Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-08-03
TERRIFIC ELECTRIC STORM
assed Over This City About
9 O'Clock Thursday Night.
EVEREST FOR SEVERAL YEARS
|amage Done by the Light
ming, Wind and Rain.


The residents of Wilmington and
cinity we're startled about o o'clock
hursdaynight by probably the heaviest
ectric storm of short duration that
rs visited this part of the country for
Many years, and more or less damage
as done by lightning, wind and rain,
bile the rain, which came down in
brrents at times, did much good to
egetation.
Early in the evening clouds began to
ather in the western and northern Sky
Ind at $50 o'clock dense clouds
ppeared to envelop the city. Distant
under was heard at frequent intervals
bd 10 minutes later it was apparent
lat the city would soon be tho centre
the fury of turbulent elements.
hortly before 3 O'Clock the wind began
blow and rain to fall and by this
me the flashes of lightning were fire.
ient and vivid and the thunder could
compared to bombardment. In
o ensuing half hour several terrific
balls of thunder were heard and the
ghtning rivalled the rays of the sun
q midday. People who were on tho
treet we're more or less alarmed, rs
hey felt as if the lightning was strik-
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bought refuge under awnings, in door
ways and other places which afforded
heller.
The street cars we're operated during
he storm, but the current was off for
short periods many times, making the
Iheadwny OF the cars slow. One car,
No. l5i, of the East Eighth and
Ninth street line, was disabled by the
4, t,,., = hu1 tf. ha To h..
|,ar barn at the Middle Depot by a
rars were stalled at various points for
short periods.
The telephone and telegraph service
MAS crippled for short time.
Lightning struck the chimney on the
residence of Mrs. James L. Reese, No.
BIS Adams street, but no serious
6igns and trees in various parts Of the
xtity were wrecked.
A special car of the city railway was
bun out of the car barn and to the
%Elayton House, at Fifth and Market
streets, in the evening. While the car
WAS standing at the Clayton House the
storm broke forth and the car was
taken back to the barn. The car had
been called out by Superintendent
Nandegrift to take special party to
Chester and return, but the trip was
declared off.
A barn on the farm of Benjamin
Hall, near Talleyville, was struck by
lightning apd burned, together with
IS contents, causing loss of about
l 200.
Street Commissioner Pierson said
Ia h la
hbout the city there was no great
amage, but great deal of good re-
Quilted from the heavy downpour OF
an. the streets being washed and
lowers flushed At the Brandywine
Summit campgrounds the storm was
ery severe and many of those at the
Grounds were frightened and sought
Shelter under mattresses. No damage
Vas done on the grounds or in that
ficinity. About IS families are nov
Occupying tents there.
A barn near Bethel Church, owned
||by Ben iamin Green, was struck by
3ightning Thursday, and was burned
10 the ground. About 100 bushels OF
wheat left from last years crop were
destroyed, as well as lot of farming
Implements. The loss is 81, 200, partly
covered by insurance in the Mill Greek
Fire Insurance Go.
The telephone line at Talleyyille was
destroyed Thursday, during: the storm,
"A ball of fire entered the house of DIR.
N. Harvey Day, at Talleyville, and
<created panic. Mrs. Day was in thu
hallway at the time with lamp in hel
Inland, and the conclusion caused thu
blight to go out. The occupants of thu
%bOuse were not injured