Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1911-06-16
FRIDAY, JUNE I6, 1911.
LIT UP BY BOLTS OF FIRE.
Holiday Crowds Drenched and
Driven in Panic to Seek
Shelter.
TWELVE THOUSAND AT PALISADE PARK
WHEN LIGHTS WENT OUT.

WHEN LIGHTS WENT OUT.
New York, June 11.-An electric
storm of unusual energy and briliancy
hit New York at ten O. clock last night
and before it had seated driving holiday
crowds to shelter and upsetting traffic,
another storm, even more intense,
swept across the city from the south
One of the worst effects of the first
storm was to put out electric lights in
Palisade Park, N. j. In the darkness
that came suddenly u, 900 men, women,
and children struggled in panic to find
their way to exits, They found the
surface cars stopped, and mad scramble
through bushes and over unfamiliar
country in the search of shelter fol-
lowed.
The storm tied up the surface cars on
Broadway for Is minutes, as it was
found necessary to cut off the current.
So much water was driven into the sub
way through the open kiosks and the
sidewalk ventilator screens that for
time it was feared the tunnel would be
flooded at the end of some of the inclines
to such depth as TO interfere with the
traffic.
The rain began at 9:45 p. m, and 10
minutes later torrent came with
suddenness that surprised even the
weather men. With the rain was
vivid display of lightning, which came
in repeated steel blue flashes that zig
Jagged across the western sky.
These conditions would have made a
terrific summer shower, but the storm
was accompanied by wind which
quickly attained velocity of 70 miles
an hour and sent the torrential downfall
blowing across country at express
speed.
Just as the rain got well under way
the bands were playingin Paisade Park,
cheering those who hoped ut would
soon pass over"
''Ths way, this way" the bankers
were shouting, and the crowd was
pushing good naturally to take advan-
tage of every bit of shelter, when sud-
denly the lights went out.
Just as the lights dimmed there was
vivid flash which seemed to envelope
the park buildings. A terrific crash of
thunder followed, and then some one
shouted that the electric power house
just north of the scenic railroad had
been struck. For about three minutes
the crowd in the darkness good naturedly
listened to the attendants shouting that
there was no danger. Then came the
rain in sheets, and with it the wind that
came tearing across country out of the
northwest
A child cried out in terror, and that
cry seemed to move the people to sud
den movement. The rush for places of
shelter soon became a stampede. The
electric flashes fortunately served to
keep the crowd moving in the general
direction where the trolley cars were
waiting.
The cries of the frightened women
and children predominated above the
din of the storm. 1t was then very
little use for the park attendants to
shout that all was well.
Electricity was used on the roller
coasters to carry the cars to the tops of
some of the steep inclines. Several
cars We're stopped on the inclines and
were only kept from rolling backward
by the safety clutches.
Those in the car, left stranded in the
darkness, were in fright, and the i'm
prisoned women could be heard shout
ing. Those in charge had to restrain
the more frightened ones from jumping
out. After delay they got lanterns
lit and brought ladders. These were
put up, and those in the stalled cars
climbed or were carried to the ground.
AS the park emptied there was a des-
perate fight to get places in the waiting
trolley cars. The few cars waiting soon
filled to more than standing room only.
Those repulsed from the cars were
forced either to stand in the drenching
rain or stumble off in the darkness in
search of shelter. Many of them were
women carrying babies or dragging
drenched and terror-stricken children by
the arms. 1t was a half hour before
the cars began to run, and the
hysterical, battered, soaked crowd to
reach the ferry and crowd the ferry
boats coming to this side.
Coney Island was taken unawares by