The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-07-14
Crowds at Polo Grounds
and Empire Track En-
dangered by Lightning.
THREE KILLED OUTRIGHT
Buildings in All Parts of City
and Suburbs Damaged in At
termath of Hot Day.

Five persons are dead and more than
a dozen were overcome or injured as
a result of an electrical storm which
followed a sharp rise in temperature
yesterday. Considerable property was
destroyed. the storm in the city and
suburbs flooding cellars. inundating
streets and car tracks and overlooking
sewers, which, in the case Of one which
cut through beneath an apartment
house in Washington Heights, threat
ened to destroy the house.
The greatest damage and inconven-
fence from flood resulted in the
Heights, between 18th and 16sth
streets. The West Side subway was
flooded at that point from an over
flowing sewer and thirty families were
compelled to leave the Rio Vista apart
ment house at 81 Fort Washington
avenue, where the basement was
flooded
The subway tieup occurred ats o'clock
dhA iaotSa AL I'LL ~ iiiihdsSo. - aAiis'
were lined up solidly for miles. 1t was
terrifically hot in the tubes. otherwise
the delay was without incident Just
before o'clock the tube above 157th
street was filled with smoke. through
which the trains ran. When officials Of
the marlborough were asked about the
smoke they denied that there was any.
THE IN mn In, an crheftv1o
after the wate> srbsided. and the oocu-
pants of Tho. Rio Vista were permitted
to return to laeir homes after an investi-
cation by building inspectors The
apartment house at 800 Riverside Drive
also was flooded. but slight damage only
was done
Train service on the Harlem division
of the New York Central was suspended
north of Fordham road. The Bronx.
from 3:15 to 4:15 p. NJ. when sewers be-
tween 183rd and 190th street. backed up
Sixty Harlem division and New Haven
trains northbound and southbound were
held up by the high water in the cut
High water dislodged about 1000 new
ties along the right of way. These
floated across the four tracks and had
TO be removed before train service could
be restored.
The storm was marked by an unusual
electrical display, and in several cases
fires were caused by the lightning strik-
ing aerials of radio sets. Two deaths
were caused instantly by lightning strik-
ing the victims directly.
The storm kept the police. firemep
and city inspectors busy answering hurry
calls for aid and protection from the
overlooking waters and the lightning
The Weather Bureau said that the
storm was merely what was to be ex-
pectcd at this season and that more
would disport themselves about town be-
fore the month was out.
Temperature Rises Rapidly.
Early in the morning the temper
allure was unusually high. as was
also the humidity. From tenn
perature of rs at o'clock. the mercury
rose rapidly until at noon 1t had passed
Sc, and at 2 o'clock 1t went to 81. The
highest report received was that Of 100
degrees. which. according 20 A. Hide
brandt of 1915 st. Nicholas avenue
was registered near Fort George at the
crest Of the heat wave.
Thousands who made early starts for
the beaches found that there too the
heat was in full volume. One Their
mometer at Brighton Beach put the
temperature at 80 and the average
temperature of the water was about rs
Hundreds of men walked through the
business sections carrying their coats,
and fresh air was scarce In many Of the
congested sections of the East Side.
All hoped for something to clear away
the heat They got 1t.
With a sudden clouoing of the heav-
ems, the deiuge began about 3 o'clock.
Those who had sought the open places
a few moments previously, scurried to
safety in the protecting doorways.
Young rivers of rain growled in the
cutters and rushed into sewers. which
soon spouted them forth again in an
overflow The thunder was almost con-
tmuous, and followed long, terrifying
flashes of lightning which seemed to
light UP the entire city.
Hits Polo Grounds and Empire.
At the Polo Grounds bolt struck the
pennant pole in the center OF the field
bleachers. throwing a shower of splinters
in all directions among the fans. At the
Empire City race track In Yonkers con-
sidera bic damage was done by the light
ming, although no injuries or fires were
reported. When the storm broke so sud
denly the crowd rushed under the grand
stand as the lightning darted all about
the track and the downpour made lakes.
The main hagpole was struck and fell
across the stand. showering splinters
OF wood about. One bolt struck the
finish line and the metal post blased as
though 1t were a torch. Another bolt
tore the top from an automobile which
was parked at the stand. and still an
other struck the fagpole on Harry Payre
whitney's stable.
The dead IN the storm were Myrtle
Stewart. ~. of Mount Holly ~ j.,
struck by lightning August Rung. 20.
2s2 Hopkins avenue, Brooklyn. and
George Maduras. 35. OF 1893 Nepperhan
avenue. Yonlscrs. who were struck by a
bolt as they ran to take shelter under
a tree in street in Crestwood.
From the heat a toll of two deaths
and numerous prostration cases were re-
Confined on Page Five.