Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-04-28

/.
,.SnvERR THuspEn SroRM.-Thc thunder
storm on Wednesday night, was one of unu-
sual severity, and it appears to have taken a
wide range. The light of no less than three
confagrations, in as many different directions,
was distinctly visible from this city, and yes
terday we learned from various sources, the
locality of each.
The light seen in the south-ea was caused
by the burning of large barn in the north
east part of Upton, which was struck by
lightning about nine o'clock, and entirely con-
sumed with its contents, consisting of 8 or
tons of hay, COWS, yoke of oxen, and
quantity of farming utensils. The barn was
owned by Messrs. Austin & Daniel Putnam,
and their loss is estimated at $1,000, which is
partly covered by insurance in this city to the
amount of $500.
At Leicester the lightning struck the barn
owned by Mrs. Harriet Newhall, situated
about half mile north of the Academy, which
was entirely consumed, together with two
COWS, one heifer and five tons of hay. The
dwelling house very near the barn, took fire,
but the vigorous efforts of the fremen saved it
from destruction. The house and the furni-
ture, however, were very badly damaged
The buildings were insured, and it is supposed
oaat the whole loss will not exceed 5000.
The barn thus destroyed stands upon the
pace where Governor Washburn was born,
aud where his father died. For many years
subsequently, the place was owned and occu-
pied by Rev. DR.. Nelson.
In Holden the lightning struck the barn
and house of Marson Eaton, both of which
were entirely consumed. The bolt entered
the gable end of the barn near the ridge pole,
on the north side, in horizontal direction,
passed entirely through it and came out at the
opposite end setting it on fire. Thence it pass
ed the intervening space, to the house, dis
lance of sixty feet, knocked in the gable end
of that, passed through chamber in which
two persons were in bed, leaving large hole
in the wall, and finally passed off through
window at the south end of the house. Sew
eral persons were in the lower story at the
time, all of whom, well as those in the
chamber, experienced a shock of greater or
less severity.
The barn contained eight tons of hay, three
tons of rye straw, two hogs, seven turkeys,
and ffty-two hens-an of which were entirely
consumed.
The property destroyed was valued at about
two thousand dollars, upon which there is in
surance to the amount OF $1,000 at the Mer-
chants and Farmers Office in this city. The
course of the lightning from the barn to the
house, was distinctly marked by the splinters
and fragments left in its path, and SO great
was the force of the electric current, even after
it had done its destructive work upon both
buildings, that the fragments of the window
through which it left the house, were scattered
upon the ground at a distance of eight or ten
rods.
In this city, the lightning struck the rods
upon the house of Charles Whittemore, upon
Mount Vernon street, and passed into the
ground Mr. Whittemore, who was in his
barn, adjoining, at the time, experienced the
shock very sensibly. Upon examining the
track of the destructive element yesterday
morning, where it had ploughed into the earth,
after passing harmlessly from the house, he
became convinced of the utility of lightning,
rods, of which he had previously entertained
some doubts