The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-05

One Of the memorable features Of
the Fourth of July this year was a
severe rain and hail storm that swept
this city and its vicinity at 1 o'clock
yesterday afternoon. 1t did a great
deal of damage in the way of choking
sewers, flooding properties and dam
aging trees, vines, etc.
At Athletic Park one OF the tempor-
ary stands erected was damaged and
John j. McAndrew and Philip Graf
injured. The storm caused the post
ponement of the games until Satur-
day.
One of the several sharp strokes Of
lightning just before the hail storm
at 1 o'clock entered the Scranton rail-
way power house on Providence road
and disabled an engine and prevented
traffic for about twenty-five minutes.
This was Immediately preceding the
flooding of Carbon street which con-
tinued the blockade on the Providence
line and which is reported elsewhere.
The current from the lightning en-
tered the power house on the wires
and besides disabling the engine burned
out switch box. The damage was
repaired effectively and no more de-
experienced during the day.
The power house accident and the
Carbon street flooding happened just
previous to the period when hundreds
of persons wanted transportation to
Athletic Park and the Scranton Driv-
ing Park. Both the railway company
and the public suffered. Several cars
were burned out.
ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
a lot of damage was done on the
South Side by the storm, and the
bursting of culvert. Henry Walters,
hotelman Of Cedar avenue, will lose
heavily. Passing through his three
properties, is culvert, that starts at
the intersection of Beech street and
kirst court and cmpties into n much
larger one at the corner of Elm street
and Cedar avenue.
Late Saturday night the culvert burst
at the lot, where Mr.. Walters and his
family reside. The water took an up
ward course, and yesterday morning
the three lots were covered. They are
situated in a slight hollow, and the
water cannot pass off. 1t Will have to
soak into the ground.
The severe rains of yesterday added
to the depth of the water, and when it
reached the point where the burst oc-
Cured it could not pass any further
down. Four days ago Mr.. Walters eX-
pended nearly $50 to put in shape the
culvert at his lots. 1t was blocked then
and he removed all the distractions.
Charles Kirst's hotel cellar at Elm
street and Cedar avenue was well filled
yesterday morning, when his bartender
opened the bar. His damages were
caused by the culvert, passing down
Elm street becop1ing blocked during the
night, and the water was forced back
into the cellar. The culvert at that
point is a large one, and into it floN S
several smaller streams. Peter Hiltz,
of the street commissioners depart-
ment, was notified and the culvert was
opened. The great volume coming
from the blocked Culvert, burst out at
Remington avenue and Elm street The
street was impossible to pedestrians
for several hours. Several cellars in tn ;
vicinity were flooded.
THERE WAS A REPETITION.
A repetition of what occurs every
heavy rainstorm happened yesterday,
at the properties On Pittston avenue,
between Birch and Beech streets. The
culvert along there is far too small.
The Pittston avenue culvert at Brook
| street has been in a dangerous condi-
| tion since May 20, when that terrific
storm washed away the railing, side
walk, and a big portion Of the founda-
| ton. Yesterdays severe storm added
| to the injury there.
nf hn frE nj he
very first, that gives the Scranton
| Railway company trouble when it
rains heavily is the sag in Carbon