Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-04-19
2 HOUSES hit
/. BY LIGHTNING
Here and in TottenviIIe- City
Dark 3 Minutes.

The terrific electrical storm which
struck this section at midnight
caused considerable damage, 1t is
known that one house was struck,
wires were blown down and signs,
shutters and other portable fixtures
Of buildings were disturbed or
broken. Trees were damaged and
| surface drainage from a heavy
downpour of rain, which accompan-
led the storm, caused streets to be
flooded and many receiving basins
became clogged up. Boats also bore
signs this morning of having been
stOrm-toSsed.
Lightning Strikes House.
Lightning played a peculiar prank
and caused about SIS damage in the
home of William Zangenberg at 593
New Brunswick avenue at midnight.
| Soon after the Zangenberg family
retired, a bolt struck the chimney
on the two-story. frame structure,
scattering SCOT throughout the
house, then ran along the top of
a gable leading to the extreme front
part of the house, tore up a guam
tity of flashing, ran down to a win
hON gap III lht ShDlt anu NhCI DCth
into the house and out on another
side.
A terrific crash which followed
aroused every member of the family
and they quickly got up and dressed.
A futile attempt was made to turn
on the electric lights. The system
had been damaged by the lightning.
A hasty search Vas made for an oil
lamp and Mr.. ~Zangenberg made an
examination to learn of the damage.
Feed Wire Blown Down.
A brilliant electrical display was
caused at the intersection of New
Brunswick avenue and Washington
street about 1870 O'Clock this
morning, when a heayily-loaded
feed wire of the Public Service cleo
trical system was blown down.
When one end-of the wire landed
on the ground it coiled, twisted and
wriggled like a snake, all the while
splitting fire. Pedestrians became
alarmed at the spectacle and sent
word to police headquarters. Pa
trolman MCGOWAN was detailed to
Investigate and he notified the Pub
lice Service officials in this city.
A wash-out occurred on the north
erly side of buckingham emu at
Mechanic street, as the result of the
downpour OF rain. Patrolman Dun
ham reported there was a large hole
there as a result. The street de-
partment was notified today of this
and other damage done to streets.
Considerable damage was done to
unpaved streets throughout the city,
e, 90. - &C ,,lSaL I,I h,1,, .{,r,,
the customary spring o~yerhauling.
~TOttenviiIe House Struck.
During the heavy shower which
passed over the southern end of
Staten Island at midnight last night,
a house owned by Andrew Abrams,
carpenter and builder in Johnson
enu was struck by a bolt of
lightning and the pole at the Bentley
Yacht Club in Front street, Totem
vile, was shattered. At the time
of thee lightnin large hail stones fell
and considerable damage las report
ed in various other sections of the
island. There was no alarm of fire.
The bolt tore off part of the roof on
the Abrams house, which is a two
story frame structure and is occupied
by two families. Samuel McHose
and family on one floor and Eugene
Hemstreet on the other.
City in Darkness.
When three of the feed wires were
blown down seyering connection be-
tween this city and the power house
of the Public Service at Metuchen,
the city was in total darkness for
about three minutes. At the time i,
is declared, the night operator at
the sub station in Jefferson street
was hurled from a switch board and
landed up against a telephone
switch board. 1t is reported, that as
soon as he recovered himself he
threw in the breakers and the city
was again lighted. Another en-
ploye of the Public Service, who hap
pened to be with the operator, it u
caid, was also slightly shocked.
The storm caused more damage
to the local system of the New ork
Telephone Company than has been
done at one time in years. The wire
chief estimated that about thirty
lines were placed out of service.