The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-05-06
LIGHTNING PLAYS
QUEER FRANKS
Moving StreetCar Struck and
Catches Fire.
LITTLE DAMAGE DONE
Home of J. C. Dunn Visited
by Bolt of Fire.
TILE DAMAGE DONE

During the hail and electrical storm ex-
| perienced yesterday afternoon the light
ming performed all sorts of queer antics
in different parts Of the city. One. of the
trio car, which was struck while running
at high rate Of speed on East Douglas
avenue.
The car was crowded with passengers
and was running east near Cleveland
avenue. The occupants suddenly felt two
heavy shocks, when they were badly
startled, some of the women almost into
hysteria, by seeing flames issue from
the floor near the front door. All imme
diately stampeded for the rear exit, but
passengers on the platform who could
4ot see the flames and who were, there
fore, not alarmed, refused to step off the
car into the rain, and a rush was pre-
vented. Otherwise some one would have,
in all probabil been injured
The motorman quickly brought the car
to stop and the fire, which was caused
from the burning of insulation on cleo
trio wires, was easily eXtinguished. The
trolley was also removed from the cleo
was thereby discontinued.
Z. T. Allen was a passenger on the car
and occupied a position in the rear, on
a platform 1T seemed to me-" said
Mr.. Allen, that the shock caused the
car to run all the faster and although
the motOrmaA put on the brakes the car
would not come to stop until the trolley
was removed from the overhead current.
l honestly believe that the car would
have been running yet had it been impos-
sble TO get the trolley disconnected"
Mr.. Allen admits, however. that he was
somewhat excited and that he may be
somewhat mistaken il regard to what
actually did happen. Every one else was
in a like condition when they saw the
flames shoot from between the flooring
and thought of Eothing bet making their
escape.
The burning car was number 100. 1t
was returned to the company's shops i'm
mediately for repairs. The lightning, of
course burned out the fuses and. so far
as running was concerned, put it out Of
business temporarily.
At the same time car number 100 was
struck, another standing on switch at
of the former. where the two cars were
to pass, also experienced a slight shock.
The lightning also burned out the fuses
on this car and rendered it temporarily
useless. 1t was repaired within a short
time and last evening was again put into
service
Street cars being struck by lightning
is no more an unusual occurrence than
for anything elese to be struck, said
Superintendent Morrison last evening.
However it is the first time a bolt of
lightning has caused a fire. Although the
blaze was of no consequence, it no doubt
frightened the passengers some at the
time on account of its sudden appearance
Last summer he continued, lone car
was struck three times by lightning ana
another twice. Practically no damage re-
suited in either instance. All of the cars
are equipped with lightning controllers on
the ton and bottom. Whenever a shock
is experienced. ninety-nine times out OF
one hundred the controllers will care for
the shock and no damage at all Will re-
suit
Just at the beginning of the storm yes
IeIQdX
at 5i5 Everett avenue. West Side, was
struck by lightning and slightly damaged
Five members of the family were in
the house at the time. but other than
experiencing a light shock, they escaped
without injury. a small blaze was
started in the floor of the bath room
but was soon extinguished by Mrs. Dunn,
who was in the room at the time.
The greatest damage done Is to the
chimnevs and the carpets in the front
rooms.
The family consider themselves fortu-
nate TO have escaped injury.
throughout the entire storm, between
and o'clock. the telephone wires
huzzed and the sky was rent by flashes
of lightning. accompanied by heavy
crashes of thunder However, but little
;o,,,.,.~., yec,,i+ad although MANY Wichl-