The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-31
SET FIRE
TO A HOUSE
Lightning Strikes a Residence
in Fulton.
HARD STORM SWEEPS CITY
Streets Flooded With Water and Soldier
Companies March Through it.
Many People Caught at
Hollywood.

For an hour or moro last evening a
storm, fierce as long as it lasted, swept
over the city. deluging the streets with
torrent of rain and sending forth blind
ing flashes OF lightning which in one case
struck an East End residence. setting
the place aire and terrifying house
hold OF people.
+ At most inopportune moment the down
pour came to disturb the exercises IN
progress at Hollywood in connection with.
the annual observance of Mem orial Day.
Many of the thousands at people who
turned out were caught all unawares. and
the military In their bright, full dress
uniforms suffered horrors. Two companies
with banners flying and bands playing
went ahead-on into a flood in one OF tlis
streets and emerged some what democrat.
lied
GREAT DowNPoUR,
The storm began shortly after 6 o'clock,
coming out OF n bank of dark clouds
which had been lowering over for several
hours. A rumble of distant thunder and
rush OF very-near wind preceded grent
downpour OF rain. Within an hour an inch
and Ave hundredths fell. and more came
later on at night after 10 o'clock. Hardly
as much rain as this fell during all OF
last month. Accompanying the rainfall was
q rapid fall In temperature. The mercury
dropped from 81 degrees at 6 o'clock to
Gs degrees at s o'clock.
During the career of tho storm the
lightning was at times binding. One brill
liant fash struck In Fulton and did some
little damage. House No 900 N Louisiana
Street. conducted as a boa/lng place by
Miss Bette Wiley was the chief SUI
ferer. The lightning played about the rear.
of the building and set the timbers afire.
From there It communicated with the
next residence. No 207s occupied by Mrs,
Apperson. The bolt went straight into
the house and settled itselt comfortably
I In closet under the stairway. It Is re-
liably reported that some alert gentleman
closed the Ncoset door on the intruding
bolt and that 1t Is still there impotent
and unable to do further harm.
The fire at the brQading house was
of such proportions ms to necessltate the
calling out of the fire department, En-
gines No. 2 and No. s responded, and the
blaze was quickly extinguished.- Damage
to the extent OF perhaps 500 was done.
The chief injury was to the nerves of
several ladies' who ran terrified into tina
street One of them, 1t Is understood, was
seated at sewing machine, over which
the lightning played with uncelcome br!i-
lance.
LOOKED THE SOLDIERS,
So far as is known this is the only in
{
Perhaps more damage was done by the
rain at Madison and Main Stress, the
water backed up axle high and for
more than a halt hour street cars and
other traffic along this route had to be
suspended, The flood extended from Mon
roe to Madison.
Shortly before I o'clock two companies
OF already sadly soaked military, who
had been at Hollywood. came marching
along and went full front into the water.
The Blues came down Main Street and
turned up Monroe to FRANKLIN; the Rich
Cary on their way to Franklin also. The
two companies met the flood at about
the same moment. and then confusion
prevailed,
To describe the scene which ensued
is impossible. The companies yelled and
jeered, enjoying the discontinue of each
other, but preserved a line of march as
we'll asithey could, The white duck pants
of the Blues We're distressingiy limp and
clinging and splotchy, and certain al
i - ----,