The Portland daily press., 1900-09-24

Lightn ing Tied Up Part OF the Port
land Road Saturday.

TWO heaVy showers Ioll IN this city
Saturday afternoon. Neither was expect-
cd and for this reason people found them
selves out in about as heavy a down
pour OF rain as has been felt in these
parts for some time. Assistant Roche of
tho weather bureau, stated that these
rains were not uncommon at this time OF
the year. Taking both of the storms
the amount OF rain that fell from the
clouds was sixty-two one hundredths of
an inch. A little more than one-haIf of
this fell In the second storm which did
not continue as long as the first, but
which came down at more severe
rate.
The lightning played havoc with the
Portland Street railway for about an
hour and half during the storm.
For the first half hour all of the lines
were somewhat delayed by the power be-
ing lost for minute or two, while the
Union Station circuit had refused to
work at all. This was caused by the
lightning striking and causing
"ground' on the feed circuit of this di-
vision.
This caused no little trouble, coming as
1t did during the busiest time OF the
day, when there are so many wanting
to take the trains to and from the sta
tion. The public carriages, however,
reaped great harvest
The lightning, by striking and tieing
up the Union Station district, caused the
stopping OF all cars running over Union
station hiIl and this resulted In tying
up the Stroudwater, Congress street and
the Belt line cars from Bramhau square
out. Two Spring street cars were also
stalled at the Eye and Ear Intlrmary as
they had got 20 the dead circuit which
extended up Vaughan street to the cor
ner of Bramhan.
Six cars were stalled at the Union
station and the Deering Highlands cars
by way OF Portland street and Deering
avenue, We're also stalled, one on Port
land street and the other out on Deer
ing avenue. This line got running at
about 40 p. m, ana the other lines got
at work again at & O'Clock.
Had the Portland Street Railroad
company been running all cars on one
feed circuit, all OF their cars would have
been tied up. But each line OF cars has
it own circuit. and what would tie up
one circuit would have no effect on the
others
Assistant Todd sent to the Beckett
street station and secured rope to attach
to the two Spring street cars so that they
could be hauled into the live wire cir
cult which begins on Congess street, in
front OF the Eye and Ear Infrmary
When the rope was brought it was found
too short and AIr Todd was loaned a
piece of chain from the Intrmary engine
room. A Congress street car was used to
tow the stalled cars on to the live cir
cult.
FIRE ON GRANT STREET.
During the progress OF the second of the
heavy thunder storms that ragged Satur-
day afternoon, nRhtning struck the resi-
dencs OF Col. John ID. Printable at 14O
Grant street. This took place at few
minutes past four O'Clock, and for a
short time considerable excitement fol-
lowed Col. Printable jumped out OF
the bath tub and ran ont OF the house in
regular rough and tumble fashion and
then pulled in the alarm from box II. BY
the ii ne that the department arrived on
the scenes, however, the blaze had been
extinguished by Mrs. Printable.
The lightning struck the ridge pole
and ran down through the roof into the
ceiling OF the front room on the second
floor. It proceeded along the castings OF
the front window and then pierced
through the room out to the conductor
where it finished its course by running
into the cellar. 1t vented its greatest
fury in the room Of the second story,
burning the lace curtains about the win
dow, the carpet, the castings and wood
work and some Of the articles in the
room which were highly priced by Col.
and Mrs. Printable. The lower tenement
is occupied by Mr.. John Il. Flood and
family. The servant girl of this family
was in the cellar at the time the light
ming struck and was badly frightened,
but not at all injured.
A big crowd gathered on the scene.
There was an insurance in the agency
of Herbert A. Harmon, which covers the
loss.
LIGHTNING Ar OAKDALE.
Out In the Oakdale section of the city
bolt. caused considerable damage to the
residence Of Mrs. Albert n. Hawes, 29
Falmouth street, frightening the occu-
pants OF the house and many of the
neighbors. The bolt first struck the
dormer window on the westerly side
About this window was hanging double
curtain and a most peculiar phenomenon
occurred when the lightning striking
against this window completely brushed
away one half of the curtain and sent it
whirling across the room while the 9TH
er half OF the curtain was not even
touched. The glass in the windows was
smashed into a million pieces, but not