Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-07-15
To,sl decrease, 1884

n WoSDERruL EscAPr.--A more remarka-
bic escape from death by lightning than TINT
we now place on record never occurred in
this country. On the afternoon OF The 3Oth
nlt., The children from our several schools, to
The number Of upwards Of four hundred, were
assembled at the vestry of the Baptist Meet
ing bous",proparatory to pic nlc which they
were Ia attend on the Sd inst. About four
o'clock a small cloud cGrsc up, from which q
heavy clap of thunder proceeded, apparently
very near by, in consequence Of which and
of other indications of shower, they were
dismissed IN the hope that they would have
time to reach their homes before it should
rain II is estimated hnweycr, that not more
than about one third Of them had lef the
room, when the building wac struck by q
heavy discharge Of the electric fluid, which
spent most OF its force IN the lower part of
the house, particularly in the ves,ry where
\ the children were assembled. The scene
which cnsued may be imagined but cannot
oe Described. Ofihc 250 children who were
IN the room, u considerable portion were
struck instantly to tho floor. Fifteen or
twenty who were crowdng to the door were
laid PROSTATE in a heap. piled one upon an
other. Some were stunned, aud others np-
pear To have been deprived, for n time, of
\ their reason. Some dozen or 6Itcen of them
were more or less injured, but none OF thcm
dangerously! A daughter of the publisher
If This paper, about nine years old, was bills
tered on her right waist, on her left nrm and
on the bottoms of her feet Her shoes were
torn from her feet, the upper leather rent ioI
taitcrs. and hole about os large a. would be
made by u common buck shot was pierced
by lhc electric 1uid, through the sole Of each
When brought home, her feet were much
swollon aud looked red and milamed, rs II
they had been dipped in water not quite hs
enough to raise n blister, except on the soles
directly over where the holes were burnt lni
the bottom of the shoes, where bllstcrs were
raised. She could not stand, and complained
of nuinbness from her knees downward, eX-
Iccpt in her feet, which were exceedingly
sore to the touch. But she recovered so as
TO be about the house, apparently as well as
usual, the next morning, except slight
lameness from the burn on one OF her feet
A child of Lewis Thaycr had her shoes torn
from her feet in n similar manner. Other
children were burnt on different parts Of their
bodies All oI them, we believe, were IN a
good degree recovered the next morning.
except daughter of Peter Slater, who was
moro injured than the rest, but not danger
ousy So
The damage by the lightning was owing
To the unscicnlific nnd defective manner IN
which the conductor was fitted. In putting
i, up, q hole was drilled into rock some
three or four feet deep, into which the lower
end was inserted aud there left, instead Of
being carried where IT could communicate io
some conducting substance. II might jus,
about a. well have been cut Oft at the suriac"
Of the earth. AS might have been expected.
the tlnd. unable 10 escape at the lower end.
cxplndcd. aud entered the side Of the house
about midway from the caves to the ground
and apparently at some other places lower.
down. II tore off the claPboaTds and cover
ing for some extent about the place where
It FIRST entered. Thence It seems 10 have
spread itself IN all directions through the
lower part of the honse. 1inbcrs were sliv
cred, and the marks Of the fluid are TO be ira.
ced with more or less ds,nctDcss over a con-
siderable portion of tbs vestry floor. Tho
children which were most injured were at TIC
end Of the room next TO the conductor, some
of them standing directly under an open win.
dow, where, it Is believed, portion Of the
auid entered. The door is at the other end
Of the room.
The cloud from which this shock proceed.
ed, was, ns we have before said, small; but
ll;llc rain fell from it at all, and, ut the time
the house was struck. we believe the sun
shone bright. The discharge Of fluid mp
peared to be very heavy one, and ,hc es
cape may Justly be considered most rcmarka
bic. The occasion will long be memorable
to those who were present, and wo trust viii
be remembered with devoht tlankfulncss for
the delvcrance, not only by them, but by
their friends .--Horosisr Spy.