The San Francisco call., 1904-08-23

PLAYS SOME
ODD FRANKS
Residents OF COVila
Witness Queer
Storm.
Every Portion Of the Town
Receives Visit From
Lively Bolts.
Trees Are Splintered and ClsaVsr Is
Knocked From Butchers Hand,
but No Lives Are Lost.
Special Dispatch to IN. call

COvINA, Aug. "a terrific light
ming and thunder storm. accompanied
by heavy rain, burst over this city
shortly before noon to-day, and the
absence OF fatalities is considered
miraculous. The flashes came in quick
succession and appeared to strike every
time.
A large tree seventy-five feet high in
the grounds surrounding the residence
Of Mrs. Platt-Larkins, at the corner OF
Center and Third streets. was splint-
cred into a hundred parts, many OF
them the size OF fence rails. The frag-
ments, some weighing 800 pounds. were
scattered from eighty to a hundred
feet in every direction. Mrs. Larkins
and her daughter. who were alone in
the residence, were stunned by the
shock.
The Covina Valley Meat Market. two
blocks TO the north Of the Larkins
house and IN the very center OF the
business section Of the town. was next
struck The lightning melted the tele-
phone and electric wires, burned out a
/ transformer, twirled the steel cleaver
out Of the hands OF a butcher named
/ Monroe who was working at the block.
and fired the woodwork just above the
doors. By the quick application Of
/ few bucketfuls of water a serious con-
/ fagratiOn was averted.
| The next flash struck the substatiOn
/ of the Pacific Light and Power Com
pany, near the Southern Pacific depot,
/ setting fire to the transformers, which
are a total loss. The fire burned fiercely
/ for several hours. This leaves the city
/ in total darkness tonight and until
such time as the transformers can be
replaced. The loss to the company viii
amount to $4,000.
/ A barn on the Winkler ranch was
struck and George Jeffrey. who was
I feeding the horses. was stunned by the
I shock Damage was also done TO the
/ local telephone system. Steady rain fell
all this afternoon.
/ LOS ANGELES, Aug. 22.-An un-
expected rainstorm coming from San
Bernardino to the coast and spreading
out like a fan traversed the valleys OF
this and Ventura and Orange counties
this afternoon, the precipitation In
many places being three-fourths OF an
inch. In the mountains the rainfall
was much heavier. in places amount
/ ing to two inches or more Only at
/ Covina is any serious damage report
ed. Hay in places was damaged. but
/ the loss will not be serious. This IS
the second heavy summer storm with
in two weeks. but this time IT was un-
accompanied by high wind
/ BAKERSFIELD. Aug. ga heavy
cloudburst in the Tehachapi Noun
tains at $3.50 this afternoon has result
ed in a complete tieup Of trafic on
both the Santa Fe and Southern Pa
cific south of Bakersfield Two hun
/ dred feet OF track is washed out two
miles north Of the town Of Tehachapi
and tunnel No. II is completely block
ed with earth and gravel. A water
tank has also been washed away.
The Santa Fe limited. westbound:
the Southern Pacific overland. west
bound, and the Owl from Los Angeles
are stopped. while the Southern Pa
cific. eastbound. and the Owl, south
bound. will be held at Bakersfield.
Traffic will not be resumed until to-
morrow.