The New York herald., 1921-07-16
ST. SWITHINS DAY
Rain BREAKS HEAT
Two Terrific DOwnpOurs
Accompanied by Light
ming Relieve City.
BOLTS SET BIG FIRES
Oil Tanks Hit and One Tall
Chimney Is Ripped
Apart.
SINGED BY ELECTRICITY
Man Seated at Desk Is Envel-
oped in Flame During
Great Storm.
SINGED BY ELECTRICITY

The heat wave has been broken
broken on st. Swithin's day in such
thoroughgoing fashion that If the
legendary forty days of rain material
ize supers.itious folk will have a good
case upon which to renew their faith.
According 20 James II. Scarr, fore
caster of the local Weather Bureau.
1.l2 inches of rain fel. during the day.
0.s2 Inches of this precipitation COM
ing In the heavy shower of the after
noon. The temperature fell from 7S
degrees to 81 during the 8 o'clock
storm. 1t then rose 3 degrees during
the early evening hours, but there is
likelihood of moderate temperature, be-
cause of an approaching wave of high
barometric pressure.
The two rattling thunderstorms Of
the day brough. relief to thousands of
soggy citizens, and the forecast is
made for fair weather to-day and to-
morrow.
The lightning during the heavy storm
yesterday played usual pranks with con-
siderable property damage and injuries
to four persons. One bolt set fire TO a
10000 barrel tank of crude oil at the
plant of the Tide Water Oil Company in
Payonne, causing an explosion that car
ried away the top of the tank. There
were no casualties. officials of the COM
pany estimated the damage in excess of
$3.50. 900. Three companies of the Bay
onne Fire Department were called out to
assist the compaly's fire fighters. In
srite of the intense heat and some diff
Guilty In playing a specially prepared
compound on the blaze most of the
damage was confined to the one tank
which was struck.
Another OIL Tank HIT.
Another bolt of lightning crashed
down on one oil the tanks of the Stand
ard Oil Company In the Division street
yards, Long Island City. causing damage
amounting to about $4,000. No one
was injured
In addition to starting oil fires. the
lightning played havoc with the lighting
IN Essex Market Police Court. struck
Staten Island trolley car running with
out passengers between South and Mid
land beaches and crashed down on the
service station of the Department Of
Plant and Structures at Concord. s. l..
halting traffic on the municipal trolleys
for fifteen minutes.
The three story brick dwelling at 1911
Washington street. Jersey City, occupied
by the Hudson Paper Box Company, was
struck and damaged slightly by fire. A
binding explosion sent fifty women and
girls employed In the building panic
stricken to the street. but no one was
injured. The three story brick house
owned by John Markowitz at ~ Airing
ton avenue. Jersey City, was the target
for another bolt of lightning. Damage
10 the house was slight
The ninety foot brick chimney of the
Long Island Lighting Company plant
at Babylon. l.. l.. was hit The bolt
apparently followed the course of an
Iron ladder built inside the chimney.
and as the tower now stands IL IL a
menace 70 passing Long Island trains.
with the bricks on one side ripped out.
singed by Lightning.
This oldest incident of the afternoon
rhower Is reported from Jersey City.
where George Koch OF 203 Seaview ave-
4dN. stdtion at t0G fuDltC SER
vice Railways car house at Ocean and
Gates avenue. was treated to an electric
singe. Mr.. Koch was sitting at his desb
when bolt struck the building, fol-
lowed through an open window, and
burned the hair on HIS head. He was
shocked and dazed, but after receiving
treatment I'm the City Hospital went
home. Thomas Mulready, world war
veteran. attached to Fort Jay, fell to the
sidewalk at Bleecker and Lafayette
streets during the storm and was re-
moved to Bellevue Hospital, where Il
was said he was suffering from shock
Sadie Stone. IA years old, became hys-
terical while working In n kmono fac
tory at III Wooster street. and was re-
moved to her home after being treated
nt St vincents Hospital
The only report of extensive crop
damage came from New London Conn,
where corn fields at Satan's Kingdom,
near Collinsville. were said TO have suf-
fered from the gale. Some of the farm
crs will cut the corn Immediately for
ensilage and plant new crop
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