This Day in History: September 24th, 1907

This Day in History: September 24th, 1907

MILLTOWN


MILLTOWN, Sept. 24—The storm made trouble with the electric wires in Milltown last evening, when one fell and was burned in two in front of Mr. Snedifler’s. The live wire lay sizzling on the sidewalk until he pulled it off and the power was shut off.

Carl Herrmann played ball with several little boys the other day and while trying to catch a fly, bumped into a boy and broke his own nose.

Adam Christ has just moved into his new house on Booraem Avenue. Mr. Bassing has moved into the house just vacated by Olden Snedeker.

Mr. Dunham is getting a fine concrete walk in front of his house.

Great pieces of machinery are being slid along the streets from the depot to the new factory. They are about fifteen tons weight and not convenient for any wagon to carry.

The schools had a half session yesterday on account of the severe storm.

The new school building has been entirely enclosed and walls are being put on inside.

Two trolley cars collided the other day at the Musical String factory. Charley Dare and O’Hara were the motormen. A man from Sayreville received a severe blow on the hip and others were shaken up.

Motorman Bowmont has resigned after several years with the trolley company.

The 700-horsepower engine in the power house has broken some piece so that the 500-horsepower engine must run the small summer cars.


This Day in History: June 30th, 1920

lightning during nighttime

Worst Ever at Milltown

MILLTOWN, June 30 – Early last night Milltown witnessed the most furious storm that has struck the community in many a day when trees, chimneys, telegraph poles, fences, windows, feed, electric, telephone and trolley wires came face to face with a raging tempest that swept every- thing possible from its route and left many badly demolished places.

The first shower, which came at 5.45 o’clock, was by far the worse in so far as it carried a blinding gale of wind that smashed windows and cut down trees in rapid-fire or- der. The hail was also exceptionally heavy in the first shower. Damage was done in all parts of the borough, the northern section feeling it most, although the Washington avenue section received considerable damage.

At the home of C. W. Kuhlthau in North Milltown, the windows of the back porch were knocked directly out and the back chimney swept off at the roof.

Fruit trees in all sections were targets for the wind and the owners will suffer heavily. The home of Samuel Gordon was struck by lightning and part of the roof ripped off.

Main street looked like a forest and the Trenton trolley line was completely blocked off for a distance of possibly 400 feet, due to seven poles being torn loose and thrown across the tracks and all wires down. Men were working at a late hour last night endeavoring to loosen the wire entanglement.

Those who have seen many, storms in Milltown claim the one of last night to far excel all others in tumultuous effort.

Panic On Trolley Car.

 A Milltown trolley car in which a number of Michelin employees were returning to this city during the first storm was struck by a lightning bolt. The passengers were greatly frightened as the flames began shooting through the car. A mad dash was made for the exits while the conductor tried in vain to get the window on the back platform open in order to pull the trolley pole off the wire. The passengers sought refuge in nearby homes.

During the second shower a bolt! struck the large barn on the farm of Mrs. W Hannah, Lincoln Highway, and split it from top to bottom.

In St. Peter’s Cemetery and along the Lincoln Highway large branches of trees are down and in some in- stances the trees were split in half.

At Berdine’s Corner, a large barn near Becker & Eckert’s garage, belonging to the Vandewater family and which was in process of being converted into a dwelling, was blown into the next field and turned over on its side. Trees and telephone wires are down almost wholesale in that section.

A house in the process of construction near the Musical String plant was blown from its foundation.


This day in History: Jan. 3 1899

This day in History: Jan. 3 1899

The Daily Times: New Brunswick, N.J. Tuesday January 3 1899

AN ALL NIGHT TRIP.
Six Passengers Are Snow Bound on a Trolley Car.


One of the cars of the Brunswick Traction Company, one of the Milltown and South River line was stalled on Saturday Night between South River and Milltown. The car was making; its last trip to this city near midnight when the snow storm stopped its progress. It was stalled from midnight until 5 a. m. .where it was first, stopped, and all efforts to start it on the part of motorman and conductor were futile. There were six passengers in the car, three ladies and three gentlemen. Two of the gentlemen connected prominently with church choirs, expected to miss their Sunday morning services but they got in town in time to sing

Some of the cars on the other lines were also put out of service temporarily on account of the snow, but no serious inconvenience was caused to the patrons of the road.