THE EIFFEL TOWER IN A STORM.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2662, 3 August 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE EIFFEL TOWER IN A STORM.

The following account of a terrible storm which shortly after six o'clock on a recent Sunday evening visited Paris , , has been given by a geutleinan who happened to bo on the ceeond platform of the Eiffel Tower, at n height of 3SO feet :—" Below the weather was sultry and heavy. People sought relief on tho tower, which was more crowded even than on tho proceeding Sundays. The lift up to the first platform kept going up and down without intermission, taking fifty passengers at a time. I had to wait for half-au-hour, while four batches of passengers were being taken up from the first to the s-econd floor. I preferred the staircase. Even on the second platform the air was oloso and sultry, although down in the Champ de Mars it must hare been still worse. Tho sky above was overcast and of a uniform dark grey colour. About six miles to the south west, over the heights of Clamart, heavy clouds were breaking into a storm, which rapidly drow towards us. At first, indeed, it* direction was uncertain, the set of tho wind being north-west. Still the storm moved nearer, and nearer, and apparently with greater speed us it came. We could sea it plainly beating down on Vanves, Clamart, aud other places, but the people in the Champ do Mars were evidently unaware of its approach. There were flashes of lightning, but they probably took place at a great height, as the thunder was scarcely beard. Suddenly a great column of dust rose in a equate half a mile off, aud the next moment veered round from north west to south west, and clouds of dust swirled up from the Champ de Mars, as high as the first platform of the tower. It had now becoma a furious gale, which seemed likely to blow us off our legs. Everybody on the tower fled to the leeward side for shelter. The crowd down below were now thoroughly alarmed, and streamed to the galleries, or under the awning near the Jena bridge in an incredibly short space of time, part of tho awning being meanwhile torn off. Paris was shrouded in a black pall of dust, above which the crest of Montmartre emerged like a rock ou the waters Scarcely had the dust storm subsided, when the thundtiMtorm came upon us with full force. I ventured to the windward, but could scarcely keep upright. So far as I could judge—for the rain was blinding—the whole panorama to the south west was hidden. The most curious sight seen from the sheltered platform wns the rain pouring below us and drifting away. The storm lasted for rather less than quarter of an hour ; it beat furiously on the rest of Paris, aud was driven on to tho hill of Montmartre, upon which it split, one part going northwards towards Montmorency, aud other northeast. Far to the cast and to the west other storms were seen hurrying northward."