The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-31
STORM HITS THE TENDERLOIN
FLAG POLES SHATTERED AND
A BIG WINDOW BLOWN IN.
COney Island Feels the Blow and the Light
ming, TO0-BOy Knocked Unconscious
when holt Lands--Sewer Accident

Within few minutes of each other two
thunderstorms from over Jersey way
struck this town last evening just about
the time that downtown workers were
going home. The first cut across the
northern part of the city, but the other,
which was accompanied by vivid electrical
display, spilled about half an inch of rain
downtown and splintered fagpoles in the
hotel district.
The first storm did little damage. The
full force of the second storm seemed to be
centred in the Tenderloin. The thirty-five
foot flagpole on the Hotel Vendome at
Forty-frst street and Broadway was split in
two by bolt of lightning. and hundred
or more splinters fell into the street.
A strip Of wood about ten feet long struck
Michael McKenna, cabman, who was
making for cover. Another piece of wood
struck McKenna's horse, The horse ran
up Broadway, but the cabmen caught him
after chase.
When the splinters fell a woman was
getting into cab in front Of the Criterion
Hotel on the opposite corner. She tainted
and was carried into the hotel.
The flagpole on the top Of Tiffany's was
struck and a good sized-chunk taken out
Of it, John Hoar, a porter at the Herald
Square Hotel, was chasing his hat across
Thirty-fourth street when a plate lass
window in Macys store was mashed.
There was one story that the wind had
blown him through the window, but he
said that the wind had broken the win
dow and that some of the pieces cut him..
Lightning struck the forty-foot f1agpole
on the Mutual Life Building at Nassau
and Cedar streets in the shower yesterday
n and GhoftarpI II n nipppg
The storm caused the supports Of big
sewer pipe running along the subway ex-
cavation at l18th street to give way, and as
a result the big pipe sprang leak. Before
wOrkmen could repair II the subway for eight
blocks had been flooded to a depth OF six
feet. Men were busy last night pumping
out the trench.
Before the storm the temperature was
90 degrees. When 1t had stopped raining
the temperature was nineteen degrees
lower.
Lightning cut away a section OF the
trolley railroad feed wire near the main
power house, stopping all of the trolley
railroad lines above the Harlem, and block
ing the roads for almost an hour,
LIGHTNING FELT AT CoNEY ISLAND.
The storm hit Coney Island about Q
o'clock, topping over frankfurter stands
and sending peanut and popcorn In every
direction.
The rain that followed the gust Of wind
flooded the Bowery, Surf avenue and other
thoroughfares 50 that they were impossible.
The trolley cars were held up, and this
added TO the confusion. The Smith and
JAY street line was blocked from West
Fifth street on Neptune avenue clear across
the Coney Island Creek bridge.
Lightning and thunder came with the
rain. The lightning played all sorts of
pranks over the tops OF the tall buildings.
The first bolt hit the tower on Stauch's
dancing pavilion, splitting the woodwork
and sending slivers of wood into the air.
1t also hit the top of the old Coney Island
observatory, where a ball of fire scurried
down the trestle work to the ground. Little
damage was done to the observatory.
About the same time another bolt hit the
Jewish synagogue at West Third street and
Sheepshead Bay road, tearing away q
part of the roof and scattering shingles for
a block. The lightning cut through this
building as if it had been done with knife.
In the crowd that had taken shelter at
Thompson's walk and Surf avenue was
William Kent, is years old, of SIS Lafayette
avenue, Brooklyn. When the lightning
hit Stauch's place Kent was knocked I'M
conscious into pool of water ten feet
away He was sent to the Emergency
Hospital.
PROSPECT PARK STATUE WRECKED.
In Prospect Park large buttonball
tree in the flower gardens was blown over.
In falling it struck the statue of Abraham
Lincoln, knocking 1t from the pedestal and
breaking one Of the arms.
eight years ago stood in the Prospect Park