Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-08-01
LIGHTNING.
House struck ON Market street.

4AouhS 5tIuch Oh uhaThAcl StEtets
At about quarter past seven Sunday evening the
house of MIR. Fullmer 408 Market Street, was
struck by lightning and very much damaged. The
chimney was the first thing struck and was en-
tirely torn off even with the roof and thrown to
the pavement below. This chimney was one of
several standing in group but 1t was the only
one at all seriously injured. The electric fluid
passed down the chimney, knocked large hole
through the roof, and passed along rafter to the
water pipe, down which it ran to between the
second and third stories, where 1t burned two
holes through the tin pipe and then seems to have
jumped one house and gone through the window
OF Rices clothing store, two doors below, setting
the window on fire. 1t seems impossible to tell
what became of the fluid as no marks indicate
where 1t could have entered the ground.
1t seems to have run down the outside of the
house In more than one way, for water pipe at
the back of the house has hole melted through
itin the same way that the front pipeis melted.
AS above stated the damage to the house Is very
great the roof is shattered badly, the oak rafcrs
torn TO small splinters and the walls somewhat
cracked. In the fourth story everything was
thrown into confusion, the rafters were splin-
tered and thrown all over the floor, the sash and
glass were bursted out of the windows and great
hole knocked through the roof; In the story
below one window was burstcd out, the mantel.
piece was bursted loose from the chimney. n leo
knocked off OF stand, the furniture throw,
about, the plaster knocked off the ceiling ami
everything thrown into confusion. Some pic
lures hanging on the south wall were thrown fac,
foremost ON the bed in the center of the room.
No damage was done In the second story, il
the front room of which Mr.. Fullmer and hi
family were sitting, and none of the family wer
hurt.
on top the house grape vine arbor at con
siderable distance from the part first struck wa
considerably shattered and piece of the WOO
thrown over to Curry's skylight, two door
above.
The effect of the shock in the immediate Vi
entity was singular. No one seems to have hear
any thunder though people further off heard n
awful peal. The people sitting at the window
III the square simply saw what appeared like a
avalanche of fire, heard terrible crash, not ,
ai ike thunder, and felt their houses shake, the
seem to have temporarily lost their senses as nor
we have conversed with seem to have any vel
distinct recollection of what they did for MI
,hent or two. One young lady, Miss Boldly, v
near was so badly stunned as to be quite deliriol
LOT abont two hours and medical aid had to
called in. Several people fell to the floor but g
up Immediately not hurt but somewhat daze
none OF them were of course affected by Il
hghtning, the effect on them was probably pr
auced by the vacuum and the subsequent co
cusson.
The fire bells were rung and hose carria
was promptly on the ground but nothing was
hre except some paper in Mr.. Rice's wind,
and this he extlnguished himself An INNER
crowd stood for long time gazing at the bul
ing and crowds went through it last evening a
.nis morning. This Is the first building that
peen struck IN this city for years.