The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-01
APPALLING CALAMITY.
Effect of the Lightning i'm New Jersey
Two Young Ladies Instantly Killed,
and Others Injured.

The thunder storm which passed over our city
yesterday afternoon, was appalling in its effects
Ill and about the town Of New Egypt, New Jer-
sey. Two daughters OF the Hon. Thomas B.
Jobes, Associate Judge OF Ocean county, were
instantly killed by stroke OF lightning. They
were standing on the front piazza OF their resi-
dence during the thunder storm, wa'ching q
couple OF children playing IN the rain, The
daughters, aged respectively II and IL years,
were standing with their arms entwined about
each others necks and their heads in close
contact. About ten feet from them were O
couple of buttonwood trees, and back of them
an open window In the parlor, and near the
window, brother was lying upon the sofa.
About half past two o'clock the storm was
bolt of lightning struck the top of one of the
buttonwood trees, and running down short
distance, glanced off and struck the young
ladies, instantly killing them Containing in
its course II passed into the parlor and struck a
mirror, shattering it, and knocking out large
piece from the corner, discolorrng the gilded
lay upon the so'a. The fluid seemed to first
touch his breast and then glide down his body,
since his arms and breast were badly burned,
and an abrased line down his left leg distinctly
marked its course. The bolt passed from the
body of the young man into the sofa, down a
back leg which it shattered into pieces knock
ing the castor out and then passing through the
noor into ths cellar demolshlng basket of
eggs and expending itself in the ground.
The bolt struck the young la lies upon the
TEN pies, causing instantaneous and unconscious
death, The ouly marks or its dreadful stroke
were a slight abrasion of the skin of the tore
head, and burning the hair. Within short
distance from where they stood sat a cousin,
who was stunned by the concussion, but re-
ceived no other injury. The fluid, in running
Gown the buttonwood tree, ploughed grooves in
It's bark about an inch deep, and wlthered the
upper bouehs.
| The young ladies who thus met with such a
| shocking dea b, we're most estimable and re-
spected persons, the JOY of their fathers house
| hold, and the loved companions of great num-
| ber Of trends. Their death has caused deep
| gloom to settle upon the to Wn wherein they
lived, which will not for long time TO come be
| dissipated.
The ligh thing, though doing irretrievable
evil in New Egypt, did not let other localities
| remain undisturbed from its effects. The large
| barn upon the premises OF the Hon. Job H.
! Gaskill, State Senator, near Pemberton, was
struck and entirely destroyed by fire. Another
| barn. the property OF Joseph Hanes, near
| Hainesport was destroyed also.
The Methodist church in New Egypt was
damaged TO a considerable extent. The freaks
of the subtle element in the fields and orchards
were curious. Leaves were embrowned by it's
| touch and fruit deadened, while, in some in.
stances, whole branches were nearly stripped OF
their foliage. MIR. Daniel l.. Miller, who was
| present at the residence of judge Jobes soon
after the catastrophe, acquainted us with these
| facts.