New-York tribune., 1899-07-13
LIGHTNING, THUNDER, RAIN
ALL THREE WERE PLENTIFUL IN LAST
NIGHTS STORM.
VIVID ELECTRICAL DISPLAY ACCOMPANIED
BY HEAVY CRAsHEs-DAMAGE CAUSED
BY ELECTRIC BOLTS IN MANY
PARTS OF THE CITY
PARTS OF THE CITY.


ing humidity. which was at no time greatly
excessive, was succeeded before : o'clock last
evening by the heaviest rain and electrical
storm that has visited New-York this year. IL
lasted about an hour. and during its continu-
ance there was a rainfall OF IL inches II was
followed by a light but steady drzzle, which
continued at intervals all night.
The storm was heralded by the rumbling
OF thunder and vivid flashes ot lightning pro-
ceeding from a heavy mass Of clouds which
suddenly appeared in the northwest and came
swooping down on the city, impeled by gale
blowing at the rate Of something more than
thirty-nine miles an hour Just before this the
sky fecked with feecy clouds, but all these
We're blotted out in the twinkling Of an eye ny
the great nimbus mass. which broadened and
heightened and deepened until II enshrouded
the city in A dense black pail. Brooklyn Borough
and the Jersey shore became invisible, and the
tops Of masts Of vessels on the rivers dsap-
peared in the blackness which lay low on land
and water Through it all. however came. at
intervals, garinr flashes OF lightning. and the
sombre hue OF the clouds was accentuatei by
vivid electric effects. which darted Ike comets
or fiery serpents from the gloom and then dis
appeared while great rolls of thunder reso"nhad
1t was a grand sight viewed from the
upper stories o. the high buildings, but down
In the streets its grandeur was lost sight or In
the discomfort and damage it caused.
Trolley traffic all over the greater city was
considerably impeded for while. owing 10 the
grounding OF electric currents and the burning
out Of fuses. and, a result, there were
drenched hungry and generally miserable
thousands jammed together in the open cars
into which they had crowded to escape the sud
den downpour and which. with half pardonaoie
ngratitude. they nveighed against for taking
them home late for supper.
A man who was visiting a patient In Bellevue
Hospital attempted 70 leave the place while the
lightning was playing. Just as he opened the
door there was crash and he fell backward,
ris umbrella falling from his hand, ripped and
torn.
My" he gasped. that was near. II must
have hit met He insisted that the lightning
had hit his umbrella. and said he felt DIS
tinct tingling sensation in his arm He waited
until the rain stopped and there was no more
lightning before he went out again.
FLAGsTAFFs SHATTERED.
The Flagstaff on the Department of Docks. at
the end Of East Twenty-ffth-st.. was struck BY
a bolt OF lightning and shattered.
A fagpole on the main building Of the Eagle
Pencil Works. No. T02 East Fourteenth-st. was
struck Dy DBntnlnR, ana was splt IN I"O. w
other damage was caused
Policeman John Tewander, OF the Oak-st. sta
tlon reported last night that while he was on
/ Mount Vernon trolley car, near Morris Park. the
/ car was struck by lightning He said the car
/ was damaged to the extent Of about 800 None
/ Of the passengers on the car we're injured
BROOKLYN TROLLEY CARS DELAYED.
The storm caused many delays 10 the trolley
| cars in Brooklyn. and hundreds Of persons who
went TO the Island and points on Long
| Island reached by trolley cars for days outing
| got a severe drenchiag and were delayed several
hours in making the trip from the Island ID
| their homes
On several trolley lines the current grounded
stopping traffic until the wires were in perfect
/ working order again, and at Borough Park the
/ heavy rain washed a pile Of sand and small
| rocks onto the tracks Of the Fifth-ave. line.
! Word was at once sent TO the carhouse. and
| an emergency crew was ordered 70 clear away
! the obstruction The crew worked about an
| hour and half before it succeeded in removing
/ the sand and rocks and getting the cars run
/ ming again on time. Many fuses IN tne inotor
/ boxes of the trolley were burned out ms
! caused frequent delays on number OF INES
! MANY cars on the various lines from Iohey
/ Island Bath Beach and Fort Hamilton were
| more than thirty minutes late in making tns
/ trip TO New-York.
DAMAGE BY LIGHTNING.
Sidney Howell eleven years old. was passing
/ through Winthrop Park. Brooklyn, on his way
/ ~ his home. at No 40 Driggs-ave. when he was
struck by lightning He fell TO the ground un-
/ conscious A policeman the accident and
summoned an ambulance surgeon. who found
| that the boys skull had been fractured. he was
/ taken home. -
| The lightning demolished small tank OF the
! Standard on Company at Norman and Morgan
| aves Greenpoint II raised the cover OF tns
tank and threw II on top OF anotner' ~ ~Ihere w.
a loud explosion. followed by the leaplng o,
| tongues of flame after which the OIL burned
slowly The loss was estimated at $1,000.
Lightning also caused fire in the two story ana
| basement brick dwelling house owned py george
! Reeves who estimated the damage at SlOW.
Trees were blown done or destroyed by lignt"
! ming in many streets. especially In FlatousD,
/ Canarsie and other sections where they arc
/ nlentirlll Telegraph and electric wires were,
! as usual more less affected The teemlne
| rain filed the manholes, which overfowed and
! spurted water along the curbs and sent II whlri-
! ing down inclnes Cellars Of houses along the
! river front were flooded.
! Lightning struck and destroyed a one-story
shed near the new machine shop In the Navy
/ Ward II was filed with tools. lime and cement
/ 10 be used in the repair and construction OK
/ Government buildings. Several marines nearn
/ the crash OF the lightning against the sneo
uhich was Immediately enveloped in the Pc
! culiar blue flames Of natural electricity. TWO
alarms Of fire were at once sounded ana SIX
engines ana TWO TRUCKS IesP.iu'N AIV'', - -.y
/ Fire Department Despite the great dowhpoor
Of rain the hames kept licking the boards untl
/ the fremen arrived. They soon succeeded IN
/ extinguishing the fire. but not before the sne9
! itself was entirely destroyed Ihe Tools aiu
/ other material were saved and stored In anotner
/ building The damage by the fire was only
/ $500
! MORE SHOWERS FOR TODAY
/ The temperature yesterday as recoraed al tns
Weather Bureau. was 6s degrees at . a. m 80
at 12:45 D. m. and 63 at 7:i5 p. m The hu-
/ .r,A,,v was IS al ( a. m and 81 at p. m For
/ today showers and stationary temperature arc
predicted
FFRRYBOAT STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.
.--s or-pxED OIT AND A DECKHASD