Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1898 — RAIN CAUSES RUIN. [ARTICLE]

RAIN CAUSES RUIN.

City of Philadelphia Visited by a Terrific Storm. DOWNPOUR AMOUNTS TO A DELUGE. Cellars and Basements Are Flooded— Streetcar Service Crippled—Lightning Strikes and Destroys a Big Oil Tank. Philadelphia, Aug. 4.—The excessive heat of the last three weeks or more culminated Wednesday in one of the most terrific electrical storms that has ever visited this city. The rainfall was the heaviest in the history of the local weather bureau. In one hour and three quarters five and fourtenths inches of rain fell. The heaviest previous rainfall was five and onefifth inches in 24 hours, about 12 years ago. There was an almost continuous flash of lightning and many flag poles and buildings in nearly every section of the city were struck, causing several small fires and doing great damage. Telegraphic and telephone service throughout the city was practically at a standstill for several hours. The cellars and first floors of hundreds of business houses and dwellings were flooded. In the basements of the city hall and post office the water rose to such a depth that the fires under the boilers were extinguished. The basements of Gimbel Brothers and Wanamaker, two of the largest department stores in the city, were flooded and heavy damage has been dons. The street car service was* practically at a standstill. Many of the streets were flooded to the depth of two and three feet. The steam roads in this vicinity also suffered severely and nearly all trains up to two o’clock were behind their schedule. Peter Schell, aged 28 years, was drowned in the cellar of his home at Twenty-third and Christian streets. He was working in the cellar, removing some of his property, when he was caught by a sudden rise in the water. Before he could reach the stairway the water had risen to the first floor and he was drowned. One of the large oil tanks of the Atlantic Refining company, at Gibson’s Point, in the lower end of the city, was struck by lightning and entirely destroyed by fire. The loss is estimated at $30,000. A number of firemen were overcome by the heat while fighting the fire, bat they were soon revived.