhnn Commands
excursion. In the morning they went TO Green
FOOD. Lake AXE g. going to S SinGaG ~ trolley; and
,he sans way, They reached singaS about
they waited for several trolley cars. and
they kept S,, on waiting, while the mos:
cheerful with their merry song and dance.
singac Is a very nice place. but, after two hours
enough Of i. They had TO so to Jersey City by
train. and thence out here by another train.
fr@ame Of an MIND dr to @qec x the e. i troll Snes system wsIe h had q
1t not already been wrecked.
Early this morning the work OF removing the
borrowed from the Newark systems wires to
move the cars slowly. and they went creeping in
all out of sight by the time the people got up
TO walk to church, In the afternoon there wnsa
cars to accommodate the crowd, a]fterward TAX
ing the people back. but this was the only effort
run between some points, and furniture vans.
soap boxes for seats. did a considerable business
during the afternoon. But when night fell the
traveller had to walk or hire a cab.
Since the coalbins gave way and buried the
plant. gangs OF men have been working con-
stantly to exhumo the big boilers. Fifty men.
all that can proftsbly be put in the limited
space. wero at work NIL last night and o -dny
and will work all tonight. Temporary bins have
been thrown up next TO tho boilers, and as fast
as the coal is thrown into these it is taken away
In barrows and carts. 1t lay about fifteen feet
deep around tho boilers. but that has been re.
duced by more than half.
by tomorrow noon the conl will be all out"
said the official In charge, and we hope 10 have
tho trolleys running again. The city will Ger.
tainly be lighted tomorrow night. l think tho
damage is no: great. The breaking OF the bins
was a great surprise: We supposed they wcre
strong enough to hold n much greater weight
The double-time police will hail the reliGhting
with JOY. SO will the property owners who fear
burglars, but the Joy OF The younger elements
will not be ,unniingled with regret should TO.
morrow night provo to be another moe ''-ht
occasion. Meanwhile, there probably 10 n.
other city in the United States ass Ji8E .nR
and dismal as is this city tonight.