HISTORY: The end of summer in 1900 was a dry one in Bradford, but that ended with an October storm of some note.

“The drought was broken yesterday afternoon by a severe rain storm. There were several showers and plenty of lightning,” read an article in The Era of Oct. 7, 1900.

“Harry Moore, son of G.W. Moore of this city, with some companions, was driving up Rew City hill during the storm. The lightning was very sharp in that vicinity and a bolt struck near enough the carriage to knock down one of Moore’s horses.

“The occupants of the vehicle were somewhat stunned and badly frightened by the lightning, but were not injured.”

The storm did cause some damage, though.

“Lightning struck a small tank of oil on the hill near Rew and it was destroyed by fire,” the article read. “The heavy downpour of rain put all the small creeks in this vicinity on the rampage.

“Streams which have been all but dry for weeks were swollen beyond their banks by the heavy fall of water.”

But even the wrath of nature doesn’t last forever.

“In an hour’s time they all subsided as quickly as they had filled up,” the story stated, referring to Bradford’s streams.

That same day, another story noted the dry conditions, as a fire was started by a spark from a passing train.

“Sparks from a locomotive set fire to junk shed belonging to the Bovaird & Seyfang Manufacturing Co. on lower Forman street yesterday afternoon. A still alarm was sent in and the firemen extinguished the blaze.”

CRASH: That day’s paper told the story of a crash between a trolley car and a local delivery wagon, too.

“A trolley car collided with the delivery wagon of H.S. Blosson on Main street Saturday,” The Era reported.

“A. Taylor was thrown from his seat in front of the car. Luckily the motorman was able to stop the car and Taylor escaped a horrible fate. The fender on the trolley was broken by the force of the collision.”