Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1855-06-01
singular Effects OF lightning,

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j Abouts O'Clock P. n. the House of NJ
Upton, on CREST Chebeagus Island war
struck by lightning, the effects Of which
we're fearful.
! A neighbor happened TO be looking to
wards Mr., Upton's house. and 6,st perceived
a ball of tre, apparently foot in diameter
with trail some thirty yards 10 lenth, de
seend upon the chimney, and Immediately
after volume of smoke began to ascsnd
as if the house we're on FIRE. Fastening tc
the hoase, it was found wreck but noL on
FIRE.
Il is an old-fashioued one story frame
house, built afler the manner of the old
farm houses of New England, With one
large chimney in the centre This chin.
ney is completely demolished to the oven,
and the materials scattered in every dirte-
ton.
The family, of six persons. we're at sup
per, and their escape with THEN lives IS a
miracle. Old Mrs. Upton's arm is cut to
the bone, above the elbow, and she is 9TH
erwise badly bruised. Her grand daugh-
ter, Marietta Hamilton, six years old, is SO
bruised as to be purple from the hips TO
the feet, and is in precarious condition.
David Upton, Jr., ia badly bruised about
the head and face. His child in his arms
was unhurt; also his wife, standing near,
and old Mr.. Upton likewise unhurt.
But the effects of the lightning about
the premises are astonishing. Old Mr.. Up
ton was eating bowl of bread and milk,
with one hand upon the bowl. the other
holding the spoon,-she bowl was broken
in his hand, and the spoon has not been
found. Old Mrs. Upton had a cup Of tea
in her hand, aud when she came 10 herself
she was partly under the table, with a piece
Of the cup in her hand, and herself covered
with the wreck Of the chimney, among
which was piece of timber from the front
of the fire place, 8 feet long, with fiat
bar Of iron of the same length attached.
The granddaughter was thrown from
her seat at the table to near the fireplace,
and was literally covered with bricks and
mortar. Nearly every article of crockery
in the house, two clocks, three looking
glasses, and two old fashioned oak tables
in the kitchen we're smashed. The chair
in which old Mrs. Upton was sitting, was
broken into twenty pieces-at any rate that
number Of pieces belonging to it were found
every chair in the kitchen was broken,
every partition IN the house was removed
from its position and more or less shattel-
ed. The fluid seems to have gone through
the bottom of cooking stove, sitting in the
kitchen fireplace, leaving hole IS if made
by shot four inches in diameter, taking off
one leg of the stove, then entering the
floor, leaving bole large enough for any
ordinary sized man to pass through.
The hoops on one barrel of molasses. two
soap barrels, and one keg, were all cut of
stone jar sitting on a board over one Of
these barrels, was severed horizontlly. and |
the bottom part unmoved. the top being !
carried off
Every window sash in the house was
completely demolished, excepting one in
the west chamber. Here there is a square
of glass with space cut out Of it as BY the !
point of diamond, just the size Of brick !
two inches BY eight-showing that
brick had been projected through it "quick |
as lightning"
Most of the materials projected from the
house were in northerly direction-pieces
Of glass and mortar being found sixty feet
distant Between the house and barn are |
a dozen apple trees-one large :ree near
The house was untouched, but two others,
some six rods distant, were shattered.
A large tight trunk. filed with 6ne cloth
ing, &c. was found locked and apparently
uninjured outward, yet on being opened.
the SCOT from the chimney lay half an inch
thick over the contents, and sifted through /
in every direction. Tin pans of milk on
shelf in the cellar were unharmed, ye! some
empty pans, one within the other, on the
same shelf, were kroken up. The 6uid
passed out through eight different places
in the body of of the house, besides those
described.-Portland Advertiser.