Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-16
A TERRIFIC SHOWER.
Exciting Times in Hathaway Shirt
Factory Which Was Struck.
Considerable Damage Done and Some
Narrow Escapes Reported.

noticed that the ma jOrity of them pass
around rather than over and account
for this by the chain of ponds. 1t is q
| recognized fact that thunder showers
will follow water and thus the lakes
steer them to one side or the other oil
the city. But occasionally one seems
to gather in the vicinity of the ponds
themselves and then sweep down across
the city, making things rattle during
its passage.
This is what must have happened
Tuesday afternoon, for it was one OF
the liVeliest thunder showers that ever
visited the city and for time seemed
to be centered right over the business
section. 1t began about o'clock with
drizzling rain. Not much thunder
was heard, or at least not the low
throated grumblings such as are usu-
ally common to the summer showers
But just about o'clock it struck in
earnest and then for about half an
hour things were decidedly interesting.
Crash followed crash at very short
intervals and the crashes were not of
the ordinary strength but fairly made
the buildings tremble. The lightning
was very vivid at times and it seemed
as if it was coming down into the very
heart Of the city. And rain. Say, the
paving stones on Main street had a
regular 14-order dance as they floated
around and bumped noses. 1t came
down SO hard at times that it was diff
fcult to see across the street. One
could keep his hat fairly dry with an
umbrella, but that was about all, as
the water was driven by the wind al
most anywhere there was an opening.
1t seemed as if about every crash
ripped a hole in the canvas and let
down a few thousands of gallons in Il
bunch The following incident was not
seem personally but it is told for a
fact. About the time the water was
looking most like river turned or
end. Il little dog started on the run no
Main street and ran so fast that he
battered right up on the drops like a
flight of stairs and landed on the ROOF
of the BurleiSh block. Then he barked
and jumped and was nearly drowned
before he struck the street. You can
tell the ncighbors it rained some.
But the rain was not the most nota-
bic feature of the afternoon. Perhaps
the good people of Waterville have
heard more vivid lightning and seen
louder thunder, but it's doubtful. II
sounded at least two times as if one
of those balloons that are supposed to
be used in war to lift ton of dyna-
mite and then drOp it on an unsuspect-
ing city was in operation and that by
some mischancc the explosive went off
lust before it struck the roofs. The
windows ratified like the teeth of q
frightened man and the solid walls
trcmblcd. This statement isn't to be
classed with the dog story. because
there is more evidence to prove it. It
was 4 shower worth recording in a
pretty girls gilt-cdgcd diary and no
mistake.
There was just bit Of hail mixed in
with the water, or else it was some
rocks from the shore Of Great pond.
There wasn't much, to be sure, and it
didn't last very long, but there was
enough to be heard striking against
the windows and to be seen on the
sidewalk.
After the rain drops had been worked
down somewhere ordinary size and one
could see without colOred glasses when
the lightning flashed, the people cam"
out of the dark corners and insulated
chairs and began to ask what the dam
age might be. Those who kept cool
enough to count reckoned that it struck
at least Il dozen times within a half
mile of City hall. 1t struck twice for
sure 4 less distance than that from the
building.
The employees of the Hathaway shirt
,I, her aSnpri j.
encc like that during this shower. The
building has Il fiat roof with several
ventilating cupoIas, the center one
having a big flag pole with n larg"
gilded ball on top. That was an easy
mark for the lightning and was struck
fairly at the first try. The upper half
Of the pole was splintercd into small
fragments and these scattered all over
the roof and the adjoining lawns. Tho
fluid followed the pole down into the
cupola, apparently splitting and going
in all directions when it struck the
roof Part went over the west side,
going down through the roof just at
the edge, smashing and tearing boards,
paper and trimming and throwing il in
all directions.
This part struck the window sill or
trimming along the bottom Of the Gu
pola and on the roof Of the building
itself There was a round dent III the
tin about the size of a bascbail, snow
ing where the stuff struck after going
through the roof of the cupola. Then
if apparently glanced and cleared tn"
roof of the building, making Il bee line
for the gasoline tank, which is located
in the yard on the west side of the fac
tory and buried in the earth. Pipes
conduct the oil into the ironing room
of the factory, where it is used to heat
the irons. But it had been shut off
when the shower started. The fire
played about the doors of the tank for
Il second or two. but did no damage
everything being closed so tight that
it could not get in. If it had? Well.
that question is not a pleasant one to
think about.
But the part that went outside the
building did the least damage or per-
haps the smaller part. Another part
found it's way down on the inside into
the factory. The whole cupola was
badly shattered. There are some 50
panes Of glass in each of these and not
more than a dozen perhaps escaped in
the one struck The solid frame Of the
structure was ripped and torn and the