Norwich bulletin., 1916-07-14

Crippled telephone, electric light and trolleys5 service followed in the wake of Thursdays storm, the most spectacular electric storm that Nor wich has experiencedifor several years past. For several hours before the storm broke, clouds &had' been slowly gathering and fthe sky became more and more threatening. About 2 o. clock in the afternoon the clouds ap- peared black as ink on the northwest horizon, faint flashes of lightning and distant rumbling gave warning of the storms approach and a half hour later there was a terrific downpour which continued off and on for the remain der of the afternoon and late into the evening.
 Vivid flashes of lightning soon elec- trifed the heavens and crash upon crash of thunder shook the very foun- dations of the city's largest buildings. The streets were veritable rivers, the water rising even above the curb stones and flooding the sidewalks and cellars of a number of Norwich homes Just as the storm was at it's height another storm of equal intensity roll ed in from the south and the two join ed forces.
 Played Havoc With Telephone Lines.
 The lightning played havoc with the
 
 phones out of commission. The wire chief said Thursday night that it was impossible to even estimate the num- Der of lines out of commission and that it would be sometime Friday morning before the service would again be normal.
 Electric Light Service Suffered.
 Fuses and transformers suffered greatly at the municipal light plant and then Scotland power house had to give out. This of course put a good many electric lights out of com mission for the time being but the trouble was remedied as soon as pos sible and the service was resumed. The Falls section was without lights until after ' o'clock.
 Fire Alarm Telegraph Too.
 Lightning playing along the fire alarm telegraph service. burned out number of fuses at the Central sta ton and the house bells struck spas medically during the greater part of the afternoon. The damage to the fire alarm service was slight and it was soon in working order.
 Trolley Cars Held Up.
 Burned out motors, submerged rails and sand on the tracks bothered the trolley cars considerably. The service was maintained as near schedule time as possible. The greatest delay was experienced on the New LOndOn-WiI- limantiC line. On the Falls line 5.30 trip from Franklin square, there was a delay of nearly a half hour at the the Eantic car due to pass the Falls car at the switch, were busy shovel ing sand off the tracks at PeCk's TOT Ter.
 Bowling Alleys Flooded.
 At least four inches of water rush ,l -y,T- street corridor Of the Thayer building and then swirled down stairs in the bowling alleys in the basement. To add to the pTCprietOTS' troubles the lights went out and the place was in total darkness. There was 6 rush for lanterns pails. brooms and mops, the pin boys were pressed into rescue service and after much difficulty the water was swept out of the alleys and pool rooms. Then came the six O. clock dOWnpoUr and another flood. The pin boys again rolled up their trOus- CTS and manned the pails and brooms, The alleys are about Q foot above the cement floor and so very little water got on the polished surfaces. Whether the water soaked under the alleys and just how much damage will result is PTObIematiGal.
 Engineer Struck by Lightning.
 At the Ulner Leather Conlpany's plaLn on the West Side, Engineer Ev- creut TUbbs, was struck by lightning while he was sitting in the doorway of the engine room and was sent fly ing twenty feet down the tracks. One of his arms was paraIyized for nearly @ half hour, but Tegained it's normal condition after being bathed in hot water MT. Tubbs was leaning against the iron doorway and it is thought that the lightning ran along the rail road tracks and jumped from there to the doorway.
 Two Horses Killed at Occum.
 Two horses were killed in Occum by the lightning. One of the horses was owned by Bailey the Iiveryman and the other by a man named Carpenter, residing in Lisbon. MT Bailey's horse was being driven by MT. HoeIck. When the storm broke hoth horses were driv- en under shed in Occum for pro lection A flash of lightning, deaf ening crash and the horses were dead MT. Bailey valued his horse at $200.
 Burned Out Fuse Boxes.
 At Hall Bros. mill lightning enter ed on a wire and burned out the fuse boxes. The bolt circulated around the mill and then shot out and struck 3 tree near the building.
 Two Houses Struck.
 Lightning struck a house on Maple street and one on Roath street but ~SSA@ ONN~S'~s Fiery Visitor in Richards Building.
 A big ball of fire, enough of it to fill a peck measure, hoVered for a moment in the midst of the lawyers offices in the Richards building on Thursday afternoon, and then disap- peared as quickly as it came. The attorneys of the law, half a dozen of whom follow their calling within an arms length of two of the path this fiery visitor took, attach no signif- canoe to the manifestation. They do not believe that the lightning picked them out for any particular honor. The ball was glimpsed by one of the lawyers and by a stenographer. It hung suspended in the hallway and then it was gone
 It followed a big clap of thunder, at just about 3.45, but how it made its entrance, and then it's exit, the on- locker did not observe. It remains a question for argument. The peculiar phenomenon was attended, however, by not the slightest damage, although at first sight it was feared that the ball of flame couldn't help starting something. The stenographer started to get her coat, upon the advice of her Y1oaIxa psoa1a