The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-07


City and Dunmore Were Struck.
The city was visited yesterday after
noon about d.15 o'clock by an exceed
ingly fierce electrical and rainstorm.
The lightning struck in a number of
places throughout the city and Dun
more, and for upwards of the fifty
second time 1t was practically demon
strated that the sewers in the central
part of the city are totally inadequate
to carry away any large volume of
water resulting from a severe rain
storm.
The storm came up very suddenly
and was presaged by only a few fitful
gusts of wind. When the rain came 1t
did come and no mistake. 1t was n
perfect dOwnpour and was driven in
sheets by the wind. 1t lasted for up
wards of fifteen minutes, the precipi-
tation being nearly three inches.
The electrical display was both
thrilling and picturesque. Streaks of
the electrical fluid shot across the sky
in all directions, as If some giant hand
were marking with an incandescent
pencil upon the dark background of
clouds.
Linden street, between Wyoming and
Washington avenues, has been formed
into a miniature lake on previous OC-
casions, but never into such complete
one as it was yesterday. The water
was In some places nearly three feet
deep,and extended away around Wash
ington avenue in front of the govern
ment building.
COVERED WITH WATER.
The catch basins were completely
covered by the water, and passage
across the street was impossible, ex-
cept to the barefooted newsboys, who
had a gala time. The sewer on Wyo-
ming avenue also proved incapable of
carrying away the water and the base
ments of the various stores on that
| thOroughfare, between Spruce street
and Lackawanna avenue, were, as
usual, partly filled with water, caused
by the overflow.
John Lotus, of Crown avenue, a boy
Is years of age, was struck by bolt
of lightning during yesterday after
Moons thunder storm, and seriously
injured. The boy is employed at
James Murray's coal plant near Noun
tain Lake, and when the storm came
up he, with several other boys, en-
tered the office at the breaker and
while seated there lightning entered
the office over the telephone wire,
stunning everyone present. Young
Lotus, who was seated close to the
telephone, received a most severe
shock. He was removed to his home
/
condition. DIR. j. j. Walsh, who is at
tending, says the chances for the
boys recovery are very good.
The house occupied by Camelio Ran
oni and family, on Breck street, was
struck by lightning last evening and
badly damaged. The bolt entered the
house at the chimney and passed
down at the ridge pole, tearing off
| shingles, weather boarding and plas-
ter, and stunning a 3-year-Old child,
who was sitting at the window.
Slight damage was done to the house
of NJ. j. Clump, of Birch street, by the
| lightning. None of the occupants were
| injured.
DAMAGE AT DUNMORE.
An clubhouse in the rear of the
residence of w. G.. Miller, a Dunmore
butcher, was struck by lightning and
overturned by the shock.
The home of Michael Horn, in Dun
more, was struck by bolt of light
ming about 4.30 o'clock, but with the
exception of a few shingles on the
roof that were burned, no damage was
done.
An inbound South Side car was de-
! ;l,,l
| ton avenue. Owing to the heavy rain
the tracks at Willow street and Pitts
ton avenue sank, and as the car came
along, one of the rails spread, throw
ing the car off. Traffic was delayed
about an hour.
Car No. sec on the Washburn and
| Drinker line, of the Scranton railway.
was derailed yesterday afternoon about
4.30 o'clock, during the heavy storm
and for the rest of the day all traHc
on the line was delayed. The car was
coming to the city from Dunmore and
at Drinker street, near the Spencer
shaft, was thrown off the track, the
road being partially submerged in
water and there also being a large
amount of gravel on the rails. The
car was driven off the tracks and rest
ed on the rails diagonally blocking the
road
During the rest of the day no cars
on that line could be run beyond this
point and the weary passengers had
to foot it. About 8 o'clock the wreck
car arrived on the scene and soon after
the car was moved onto the track and
left for the city.
HAVOC WITH CAR LINES.
The storm played havoc with the
street car lines in other parts of the
city, also, and the wreck car was kept
busy all afternoon and evening. Cars
at Duryea were also thrown off the