New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-29
WESTCHESTER HARD HIT.
CITIES IN DARKNESS, WIRES DOWN AND
PROPERTY DESTROYED.

Much damage done by a thunderstorm
which swept over the Westminster shore of Long
Island Sound last evening. The storm, which
lasted nearly two hours, was accompanied IN
some places by a fall of hastones as big as hens
eggs. which played havoc with conservatives
and greenhouses. The water flooded the New
Haven Railroad tracks in Mount Vernon, Gauss
ing delay to commuters, and backed up in the
streets until 1t flooded the floors of the buildings
In First-st. Great damage was done by light
ming to the trolley on the Union Railway
The motors fifty cars in Westminster ana
The Bronx were burned out by the flashes ana
the passengers received many bad rights Some
OF them leaped from moving cars and were hurt,
while women went into Mysteries. For two hours
the cars were practically at standstin.
A bolt of lightning struck the large sheds at
George Sunderman's roadhouse, on the White
Plains Road, In Woodawn, and tore them TO
pieces, killing several horses and wrecking the
carriages which the owners had put in the sheds
at the approach of the storm. score of people
who had sought refuge in the hotel were badly
shocked. The same bolt also felled large tree
in front Of the roadhouse. and split an adJoin-
ing building, containing grocery store, nearly
in two. The woman who kept the grocery store
was badly shocked. barn in East Chester
owned by l.. Holler, an ice dealer was also
struck and demolished. Seven horses which
Were In the barn were burned to death. An
other bolt struck the large iagpole at Hudson
Park, in New Rochelle, and reduced IT to
splinters. A hundred or more women and chill
dren who were in the park when the storm
up were frightened almost into Mysteries
Tonight the electric lights in Mount Vernon
and New Rochelle out and the two cities
are nearly in darkness. Wires are down all
over Westchester County, and the telephone and
rala ,a ctr IA "a
one of the most severe that has been known In
several years. and it is feared that much dam
age has been done to the fine Westchester high
ways. So far as is known, no boats We're lost
as it came up slowly, and the yachtsmen On the
Sound and sailing parties had time to seek
haven of safety. Tonight the temperature has
fallen from 10 to 10 degrees.
A terrific electrical storm occurred at Yonkers
yesterday. For more than an hour rain fell in
torrents, accompanied at times by hailstones
The flashes Of lightning were binding in brill
fancy and almost incessant. The water coming
down from the steep grades flooded the streets
to depth of several inches over the sidewalks,
and much damage was done to property by the
food Lamartne-ave,, which has steep grade,
was completely ruined, the fagstones. curbs and
cutters and lamp posts being torn out and the
debris deposited the blocks of the Hudson
River Railroad the foot of the street, caus-
ing delay to trains, The electric light and tele-
phone and trolley systems were paraly zed dur
ing the storm. Lightning struck the handsome
residence of F. F. Taylor, at Caryl, and the up
per story was burned off before the flames could
be extinguished by the firemen. The damage
will amount to about $1,000. The Westminster
Presbyterian Church struck. and the rear
wall OF the structure was demolished by the bolt.
At 10 O'Clock last night fire broke in the fifth
story of the Getty House, the principal hotel
here. The fire spread along under the roof, and
-Iah ron Ef ffsara h
damaged The prompt action of the iremen
saved the building, which is an old. structure,
and would have burned quickly The hotel was
full of guests, who packed up their belongings
and were prepared to leave.