The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-06-03

passed DOWN the neck, over the left
shoulder, and obliquely across the breast
aud stomach, leaving the mark of its pas
sage distinctly burned upon the skim
He was stricken completely senseless,
but prompt measures for characterization
were taken, and he was soon brought
back TO breath and motion, and IS now
apparently recovered Young WEsrTALL
was not leaning against the wall at the
time, and was only momentarily stunned.
and suffered no particular inconvenience,
save slight and transient loss Of feeling
in his left side. Within short distance
Of these boys, Mr.. WILrsE was hearing a
class recite. He was sitting on chair,
and the class on bench in front Of him.
Mr.. WILTsE was nearly Frustrated by the
shock, as was several of the class. One
boy had his book taken out of his hand,
the cover torn from the leaves, and in
that condition the book was carried
across the room a distance Of some 80 or
40 feet Mr.. WILTsE's watch, which
hung against the wall, was taken from
the nail, carried some distance, and pref
ty effectually demolished. A portion Of
the fluid seems to have been attracted
toward the stove, for scholar, named
FANNY EARLE, sitting nearest that, was
badly shocked, although, some 40 feet
from where the other persons mentioned
were sitting. The children were badly
scared, and relieved the school house of
their presence in the shortest length Of
time possible, as soon as they recovered
from the first shock. Those who saw
the lightning say it looked like large ball
Of fluid fire, and entered the room both
through the window and the wall AS
some four or five panes of glass were
shattered to pieces, it may be that cur
rent OF the electricity did enter through
the window.
The electric element went through the
floor near the feet of the two boys spoken
Of and entered the Store Of Mr.. FONDA,
below, passing across the upper corner
of pane of glass above the door, and
passing back across the lower corner of
the same pane, being attracted by a
chain TO the upper bolt of the door. 1t
heated this chain SO hot as to weld sew
eral OF its links tightly together, and
caus aed blackening Of the paint of the
door along the whole length Of the chain.
1t leaped from thence to another chain
on another door, operating similarly on
that, and then passed out through a
panel of the door, splitting off large
piece, but doing no other damage.
When the electric current first struck
the brick cornice it seems TO have diyid-
ed, one part taking the eccentric course
we have above described, and the other
falling upon the Drug Store of Mr.. ASA
CLARK, joining Mr.. FoNpA's store on the
east. II passed down on the inside of
The wall of Mr.. CLARK's Store, broke
several bottles Of Medicine on the shelves,
and tore open the wrappers on several
others, leaving its impress on the glass
Mr.. CLARK was sitting close to the line
of its passage and he was thrown forward
from his chair on. to his hands and knees,
and severely but not injuriously shocked.
A large show vase was also broken, and
this sums up the amount of damage done
1t seems wonderful that the freaks of the
electric and eccentric element should not
have been more devastating or fatal
The escape of Mr.. NURSES scho lars
seems almost miraculous