Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-07

The heaviest rain and longest electrical
storm Of the season broke over Philadelphia
shortly before midnight, dumping down
tons Of water and making the city gasp
with astonishment
searchlights Of lighting flashed and the
eannonade Of thunder doomed for the long
est period in the memory Of many oldest in
habitants. Counting the breathing spaces
which the storm tooE. the atmospheric COM
bat lasted fourteen hours--from p. m.
yesterday to a. m. today. Respltes from
the artillery OF the sky were Of brief dura-
tion, and the thunGorclaps resumed with
renewed vlgor until the rumbling finally
died away this morning.
A four-hour intermlssion was ended at
noon when, preceded by thunder. another
heavy rain fell. This made eighteen hours
OF downpour and threatening sdownpour. The
end is not yet, according to the Weather
Bureau, which said that storm conditions
would continue into tonight.
Three bolts from the sky scored hits IN
the air raid Of the elements and two small
fires resulted with slight damage. In view Of
the severity and length of the storm caused
by slow air movement. II is regarded
phenomenal that more damage was not in
nicted
SEN EhE IN OlitfsN ECllO.Np
Philadelphia escaped luckily. to judge by
dispatches from other parts Of the State.
Western Pennsylvania suffered most from
hail and wind one man was killed and
several hurt IN the Johnstown section In
the near-tornado. The downpour put the
finishing touches on the ruin of the Lam
caster County corn crop and in York County
the potato crop must be replanted. Wash
outs cut deep gullies in roads
T. TaIn aNh md 1fSrht tain
much damage. Heavy showers OF hail fell.
New Jersey farmers welcomed the rain,
however, for II saved the strawberry crop
and stimulated other growing crops, back
ward because of the cold, wet spring. In
addition the soil now is in excellent con-
dition for powing for late crops
Garden crops about the city suffered con.
siderably from the pounding OF the rain.
Peas and high wheat were the readiest VIC
Tins OF the downpour and many garden
rows were obliterated by flooding washouts
Nearly an inch Of rainfall--.99 OF an finch
was recorded during the night at the
Weather Bureau. In the thrty-six hours
ended at o'clock this morning 1.20 inches
fell.
Some telegraph wires between Philadel-
phia and many cities west of Harrisburg
still were storm-bound at 8 o'clock this
morning. The service between Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Washington and New York was
affected by the storm. so that many impor>
tant Government messages were transmit
ted by long-distance telephone. The tele-
graph service was re-established shortly
after midnight.
A bolt of lightning--the farewell shot
OF the night Btorm--struck the chimney
at 525 South Stafford street at o'clock
this morning, demolishing the shaft and
Earring the family Of Hugo Nyborg the
members of which were at breakfast Fly
ing bricks tumbled into the street narrowly
missing Policeman Moore, Of the Fifty-dfth
and Pine streets station, who was passing
Lightning struck st. Vincent's Han, Fast
Price street, Germantown late last night
setting fire to the building. The bolt fol-
lowed n gaspipe into several rooms. Sew
eral boys who were In the hall at the time
hastily formed a bucket brigade and
quenched the flames before the arrival Of
6remen. Slight damage was done.
A lightning bolt ignited a tree at Wood
lawn and Boyer streets early today. The
blaze frightened residents, who sent in a
fire alarm. Engine Company TO- OF East
Chelten avenue, aided by the rainfall, put
out the fire.
Streaks OF blue sky and flashes Of sun
would come this afternoon, according to the
Weather Bureau. But It warned that thun.
der might boom again late today or dur
ing the night.
'The storm is unusually slow I'm moving
OiA bSNahS' u Nlle lHllutICe OF n Sluggish
western storm area moving northeast over
the Great Lake region" said Weather
Forecaster Bliss. I'm the last twenty
four hours its course has taken it from
central over eastern Iowa 70 central over
eastern Wisconsin. This illustrates how
slowly It is moving.
THE influence OF the atmospherlc dis
turbance is TO bring thunder showers all
over the east. They are likely to continue
this afterpoon or early tonight"