The sun., 1904-08-11
WONDERFUL LIGHTNING PLAY.
NOTHING TO EQUAL LAST NIGHTS
SHOW SEEN HERE.
Casualties in Brooklyn In the Afternoon
StorB, Two Persons Killed and
Dozens Shocked-Tents OF siok Chi.
drcn Blown DOwn-Fla gstan Hit.

GtorB, Two Persons Killed ana
Dozens shocked-Tents OF Sick Chill
drcn Blown Flagstan Hit.
The electric batteries OF contendhg
clouds opened on one another at s:45 o'clock
last night and for more than half an hour
gave folks who were looking toward the
troubled western sky one OF the most start
ling and unusual aerial spectacles ever seen
hereabouts. All the most picturesque forms
of lightning were visible at times-forked.
chain. heat, sheet and what the Weather
Bureau terms "shimmering." There were
incandescent pulsations, tremulous CLEANS,
sudden foodings of white that embroidered
with silver the edges OF the clouds, clearly
defined for the fraction of second.
Preceding the finest of the intermittent
DISPLAYS there was always a flushing OF
the whole western heavens. Criss-cross-
ing. darting like rockets or fireworks ser
pents In all directions, cleaning and twist
ing like silver eels. bursting into forms
Of leaAess and many-twigged bushes,
reedlelike in senderness at times and
thick as a liners hawser at others. These
are some of the lghning's phases.
Long Island caught the full sweep OF
the afternoon storm There the wind
vas heaviest the lightning most destruc-
tive Two were killed, dozens Of people
we're shocked, few seriously; street
cars were struck, a church was hit, flag
poles splintered and houses set on fire.
The fury Of the storm was felt generally
over the eastern end of the island. Brook
lyn and East New York as well as the small
towns, caught it heavily. Near the sea the
wind and lightning were 80 severe that at
Coney Island and Brighton folks were
thrown into panic, believing that hurri-
cane had hit the shore.
William Hagan, ~ years old, truck
man, OF Grand avenue and Dean street,
Brooklyn, was struck dead by lightning,
in the afternoon storm. He was employed
by the Brooklyn Alcatraz Asphalt Company.
He was driving at Third avenue and Seventh
street at $50 o'clock when lightning bolt
struck him. He lurched forward and fell
headlong to the street The horses, though
unhurt, we're thrown by the electric force.
Hagan was removed to q store. The
ambulance surgeon who was called said
he was dead. The bolt struck Hagan's
right shoulder and passed out through
his right shoe. His waistcoat, shirt and
the right leg OF his trousers were cut as
II by q knife. There was no mark on his
body except at the shoulder.
Samuel KAplan, II years old. who lived
at s13 Osborne street, was killed at Chris
topher street and Newport avenue, East
New York, by bolt Of lightning that struck
him on the top OF the head and passed
through his body. He had taken Oh his
shoes preparatory to wading through .
puddle Of water. The bolt tore up the
ground, and when Kaplan was found ho was
lying face downward In q curious, Eigzag
ditch. The body was taken to the Brad
ford street hospital and afterward to the
Liberty avenue police station, where 1t was
identified BY the boys mother, who was
half crazed from the shock.
At Alabama avenue and Fulton street,
Brooklyn, transfer point for the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit. hundred or more persons
who were waiting for cars In the protec-
,ion Of doorwavs were thrown into . real
panic when ball Of fire hit a trolley wire.
Two women were shocked so severely
that they had to be taken to the Bradford
street hospital. They were Anna Bennett,
II years old, l25 Sumner avenue, and Mrs.
ldna Rodgers, 20 years old, 20 Church
.teet, Jamaica. A number Of others who
were affected were able to 60 home.
A crowded trolley car bound for Canarsie,
run by Motorman Van Houten, was in
Rockaway avenue, near Fulton street,
when ball Of fire hit the trolley wire half
= block ahead Of the car, ran along the
wire, flashed down the trolley pole and ex-
pIo'led the controllers at each end OF the
car Van Houten, with badly burned
hands, was thrown backward into the car.
Several women were shocked and two
tainted. Police, hospital and fire alarm
calls were sent. 1t took an hour to calm
the passengers and reopen traffic.
The storm flooded everything from Rocka-
way Point to Cedarhurst. At Rockaway
Park many Of the tents we're blown down,
hut no one was hurt. The rainfall was
accompanied by a very high tide and the
water reached a point along the beach which
had not been touched since last winter. The
railroad and trolley tracks on the Far Rocka-
wsy division were under water for hours.
and only with difficulty were trains and
trolley cars run. Women arriving at the
stopping points had to be carried from the
cars.
The heavy wine which accompanied the |
afternoon storm was felt at the seaside |
camp for siok children. established at Coney
Island by the New York Association for |
Improving the Condition Of the Poor.
None Of the children or nurses was hurt,
hut all got scare and a pretty rough |
shaking up.
The camp ten tents on the beach at Surf |
avenue and Twenty-eighth street. was full |
TO the limit when the big wind hit It about |
$50 O'clock. All Of the forty-five children.
from 20 months to ~ years old, and the |
nineteen nurses were inside the tents.
In few seconds every tent was down,
children screaming under billows Of wet |
canvas. nurses calling to each other anx-
iously. 1t had grown very dark and the
gloom added to the unpleasantness. Chill
drens clothes ware caught up by the wind
and carried for blocks.
Men rushed from the frame buildings
of the association near by and cleared away
me fallen canvas and hustled the children
INTO the buildings as quickly as possible. |
by some curious freak Of LUCK none OF the
lots had been hit by tent poles, and the same
good fortune extended to the nurses. Tho
children were examined, dried and put to
led, none the worse for their experience.
WOMAN WRITES FOR HELP.
tArd TO Long Island CITY Police Tells Of