Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-28
DAMAGE IN WAKE
OF RECORD RAIN
Part of City in Darkness.
Lightning Fells Flag
Poles-Stable Struck
RIVER MENACES MILLS

All twerty-four hour rainfall records
OF the last three years were broken by
last nights storm.
The Weather bureau announced TODAY
that total of 3.16 inches of rain fell
in the twenty four-hour period ended
AT 3 o'clock this morning The pre-
vious record was fall of 3.75 inches
in February. 1915.
Accompanying the rain was an cleo
triCal storm that crippled the lighting
systems of many sections of the city and
several nearby towns. Trees we're razed
and considerable damage was done to
private properties. Great volumes of
water filled the streets for several hours
and debris blocked traffic in many dis
triCtS
Thirty horses were led 10 safety from
burning stable Of the Consolidated
Dressed Beef Company. Thirtieth and
Race streets. early this morning. when
the barn caught fire from electric wires
Managed by lightning Worl<men in
the stockNards and residents nearby
took out the horses The fire was first
discovered on the second floor Of the
barn. where hay is kept The loss win
reach several hundred dollars
Rising River Menacrs Mills
Swollen by the heavy rainfall. the
Schuylkill River was Ave feet above
normal at Fiat Rock DAM Shawmont.
according to observation Of the dam
supervisor
The rising river threat ened TO cause a
suspension Of work at many of mills
along the upper Schuylkill
According to the Flat Rock dam su-
perviSor. present conditions virtually as
sure stage ten feet above normal
Eleven NpiIlJ
mills and force suspension Of work
The river started 10 rise at O'Clock
this morning. few hours after the
storm had subsidized
The storm was peculiar in that II COW
cred only small area. according to the
Weather Bureau. Its intensity was con-
fined To this city and toward Atlantic
city, Baltimore experienced no rainfall
whi" Harrisburg. Scranton and other
points west Of here had only a small
amount.
West Philadelphia Dark
West Philadelphia was virtually light
less while the storm was at its height
Stores were plunged into darkness soon
after the storm started and many per-
sons were forced to burn candles.
The Manayunk district suffered from
the mud and debris carried in torrents
Of water from the Roxborough district
A foot Of mud covered all crossings on
Main street. The Ridge avenue car line
was blocked at midnight and forces Of
workmen were sent out to remove the
obstructions soon after the storm
ahated.
Police alarm boxes and the switch
board at the Branchtown police station.
York road and Champlost street. were
made useless when lightning struck
wires just outside the police station
War gardens in Camden. y. j. were
ruined and southern New Jersey farms
suffered great damage.
Many fagpoles were struck by
lightning One in Ross Park. German
town avenue and Clearield street. was
shattered. One on the roof Of the Allen
Manufacturing Company plant. Fifth
street and GlenwooG avenue. was struck
and torn from the roof The pole at
the Central School. Fourth and Clinton
streets, Camden. was shattered
tree fell across School House lane,
near Rirge avenue during the storm.
A light engine on the Philadelphia &
Reading Railway was derailed on the
Norristown branch. at RoXborough street
by debris which had been washed on tffe
tracks. The Wiliamsport express a
fast train. had passed a short time be-
fore without difficulty. The tracks were
covered with debris to a depth of sew
eral feet in many places.
The storm did considerable damage
throughout South Jersey. although
Gloucester and neighborng towns suf-
fered no loss
Washouts on the West Jersey and
Seashore Railroad delayed trains and
many workers in the shipyards and
munitions factories were hours late ar
riving at their plants today.
No train ran over the road between
10 o'clock last night and s o'clock this
morning