The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-11
RAIN NIAGARA CHECKS HEAT.
I3 INCHES FELL IN 10 MINUTES,
2.J6 IN THE SHOWER.
Fills Island Buildings, Brooklyn Borough
Hall and steam Yacht Seminole struck
by LishtnlnT-Tcmperatu Dropped
10 Degrees While the Rain Was Failing.

but there have been many other July days
that. comparatively. might be called torrd.
A fierce electrical storm that converted
the dripping air of all the boroughs into
an Rrial Niagara drove the temperature
down from its maximum Of 80 to 40 degrees
in less than two hours in the afternoon.
The storm came out Of the southwest,
across Jersey and sashed the blue-black
background Of the sky with Jagged light.
The lightning did not eXpend it's energy
altogether among the clouds. 1t dipped
down frequently shifting things afioat
and ashore.
While the storm was rlmbling over the
Battery district white lance came out of
the torrent and spintered the foretopmast
Of j. NJ, Robins, steam yacht Seminole.
anchored Off the Battery yacht basin.
The Seminole picked up anchor and sailed
down the bay. Hundreds who had sought.
and had not found shelter from the down
pour under Battery park trees were startled
by the bolt that smashed the yachts spar
and many ran through the park to the
Aquarium and to the elevated road structure
in Whitehall street.
1t was phenomenal deluge for these
parts. and the wettest ten minutes OF II
beat all records In these ten minutes.
which ended at 3,5. Us inches Of rain
swept down ia sheets 80 thick that it was
difficult to see half the length Of block.
The observation was as bad as that OF
heavy fog. The locol Official prophets said
that this rate Of rainfall. kept up an hour.
would have with its TO inches. deserved
the title Of tropical shower. The food
gates let loose 256 inches between 2:is
aud 4:29 p NJ, and choked the sewers in
many parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
flooding the cellars of South and West
streets, as usual, The temperature touched
the lowest notch at 400 p NJ. and then
slowly went up the tube again to 30 degrees
near which point it fingered. Humidity in
creased again and another thunderstorm
threat med.
The big structure at Ellis Island known
an the administration building was hit
twice, but not in the same place. by light
ming. The first crash did no damage, but
the second, coming right on its glittering
heels ripped of ten feet of the roof over
the information bureau and smashed a
skylight and a ventiator. Many persons
waiting to welcome friends who had just
landed at the island were thrown into
panic by the flash. defamation and the
smashing of wreckage. Several women
became hysterical, and many of the 1000
immigrants in room adjoining the in
formation bureau began bowling and
screaming. The officials had them an
quoted within few minutes.
The rush Of water at the Battery flooded
the subway roadbed to within few inches
of the third rail. But it was all pumped
out in jiffy.
The downpour created a food at the in
tersection of White street with Centre and
Elm streets, the water rising until the
Criminal Courts Building became an island
and the cataracts and rivers ran into base
ments and first floors Of shops and saloons.
The proprietors Of the shops tried to block
the food with mope and cuss words, but
it was hailed with delight by crowd Of
urchins. who improvised bathing suits and
plunged gaily into the muddy current.
The steps of the court building were crowded
with people watching the sport. In places
the water was over three feet deep, and
fire engine responding to an alarm lost
it's fire in the passage OF the ford. The
water rose until it came into the Coroners'
Office, and ran down into the basement.
where ii partly extinguished the fires under
the boilers. In the basement OF the Knabe
saloon. at White and Centre streets. Deputy
Sheriff McFadden's pet terrier met watery
grave. The premises of the saloon were
damaged to the extent Of $500. After .
while the sewers caught up with their work
and the people in the Criminal Courts Build
ing were enabled to escape without boats.
The police in Manhattan heard Of eigh.
teen heat cases attended by ambu-
lance surgeons. Eight persons became
i'll in the streets, probably from the heat.
There we're six sudden deaths, and one Of
these was credited to the heat DR.. James
r. Pitcher, an inferno at Bellevue, was
overcome at Third avenue and Twenty
third street. An ambulance took him to
Bellevue.
BROOKLYN BOROUGH HALL HIT.
Borough Hall in Brooklyn became
the target for startling electrical dis
charge. bolt of lightning striking and
the fagpole on the top Of the
tower, stunning several persons in the
building and suspending for a while an
Italian marriage ceremony in progress
in the Aldermen's room. The oldest en-
ployee in the hall declared that, SO far as
he could recall, lightning had never before
pa id it such a fierce visitation. While no
one was injured, the scare was general all
over the big structure from the roof to the
cellar and extended in less degree to the
people in the Court House, Temple Bar,
Garfield and other big buildings in ths
The lightning cut big slice of the flag
pole just below the eagle which topped it.
The flag, which was at half mast, was UNI
injured and fell on the tower. Some Of the
,lectric wires were burned out and there
vas no light in the building until they had
been repaired. three hours later. Coroner
N. j. Flaherty was in his Office on the
second floor OF the Fulton street side OF
he building, and with him were Oficer
Joseph Lockwood and Joseph McGarry,
/ contractor.
They were all standing in the little hall
way leading from the main Office to the
corridor when the lightning struck the flag
pole, and were dazed for an instant by the
lash Of fire. which, as they described it,
'eemed to roll in from the corridor and sweep
,ast them into the main Office. 1t left no
wreck in its path Each OF them felt a
distinct shock.
Charle Garrison the ee yator man waS