The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-08-21


The following accounts are given of
probably the most terrible storm on re-
cord, which occurred last Thursday:
AWFUL EFFECTS OF THE LIGHTNING IN
MASSACHUSETTS We have in our Office
men who have sailed on every sea. and
have been in all the lightning places of
the earth, and they declare that they
never witnessed anywhere such scenes as
enveloped this vicinity about midnight.
The hurricane and the cyclone are gene
rally accompanied by terrific lightning
and thunder. but the driving tempest
sweeps these before it, and gives variety
even to the terrible; while last night it
seemed as if Heaven and earth were in q
blaze, and both bursting asunder. Until
the heavens shall pass away like scroll,
the elements shall melt with fervent
heat, and the world itself be burned up,
we DO not expect to witness such another
scene. Now the storm is past, the sun
is out in all his glory, and gentle
breeze from the South west is bearing
seaward white feecy clouds, the har.
bingers Of pleasant weather. During
the first storm, aud at about hnlf-past s
p: NJ, the Mount Pleasant Unitarian
Church at the Highlands, was struck by
lightning and set on fire, but the flames
we're extinguished without an alarm.
Ihe splre was somewhat shattered, and
this Will undoubtedly necessitate com.
pete reconstruction of that portion of
the edifice The damage will not probn-
bly, exceed $4,000 The building was
not guarded with lightning rods. At
Station =, the brass work on the tclegra-
phlc INSTRUMENT was melted by tho cleo
trio fluid, and Sergeant Wood, who was
reading u paper some ten feet from the
machine, Was struck aud rendered insen-
siole Tor time. Lieutenant Hastings
had left his chair, close to tho machine.
but moment previous to the accident
TO shut the windows Of tho guard-room
by this mere accident, lie probably
escaped death. At o'clock, the storm
abated, the lightning ceased its vivid
flashes, and all supposed that the storm
WAS over, but ut midnight the skies we're
again darkened, the rain began to fall in
sheets, and the whole frmament was lit
mp with the sudden and almost binding
flashes of the lightning.
One pecularity of this storm was the
long. continuance Of the flashes. To-
ward the latter part of its duration the
flashes would follow each other 30 rapid.
~ that the Heavens were illuminei for
several seconds, when the intense light
would be succeeded by Egyptian dark
ness, while the Heavens were constantly
reverberating with the terrific reports Of
the thunder, some of them short and
quick, like the crack OF rifle: others
deep and of long continuance, like the
distant roar OF artillery. Those who
were compelled to remain upon the
streets were almost struck dumb with
fear ut the near approach of tho electric
huid. and the terrifying detonations
which followed. For nearly an hour the
storm ragged, the clements combining to
make one OF tho most grand and appall-
ing scenes ever witnessed in this CITY.
The air was completely full of electrici-
ty, and the fluid passed along the wires
over the houses, driving the night ope.
rators away from their Instruments, and
compelling all to seek cover. The scene
down the harbor was sublime; the sud-
den flashes OF lightning caused the ahip-
ping to stand for an instant in bold re-
lief, when. as it appeared, u cloud of
lnky blackness lnstantaneously covered
the scene. The waters were lashed into
fury, and the hoarse cries of the sailors,
as they moved about on the alert to av old
the threatened disasters, only served to
heighten the effect. Many of the citi.
zens who had retired for the night were
compelled to rise for fear that the fluid
would ignite the buildings, if the de.
scendlng bolts did not strike them. In
the suburban towns the storm seems to
have been as furious rs in the city.
From South Boston, Chelsea, Cambridge,
Maiden, and other places, reports of its
terrific nature have been received. Con-
siderable damage was done to property,
but as yet no deaths resulting from the
storm have been reported, and this may
we'll be looked upon ns wonderful, when
we consider the fury of the storm and
the frequency with which the bolts de-.
scended. d.-BoSton Trareler.
The WoRsT STORM EVER Known
Presently the rain descended, the light
nings began to play md the thunder to
roar. This Was about 2 o'clock. In n
very few minutes the storm was at it's
height, and ragged with fury sufficient
to appal the stoutest hearts. The at
mosphere was entirely surcharged with
electricity, and each flash of the fluid
was almost binding. It's effect upon the
police and fire telegraph in our Office
was rather alarming the current coming
IN upon the wires aud playing about the
instrument in sort Of demons dance