Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-07-18
NIGHT OF TERROR AND
MUCH DAMAGE CAUSED
BY ELECTRICAL STORM
Lightning Strikes Two Houses Here and Two In South
Amboy--Fire Caused by LatterEsctric Lights Out
fer Time Trolley Cars Stop Running.
HEAVY DoWNPOUR CONVERTS STREETS INTO RIVERS
Oliver W. Ramsays Home in Rector Street Hit by Bolt
Comes Down Chimney and Wrecks Ktchen--Flood Co.
vers Sidewalks in South Amboy Venetian Scene.
Lightning and rain played havoc

Lightning and rain played havoc
with property in this city, South
Amboy and other nearby places dur
ing another fierce electrical storm
last night. Residences of Oliver w.
Ramsay and Louis Blanchard in this
city, and property Of Augusta Mills
and James Monaghan in South Am
boy were struck by lightning, caus-
Ing considerable damage and several
people to be badly frightened.
From all reports no one was injured.
City in Darkness.
The lightning rendered the cleo
trio lighting system and the fire and
police call systems to become out OF
order. During a thrilling blaze at
BAT Madison avenue vain endeavor
was made to send IN an alarm of
fire from box SO at New Street and
New Brunswick avenue. Circuit No
3 was out of working order because
lightning had burned wire In two
and it became necessary for Patrol
man Quinn to run to Smith and State
streets and pull box 81. Considera-
BILE damage was done by washouts
and trolley traffic between this city
and South Amboy was hampered
because of cavein Of sand near the
Pennsylvania railroad bridge in
South Amboy. Slight damage was
done to small water craft which was
storm-tossed for several hours.
Oliver w. Ramsay's House Hit.
A part OF the interior Of Oliver
w. Ramsay's residence at 159 Rec
tor street, was wrecked by light
ming bolt which hit the chimney and
entered the kitchen. For a time
neighbors thought that st. Peters
Episcopal church had been hit
again. The bolt which startled the
neighborhood. scattered bricks from
the chimney On Mr.. Ramsay's house
in many directions. 1t passed down
through the flue and came out in the
kitchen, sending the stovepipe and
SCOT in many directions and almost
demolishing the stove and contents
of the room. Stove lids were hurled
sky-ward and almost everything in
the room was thrown topsy-turvy
The damage has not been estimated
as yet,-but is declared to be con-
siderable.
Mr.. Ramsay, his son Thomas and
domestic were frightened by the
bolt. G. Lee Straub, Mr.. Ramsay S
slept through the ex-
lcitement and was surprised to learn
'of the accident later.
Amboy Avenue House Struck.
The Blanchard home at 395 Hall
avenue, which is about 200 feet
east of Amboy avenue, was struck
in a similar way and damaged SINH
larly about the same time. Light
ming struck the chimney, damaging
1t, and followed the structure to a
stovepipe. Furnishings about the
house were thrown from their places.
Electric Current Shut Off.
lightning struck a Public Ser
vice light pole, broke the main feed
wires, thereby rendering the city
in darkness for two minutes and
damaged a house in New Bruins
wick avenue just west OF the City
Hospital last night. The city was
without electric current from 1927
to 1929 o'clock. Numerous indi-
vidual fuses were blown out and as
a result many homes were without
electric light. An able corps OF
workmen serving under Superinten-
dent Chamberlain made temporary
repairs speedily and are fixing all
damage to electric light apparatus
today.