Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-07-18

ut1t WIS a ule INV al Wy nPeS 80
terday and old Jove was throwing
lhunderholts about in a manner most
startling and unpleasant to his terres-
trial subjects. During the early after
noon there were frowning clouds and
thunderous mutterings behind and over
the lofty hills to the south and east OF
the city. but no rain came as yet to cool
the torrid atmosphere.
At $40 O'Clock, however, the sky
grew suddenly dark, great scattering
rain drops spatterei the streets at in
tervals, a blaze, of lightning flashed
across the sky and following it swiftly
came the deafening roar of the thun-
der. Down came the rain in great
sheets driving man and beast to shell
ter and transforming the streets and
alleys into miniature torrents turbid
with the surplus dirt of the Carnival
week.
The lightning increased In force and
frequency. Tremendous peals followed
came flash more vivid than its prede-
cessors. A stream of electricity ran
along the trolley wire on Market street,
burned out the fuse in a car, set the
electric lights aglow upon the knights
of Pythias arch, tore off some OF the
drapings and then raced off into the
earth.
The writer. standing in an upper win
dow of the Register building, had just
turned his eyes away from the arch and
was looking over towards the top of the
City Banks fine building when what
seemed a ball of fire fell with blind
ing fash upon the very summit OF the
tower on the northwest corner Of the
City Bank block. This was In the same
instant followed by terrific explosion
as of mass of dynamite. A great show
er of shattered thing was hurled from
the roof of the tower down upon the
sidewalk and street. and a cloud OF blue
smoke rose from the rear of the tower
| Thinking the building was on fire the
| reporter warned the occupants OF TIC
| building of their apparent danger. All
| immediate investigation by the janltor
| of the building showed that though a
great deal of damage had been done to
the roof. still there was fortunately no
fire. The cause of the appearance oil
snake. was doubtless cloud of steam
produced by the action of the volume Of
electricity on the water and cement.
The cap piece of terra Gotta had been
torn off, and falling upon the roof of
the Wheeling bakery, had smashed a
hole in the tin roof of that building.
The thing of the southeast side Of the
tower had been torn away and broken
into fragments that had fallen upon
the street or lay scattered over the roofs
OF the bank and adjacent buildings to
the south. So great was the force Of
the shock that small pieces OF thing
were thrown clear across in front Of the
Register Office.
Occupants of the bank building.
strange to say, were but triflingly
shocked by the electric current.
In the Wheeling and Lake Erie freight
Offices on the top floor, telegraph in
strument was burned out.
Occupants of other front Offices on
the different floors felt tingling OF the
fingers and slight shocks from the cleo
trio fluid.
The damage to the building was con-
fined to the tower roof SO far as known,
and will be quickly repaired.
People upon the street felt slight
shocks and there was general ting;ing
of finger tips.
The colored elevator boy was greatly
frightened and rushed out the door upon
the sidewalk only to be met by a shower
OF fragments of thing. He quickly took
refuge In an arch way.