The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1819-06-22


Eastward has favored US with the following inter
esting account of the late melancholy event at
Woolwich -
DISTRESSING EVENT.
During a violent thunder storm on Mon
day evening the 7th inst. Mr.. William Davis,
of Woolwich, and Mr.. David Robinson, OF
Bath, ship-carpenters, were instantly Killed
by lightning at Woolwich. Davis was TWEEN
ty eight years old, and has left wife and two
children. Robinson was "a years OF age,
and was unmarried.
They were in separate beds, each with an
other man, in the house of David Gilmore,
ESQ., The workmen, who were engaged IN
building two vessels in The neighbourhood,
boarded i'm the same house, and there were
% persons in it at the time. Davis and
Robinson slept in separate chambers in the
garrett, with their heads towards the chimney,
and not two feet from it. There were 2 9th
er beds in each chamber, and two persons in
each bed, making in the whole, IL persons in
the two garnet chambers.
The lightning frsttoo the chimney, throw
ing off about 90 bricks, and from it spread in
different directions, following the frame, or
passing from place TO place, as attracted by
various articles, composed OF iron, brass, &c.
till the house seemed literally filled. There
are marks Of its violence in eight different
rooms, and in five closets, and some OF them
are considerably injured. From the chin
ney on the eastern side, the fluid took the
middle rafter, and passed lis whole length,
tearing out The wood inches wide, and 4
deep, at one end, and splitting i at the other
A part Of the fluid, on leaving The rafter, pas
sed to the outside of the house, tearing of the
boards and clap boards in body, about 3 feet
wide and 8 feet long, leaving the boards
hanging by the nails at one end, and the 9th
er end separated from the frame about one
foot. Another portion of the fluid, passed
down a post into the kitchen, where were q
number Of persons, and there separated. A
part Of it was attracted by row of pewter
pIates, standing on a shelf, at the north side
Of The room. 1t passed them. leaving a mel
ted spot on each plate, and throwing every
thing from that and the Deishbouring shelves
n the floor. From the shelves, it passed to
The ash. hole. at the side OF the FIRE place, ana
thence to the cellar, leaving hole IN the
bricks about the size OF common bullet a
part Of the fluid, was attracted to the west
side of the room, by two muskets, which u
passed, splitting the stock OF one, and mel
ting, in small degree, the mounting of the
other. There were g or 8 persons sitting I'M
der the guns and one, who was very near,
was knocked down. Two other persons were
thrown to the floor, one from bench, and the
other from chest on which they were lying.
By that portion Of the lightning, which left
the chimney on its west side, the persons
were killed. 1t ran down the two nearest
raflers. to which the partitions of the garnet
chambers were secured. From that part
which passed down the raher south of the
chimney. portion was attracted by nail
in perpendicular plank, and passed
down till it came within three inches Of
Davis head. 1t then passed through The
pIastering, and instantly killed him. The
man in bed with bin, was very little injured,
and the other four. who were in the same
chamber were unhurt, Either from this part
of the garrett or from the rafter, the lightning
passed to the southwest chamber, where
were in two beds man and his wife and six
small children. Here portion Of the fluid,
was attracted by copper lamp, on which
was hanging Gotten bonnet, which was in
stantly in blsZe, and was the only thing
set on fire in the house. Another portion of
the fluid took the looking glass, which had
iron about it. and broke il in pieces, near the
bed in which children were asleep. No
person was hurt in this room. 1t then passed
down to the lower room, broke another look
ing glass, and started IF the ceiling Of the
room, feet wide. and or 10 feet long.
That part of the fluid, which ran down the
raiter north OF the chimney, was turned into
the north garnet, by the second rib. below the
chimney, directly against the head Of Robin
son, and he also was instantly killed From
his body, it passed to the TOO bar II the bed
stead, near, or upon which bis feet Law and
thence to the nearest foot post, which was
considerably shivered. The man in he'd with
him was much injured, but is recovering
The other persons in this chamber were
unhurt.
From the foot post Of Robinson's bed, the
lightning passed to the caves Of the house,
and thence down between the front windows