The evening times., 1899-07-13

panied by lightning, .deluge suggestive OF
cloudburst. and wind that swept through
the streets with velocity of forty miles an
hour, struck New York at o'clock last
evening, leaving destruction in its path.
While the storm was what is called local
by the weather men. it covered an area Of
several miles. 1t came from the north,
west and was notable for the funnel
shaped cloud that appeared as the storm
approached.
Lightning struck in many places, build
ings were buried in the city and through
! out the suburbs, roofs were torn from
buildings and great damage was done, par
ticularly in the outlying district. While
no one was killed, several persons were
badly shocked.
In the upper and lower bay the water
was dashed into great height, but luckily
no small boats were out The excursion
steamers en- route for New York from the
beaches managed to keep their heads
against the wind, and aside from wetting
and fright the passengers were none the
worse for their experience.
AT Glen Island the storm was seen Just
before the Starin- line boat left on her
evening trip for New York. OF the thou
sand passengers only a few dared to take
the steamer. The boat reached her New
York slip in safety though considerably
delayed.
The storm approached New York silent
ly. Up to within three minutes of the
time rain fell not breath Of air was STIR
ring. There was an ominous calm. The
black clouds, in the centre of which was a
funnel OF inky blackness, approached with
startling rapidity. The few who saw It
hastened beneath the nearest shelter.
There was a flash OF lightning, roar
of thunder that made the tallest build
ings tremble, and the rain drops pattered
upon the payements.
In moment the air was thick with
rain. Flash after fash of lightning was
! followed by continuous peal of thun-
der that shook the very foundations OF
| the earth.
From the dome of the highest buildings
! in the city the street could not be seen.
/ The rain appeared more like snow than
water. 1t came in sheets that followed one
upon another with great rapidity. Above
! the rear could be heard the changing OF
engine bells the fire apparatus, called
! 10 blaze On the lower east side, was
! driven through deserted streets.
The lightning seemed to come from
! everywhere. Great sheets burst from
the funel-shaped cloud which now hung
low over the taller buildings and whirled
its way to the southwest. The sheets
followed one another in dazzling success
/ sion, and balls of fire dropped here and
there.
The ferryboat Robert Garrett, Capt.
| William Cole, was struck by lightning
while making her o'clock trip from
| New York to Staten Island. The boat
was crowded with passengers and was
half Way cross the bay, when there came
binding flash of lightning. 1t cut
across the sky in zig-zag fashion, and
| struck the fagpole of the boat.
She quiYered from stem to stern, and
listed TO starboard. The po,e fell with
crash. and the lightning ran along the
railing OF the upper deck. until it came
! in contact with the wires which supply
the electric lighting.
In an instant the boat was in total
darkness. The shock and crash of the
falling pole. followed by total darkness,
threw the passengers into panic. Wom-
en- screamed and cried for help.
Believing themselves to be in danger,
the passengers made a mad rush to
escape from the cabins, tumbling over
each other in their fright and falling
down the stairs. The whole boat was in
an upEcar. Men seized life preserve,s
and gave them to women.
A hasty investigation showed that the
bolt Of lightning had done slight damage,
but it was not until the boat neared Staten
Island that the passengers were pacified.
Suddenly there came flash more blind
ing than the rest and a second later flames
! appeared TO the northward. One OF the
great tanks owned by the Kings County
| Oil Company had been rent from top to
bottom. In a moment the entire horizon
was aglow.
Almost simultaneously another bolt
struck big wooden building in the rear OF
the George II. Reedes box factory, a little
distance away. The structure burned rap
idly.
Through the downpour of rain lights now
and then appeared in different parts OF
Greater New York where the lightning had
struck as though the signal fires of vast
army had suddenly been lighted. The
storm increased in intensity until Ills
O'Clock, when it began TO subside. At II
o'clock ii was said at the Weather Bureau
that one and half inches OF rain had fall
len, more than during the last thirty days.
Telegraphic and telephonic communication
throughout Long Island and Southern Con-
nectieut was badly interrupted. II was also
difficult TO communicate with central New
Jersey.
The oil tank struck in Williamsburg was
seventy feet in height. II was filled to the
brim with OIL and as the lightning struck
it the flames shot up to a distance of more
than 100 feet. An employe gave the alarm.
The firemen soon found that they could not
cope with the blaze, and two more alarms
were Immediately turned in. According to
some accounts, there was an explosion
which shattered the glass in the windows
of the tenements in the neighborhood. The
Reeves box factory was at No. 129 Green
Street, but a little distance from the oil
tank.
During the height of the storm eight
year-old Sydney Howell, of No. 402 briggs
Avenue, Williamsburg, received shock
while climbing through a barbed wire
fence. The little fellows fingers were
burned to the bone. When he felt the
shock he fell forward, striking on a rock
and fracturing his skull. The physicians
who attended him at his home say that he
may die.
About the same time Joseph Fitzpatrick,
sixteen years old, of No. 10 Berry Street.
Williamsburg, who was standing at Weiss
shock that burned his clothing from one
side of his body. He was taken home in
an unconscious condition.
One of the worst fires occurred at Rock
away Beach. where lightning struck Fa-
gap's Surf Pavilion. The bolt came from
directly overhead, went from roof to cell
lar, and passing within a few feet of Fa-
gan, his son and several employees, threw
them to the floor. All were burned about
the head and body. The building was de-
stroyed. The damage is not known.
The Force Of the Storm.
L.