New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-28
DEATH AND FIRE IN STORM
LIGHTNING KILLS A MAN AND \ HORSE
AT MEADOW BROOK. LONG ISLAND.
WITHOUT CALLING ON THE LOCAL
DEPARTMENT - sKYsCRAPER
STRUCK IN THE CITY
STRUCK IN THE CITY

great day in the weather annals OF New
York was yesterday. First of all it was the hot
test day of the year. 1t the hottest June 81
recorded at the Weather Bureau since 1872, and
it was pyrotechnic in it's storms and lightning
flashes, its heat and breezes. It's sunshine and
its cloud. The heat was sitting in one spot with
radiant sunshine. while the rain fell and the
lightning struck in another While a storm
worked havoc along the shores of Newark Bay
the horses ran at Sheepshead with scarcely the
interruption of a shower. Ferryboat passengers
had the best chance to see lightning strike a
skyscraper. The American Tract Society's big
building at Nassau and Spruce SITS had its flag
pole carried away by a lightning bolt which
came down perpendicularly from the sky. and
before the thunder clap reached their ears the
pole tottered over and one end rested on the
cOrnices of The Times building.
Robert Merrill known as 'SteepIe Bob" was
preparing TO paint a srnokestack on the build
ing when the bolt fell Swung in a bOatswain's
chair with his wife watching. he stunned
by the electric fluid and lowered uncOn-
scious to the roof.
For the third time within month the MEM
bers Of the Meadow Brook Hunt Club. who have
country homes at Hampstead and East Meadow
Brook, Long Island. summoned from their
homes to fight flames caused by lightning, and
so persistently and heroicalIy did they stick to
their task that alarm of fire was not turned
in to the Hampstead Fire Department. and It's
members knew nothing - the fire. at which
number of well known club members had served
as volunteer hremen, until some hours later.
MAN KILLED IN \ BARN.
The large country home of Henry J. vogel. Of
Brooklyn at East Meadow Brook. was struck.
The storm had passed away and the bolt came
from an apparently clear sky. One of the large
Chimneys the east wing of the building was
demolished The bolt passed down two stories
to the kitchen beneath, striking a wire that
connects the house with the coach barn The
wire was used for ordinary signal bell. The
bolt entered the barn. setting it fire. An
thony Seymour, ffty-hve years old, the coach
man Of L. H. VogeI. of AmityviIle. a brother Of
H. ]. Vogel, the owner of the house. was sitting
in the barn in conversation with Charles Land
siedell. His chair was tipped back and his head
was resting against the electric bell. As the bolt
passed through the barn it struck a team of
horses attached to a trap. One was killed in
Stanty. The other unhurt. The bolt evil
IDENTIFY passed over to the wire of the telephone
and, passing along this. struck Seymour, who
fell from his chair and killed instantly. The
bolt I3s-sed out of window only six inches I'm
front of LandsiedeHs face. His mustache was
singed, but he otherwise unhurt BY the
prompt action of the club members and the
servants of Mr. VogeI both fires. that in the
house and barn. extinguished. The large
stable of James L. Kernochan. which is directly
opposite the country home of Mr. Vogel was
struck. but damage of any considerable
amount done. This was the second time
in two weeks that Mr.. VogePs place has been
struck by lightning. Miss VogeI. the pretty
young daughter of L. II. VOgel. Of Amityville
was the first to discover the fire. She mounted
her wheel and rode through six inches of mud
and aroused the neighborhood- Seymour leaves
a wife and two children.
MEN STUNNED IN HARLEM
In Harlem the lightning struck the flag pole OF
the Liberty Stables. Nos. 125 and 127 East One
hundred-and- twenty ninth-st. The bolt ran
down the side of the building. struck an iron
lamp bracket. broke the lamp. Ieoped thirty feet
to the middle of the street, and striking the Bel
gian blocks, burst into thousands Of fiery spIin-
ters. w. ]. Mckay, the proprietor of the stable
and William Julitch. in the Office, were thrown
to the floor and stunned. 1t was ten minutes
before they recovered. Twelve of the eighteen
horses on the second floor We're knocked over
and one of them is thought TO be fatally hurt
In saloon at No 131 of this street, William ]
Burke had a glass struck from his hand and
much OF the glassware behind the bar was
broken the floor.
The temperature yesterday registered II dur
ing the early hours At { a. m it began to rise
AT L O'Clock it had passed 90 degrees The
rain began TO fall in this city at 3:39 D. m The
storm passed irregularly over the city and its
suburbs The humidity was 81 per cent at s
d m ana "a at p. m
The United States Weather Bureaus forecast
has cooler weather for to-day with shOVers-
Friday showers. brisk southwest winds ana
squalls.