The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1833-05-25
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Ierr.;ic Thunder Shotter! On Tuesda,
afternoon of last week, storm Of wine
and rain, accompanied by severe thunder
and lightning, passed over this town and
vicinity. The atmosphere was highl,
charged with electricity, and the whole
force and power Of the elements seemed
TO concentrate and expand themselves
Just here. The lightning was intensely
vivid and the thunder deafening and ter
relic. Within the compass OF eight miles
around Northampton, the lightning struck
in not less than nine places and probably
ii did in manv others not known or OBJ
served. The house Of Mr.. John Clarke
in this town, received powerful stroke
1t is guarded by rod, bot the presump.
tion is,the force OF the shock was so great
the conductor could not receive it all, anc
it extended to the adjoining chimney. It,
progress from the roof to the cellar, was
curiously caprici.us aud happily inflicted
but liule injury. 1t descended through the
roof, ,fier displacing some bricks from the
top ofthe chimney, and burst through the
ceiling in the second story. Thence j,
disappeared and exhibited itself again, by
tearing off the wood work by the size OF
the frdnt door, finally expending itself by
ripping up some plank in the cellar. The
family we're sitting within few feet ol
the door where II burst out, and most
fortunately escaped without injury. But
the worst effect OF It remains to be told
the destruction ofproperty is nothing COM
pared with the loss OF human lie. AT the
Factory Village, a tenement was struck
by the lightning, and one ofthe occup pants,
an English woman, mother Of six young
children, almost instantly killed. The flu
id spent part OF its force upon tree near
the corner of the house, and the remain
der dts .ended beam, near where she was
sitting. She breathed few minutes, bul
never spoke after the shock. The famll,
came to this country last summer, ant
were worthy, industrious, but poor in cir.
cumstances. When the husband, who
was absent at the time Of the calamity
returned Unconscious ofthe fate ofhis wife,
and found his six little orphans in tears
and gathered round the lifeless remains
Of their mother, the better feelings of hu-
man nature prevailed, rendering the scene
unutterably agonizing. A tree in the up
per part Of King street was shivered to
pieces, and what is most curious, pair
Of oxen, yoked together, were separated
by the shock. The lightning struck the
centre ofthe yoke, burst it to pccies, and
lberating the animals without inllcting the
slightest injury! A barn in the meadows
had hard hii, but it wiihs,ood the shock
triumphantly. A house, also, was struck
in Hadley, and the fluid spread itself into
almost every room, but the injury was not
extensive. In neither ofthe above cases
was fire communicated, otherwise the
damage would have been serious and a.
farming. Northampton Courier.
ToBAcco.-We notice that several of
our exchange papers are carrying on an
exterminating crusade against Sir Walter
Ra'eigh's fayorite vegetable and Mrs.
Trollope's special object of disgust. A
meeting Of Anti-Tobacconists was some
time since holden at New Haven, at
whics Professor Silliman pronounced a
=" tremendous philippe" against the vile
weed. He described "in glowing col
ors," with great s,reetness oflanguage and
ercellem taste the /" nauseous, filthy pud-
dles' it created, and he adduced some in
stances to showits effect upon health.
An ACti-Tobacco Society was formed
forthwith on the principle of total absti-
nence," and we wish it all the success
which it deserves. B. Courier.
TREEs.-Ifyou have not already done
SO, strip the dry bark from yo,m fruit trees
immediately, to promote their growth
whilst the sap is running up, and thus in
crease their product the old neglected
orchards, with attention in this way, lit.
tie manure, sc. would produce double
Whitewash your apple trees-wash the
more favorite fruit trees with soap suds--
it will save them from attacks by worms
sc. Put cinders, bones and stones, a
bout the roots Of pear trees, by which
they will be saved from blight, and great
ly increased in growth.
To Cleanse Bedsieads. s.-Scald the bed
steads with boiling vinegar. The morti
ces and lemons should be held in the no
vinegar for sovNsai snoments, and ia al
places where the bugs and eggs are de
posted, the hot vinegar should be poure,
over freely. The BEDFORD should likewis
be held in the hot vinegar. BY s,rictl,
attending to these directions, you will eli
lecually destroy both. But this will no
prevent your bedsteads being again infes
ted you will, therefore, make use Of tn
following mixture:-Alcohol, half pint
spirits turpen'ine, half pint, camphor
hall an ounce, mix well together, and pu
it on with a painters brush. 1.-THE bed
sted is not old, this mixture will answe