New-York tribune., 1897-08-17
STORMS ABOUT THE CITY.
BUT NEW-YORK ESCAPES THE FULL
FORCE OF THE DISTURBANCES.

\ j.
MUCH DAMAGE ny LIGHTNING on LONG
IsLAND-A DIsAGREEABLE DAY IN
TOWN FROM HEAT AND HUMID
ITY-FAIR WEATHER TO-DAY
The exceedingly disagreeable weather OF sat
urday and Sunday continued yesterday, Win
additions Of discomfort that made activity IN the
middle Of the day almost intolerable. In the
evening there were thunderstorms all ABOUT
which relieved the unpleasant conditions.
severe squall. followed by deluge OF rain'
struck Staten Island on the east and south
shores in the evening, doing considerable dam
age. and wreckng A three-story frame house in
Jersey-st., New Brighton. The storm gathered
in the south and broke quickly and furiously
at aboIt o'clock. Strangely enough. the north
shore of the island .elt only small shower of
rain. In the first blow the building in Jersey
st. New wBrighton. an unfinished three-story
frame structure. owned by Patrick Behan, fell
with a terrific crash soaring the neighboring
residents into a frenzy. Some Of them fed from
their houses. thinking that a cyclone had struck
the village. and huddled in n field block away
The building fell partly into the street. and in
some parts completely caved In. In its fall. the
telegraph and telephone wires carried
down. and the lines completely crippled, as
result. all over the island. Passengers on a
Midland trolley car. which was caught In the
storm in the Richmond Road. were badly fright
ened. the car swaying furiously under the power
OF the wind. Staten Island electrician was
thrown from the track at Arrochar. and blocked
the line for an hour. The loss on the wrecked
house is about $4,000
Considerable damage was done by the thunder.
storm which swept over Long Island early yes
terday morning. At Sayville the house OF Anton
Helfrich in Foster-ave., badly shattered by
lightning The bolt passed In near the chimney
making an opening in the roof three feet square,
and passed toward the front OF the building
splitting several Of the rafters. Then II knocked
out two windows in the front OF the house
smashing castings and siding into splinters. and
throwing parts Of the woodwork seventy five feet
away from the house. In the room In which
slept Mr.. Helfrich and his two little girls. there
came the heaviest of the crash. one side Of his
bedroom being torn out. but no one In the room
was injured. The plaster was knocked off every
room in the house.
In Mattituck large barn belonging to Bryant
s. Conkling struck by lightning and totally
destroyed valuable horse belonging to Ed
ward Case was burned to death. together with
the entire contents Of the building. The saloon
of John j. Haeron. in Broadway. Flushing. was
also struck by lightning, and The chimney de-
strOyed. Many bottles were smashed. ana sew
era pictures and articles which were hung about
the place were torn from their fastenlngs
The nome of Postmaster Kehoe at 1homaston,
Long Island also struck by lightning in ne
early morning. and the exterior of the building
wrecked shingles and clapboards being torr OF.
The interior Of the house was uninJurcd, but the
frightened occupants. who were awakened when
the house was struck sought shelter in neigh
bors dwelling for the rest of the night.
Ttn q rtr In Il
time was excessively high. SO degrees at o'clock
being the highest point recorded, hut the humid
ty was great, especially in the morning ana
what breezes there We're only accentuated the
torridity. The humidity at s o'clock a. m. was ~
per cent and II remained high all day DARK
clouds In the west threatened thunderstorms all
the afte. noon. but ii was not until etening that
rain fell. and then the force of the storm was
not felt in this city. At about clock the clouds
suddenly thickened Then there followed few
vivid flashes Of lightning but the storm did not
sweep in force over Manhattan Island AT All. II
came across from New-Jersey. but described
circle and sweeping around over Staten Island
continued over Long Island. Only f"w drops or
rain fell in this city. and at 10 oclock the stars
were shining brightly.
To-day, however. if the weather prophets are
to be trusted. NewYork is to have fair and
cooler weather.