The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-08
ELECTRIC STORM
PLAYED OVER CITY
The Binding Floods and the Pour
of the Warning Skies.
DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE HERE
6road-Street Church and Several Other
Places Struck by Lightning.
Drove Away the
Heat.
DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE HERE
b,,rch and Several Other


the city like pail left behind it It's
telling marks Of violence done in differ
ent directions.
Eor quarter OF an hour flashes OF
lightning streaked the sky giving vent
to deafening crashes Of thunder while
wind and rain stormed below. In
several cases points IN and around the
city suffered, either from the wind or
from the lightning itself.
The damage Will not be great. but such
as 1t is, 1t will prove widespread.
Considered a thunderstorm the oc-
cnrrence was nothing out of the ordinary.
~ was an exceptionally bad storm, as
storms go, but for this section OF the
country it was most unusual. Rarely
before have Richmond people witnessed
sight at once terrifying and SC
grand. Such things happen in the in
terror often but near the coast as Rich
nond is. this occurrence is infrequent.
A BLESSING IN DISGUISE.
Z after a day of intense neat that
lie storm came to clarity the atmosphere.
The sun had been beating down unmer
cifully on suffering humanity, and a little
wilma and rain which came in the after
room amounted TO nothing. The water
merely set the hot earth to steaning
anc if anything only made matters worse.
The suffering great on all hands,
and the life of the ordinary citizen was
miserable
tbcut 6 o'clock in the evening the
clouds began TO CAT again and an
cm;nous yellowish light settled in the
west in the track of the sun. It did not
seen TO be there. however when the sun
went down. AT I o'clock or shortly there.
;.tier the fuTies We're let loose. 4 fierce
WIG which almost took people off their
f..cl, carried clouds of dust with it and
sialHmed doors and windows making it
absolutely necessary TO close them de-
- =,
t3c,c followed the binding lightning and
deafening thunder Flashes of fire streak
co the sky and the terrible crashes which
followed scared many poor soul half
gu OF its wits. Those who, safe in the
Distance. watched the storm. are en-
ihusiastic in their description of its
grandeur; here in the midst OF it, small
thought was given to the attractive side
~ IL many it was terrifying.
BROAD STREET SUFFERS.
ne SieepIe of the Broad-Street Metho-
o'st Church was struck a half hour be-
lore the evening service began. Firemen
from the engine-house nearby imme-
dlately looked after it. but found no
plaze. plank is ripped off near the
nase OF the steeple and one of the win.
doNs is knocked out. There Will be no
other damage
When the church was struck its pastor
the Rev w B. Beauchamp. was taking
supper at Ford's Hotel. a square below,
I. ~ mad no idea that it was his own
church that had suffered, but when the
crash came thought like many Others
IN the dining-room that the hotel itsalr
mad been struck Electric lights smut
tered curiously, wires bobbed around
ana everybody thought the place was
afife Many left the building a GOOD
deal faster than they had entered It
DAMAGE ELSEWHERE.
a barn on Brook Road, a short distance
q str,
on fire a cupola or ventilator on ION
the building was knocked off and tbs
blaze began there. Company No. : or
the Richmond Fire Department wanr
OCT and took care Of things The dam.
age Will amount TO about 500. The
place was owned by Mr. j. c. Carson
a cattle broker. Several horses and
vehicles were in the barn. but We're GOT
ten out safe and sound
AT the Central League Training School
the colored institution on North Third &,
street. the gas was lighted by the cleo
IIlcity The lightning came in on wires
which were around the pipes The de
partment was called out again. but was
not needed this time
AT lakeside the Flagstaff on the
country Clubhouse was struck nv 1ipht
mig and splintered; two or three nIenas
IN Heni1co county We're struck an,o,,
others the residence of Mrs. Alma C,,la
near Fort Lee. F
several other places are understood 10
have suffered. The house of a rela+iva
OF Officer Werner. Of the First BIT
District. is said to have been s1rmaiI
Mr.. Werner could not be seen this T,,orn-
ing 1t was reported at one time ma,
the barton Heights Baptist Church was
on ilre. nut tins proved TO be incorrect
WIRES AND STREET CARS
Several instances of damage dona NV
wind have been repOrta1 4
blown down and number OF trees fell
Several branches of trees in the Capito1
Square were blown off. The damage ia
telegraph and telephone wires was
shght Neither the Western Union nor
lhe Postal suffered to any great extent.
The t1rst-named company had its sign
on East Main Street blown down. The
wires OF the Southern Bell Telephone
company We're crossed, but were easily
gotten INTO shape again. The street car
lines suffered somewhat Several cars
We're burnt out and traffic was for the
time being delayed
KNOCKED THE HEAT, OFT.
While the storm did considera bic. |
damage it was highly beneficial in Civ
Ing the heat back seat BY the time
il ended last night the air had been
fgeshened UP wonderfully and many peo-
pie went TO the parks and enjoyed them
selves for the first time during the day |
Yesterday it was sun cloudy and thers
Is hint of more rain bur the change j
the temperature compensates for all.
STORM WAS GENERAL.
So far as reports have been received
by the Weather Bureau the storm was
quite general over the State In Louisa
and the region roundabout there was a
good rain. which will be highly bene-
flclal to the crop. The precipitation here
amounted to IS of an inch. 1t was re-
ported that at Acca. on the r.. F. and
p r, r.. there had been an overflow of
creeks. resulting in the washing away
OF several bridges. II Is hardly thought
that there will be any appreciate rise
in James River at this point
Inc forecast for Virginia calls for
cloudy. threatening weather tomorrow,
and for a rising temperature Concern
ing weather conditions elsewhere. the
Weather Bureau made yesterday the fol-
lowing statement:
The barometer pressure is highest on
Mouth "a i.,---4