The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-08-04
The City in Darkness for
Hours, and Cut off
From Outside World.
CAR STRUCK BY LIGHTNING
Telegraph Gables Burned Out, Shutting
on Communication, and Running
SwitchboaTd-Te Telephone Company
Also q Sufferer.

Also 4 Sufferer.
BALTIMORE. Nd. Aug. An esti-
mate Of the damage done by the severe
storm which ragged here last night shows
that the actual loss viii reach Up into
thousands of dollars
Although rain had been predicted.
there were few signs Of 1t until after
dark, the sun setting in an almost clear
sky; but there was that oppressive still
ness IN the atmosphere that frequently
portends storm Just after dark
flashes OF lightning and the roll of dis
tant thunder came from a heavy band CT
clouds in the northeast and east. and
IBIS cor tinued until after O'Clock.
> when III downpour came Il vas heavy
while i lasted and was accompanied By
vivid flashes Of lightning and q good
deal Of thunder The rain lasted only
about half an hour and It did not cool
the atmosphere great deal The mer-
cury stood opposite IS az 1870 o'clock.
Considerable damage was done by the
telegraph. and electric Fight wires
Car Struck by Lightning.
a panic was caused among the passen-
gers on car 1871 Of the Pennsylvania
Avenue line when lightning struck the
car, burned out both motors. and Sc
vereIv shocked the rnotorman and sew
era1 OF The passengers.
The car was running west on Fait
Avenue near Nou5ford Avenue. when
suddenly there came 6 binding fash
followed almost Immediately by ter
rife report. Flames shot from under
The car and it appeared as if the entire
floor vas an fire Women screamed and
attempted 10 jump OF and several men
did jump of in the excitement.
Narrow Escape From Death
Round Sergeant Casey. Of the Eastern
district. was CT the car at the tine ard
prompc action on his part probably
saved Miss Katie StrcckfUs5. 50S Por5
Street. from serious injury. She tried 10
leap OF CT the side where the bar vas
down and was hanging partly over the
bar when the sergeant caught her He
also kept Miss Lena Zeinan, 500 Hare
Street, from leaping of Lha ear Both
ladies were shocked, as was also the
sergeant The ladies were SEM h0Ete.
The car was IN charge Of Aotorman
Harry J. SAVERS, SIS SeWeH Street. ARD
Conductor Benjamin Myers, -3q2 Penn
syIvania avenue.
Lightning Enters d Dwelling.
lightning struck q chimney on The
house occupied by Mrs Elizabeth
Hughes. 507 South Durham Street. The
bolt passed down the ms. scattering the
bricks and mortar in al directions md
entered the room where Mrz Hughes
and her family were seated None of the
family were injured. but picture hang
ing on the VAL was stru1k ard SKATER
ed by the lightning The room was filed
with suiphUTCus fumes for some tilac
after the bolt had passed..
The cable box cOnIiniuS every West srn
Union telegraph wire coming into the
city was burned out at 80 O'Clock By
the storm. The box, situated III the mata
office a. the Equitable Building. cauzh.
IRE, and Il was necSssa-- &C call 40 {
Engine Company 10 extiugujsE the blaze
The loss. it IS said, viii reach S1,oe5.
Cut or From Outside World.
The accident practically CIT OF com
uunication with the outside world for
two hours. and when It was resumed
messages were transmitted by round
about routes. At a late hour. IL was said
that every Tie would be II working or
der this morning.
An electric light wire is supposed to
have fallen over a line running into the
cable box. The heavy current started
the FIRE. which soon burned OF every
connection in the box The switch
boards we're thus thrown into confusion
and it was impossible to send OF. receive
messages
Roads Badly Washed.
n the suburbs an unusual amount Of
sharp and vivid lightning marked the
storm. although no damage other than
washing OF the roads by rain. which
was very heavy in some places, was re-
ported
About O'Clock the clouds seemed to
break up into two storms. one Of. which
passed over toward the city and the
other TO the westward.
At GardeHville what was apparently
union Of two storms was noticed. Rain