The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-21
THE STORh. IN TIE NORTH.
awfal Effects Of tho Lightning in Mas
sachusetts-Great Du mage In Boston.
From the Boston Trayeler.l


From the Boston ,TraVeller.l
We have In our office men who have sailed
on every sea and have been 10 all the light
ming places ofLhe earth, land they declare lhat
they never Witnessed anywhere sucn scenes
as enveloped this vicinity about midnight.
Uulil the heavens shall pass away like scroll,
the elements shall melt with ferVent heat, and
the world Itsel be burned up. we do not ex-
pect to witness such another scene. During
the first storm, and at about half.paSt six r.
NJ, the Mount Pleasant Unitarian Church, at
Tue Highlands, was struck oy lightning and
set on fire, but the flames were extlngniShed
Without an alarm. The building was not
guarded with llghtning-rOds. At Sta
lion 8 the brass work on the tele-
graphic instrument was melted by the ele cLrlc
fiuid, aud Sergeant Wool, who was reading d
paper some ten feet from the machine, was
struck and rendered insenslble Tor time. AT
eight o'clock the storm abaLed, but at mid
night the skies were again darkened, the rain
began 10 full in Sheets anu lhe whUle nrma-
nent was lit up with the sudden and almost
plindlng flashes of The lightning. One pecu-
liarlty Cl this storm was The long cOn.inuance
of the flashes. Towards The laller part of its
duration The flashes would follow each other
40 RAPIDLY that The heavens We're Illuminated
for several seconds, when the Intense light
would be succeeded by Egyptian darkness,
while the heavens were constantly reVeroe-
rating with The terrific reports OF The thunder,
some of Them short and quick, like the crack
of a rifle, Others deep and OF long contin'I-
ancr, Ike the distant roar OF artillery. Those
VINO were compelled 10 remain upon the
streets were almost struck dunno win
fear ut the near approach OF the elec-
trio fluid, and the terrific detonatons which
followed For nearly al hour the storm
ragged, the elements combining 10 make
one oil the most grand anu appalllhs sceneS
ever Witnessed In this city. The air was COM
pletely full OF electricity, and the fluid passed
along the wires over the houses, driving the
night operators away from their Instruments,
ann compeljng all to seek cover. The scene
down The harbor was sublime; the sudden
flashes of lightning caused the shipping 10
stand for an instant In bold RELIEF, when, as u
appeared, cloud of inky blackness instanta.
nsously covered the scene. The waters were
;ashed into fury, and the hoarse cries OF the
sailors "a tbey moved about on the alert to
avoid The threatened disasters only served TO
heirhten the effect Many OF the cizsns who
had retired for The night We're compelled TO
rise for fear that the fluid would ignite the
buildings, If the descending bolts did not
strike Them. In the SUBURBAN towns, the storm
seems 10 have been as furious as 10 tne city
From south Boston. chelsea, cambridge, MAJ.
den and other places, reports OF It's terrlnc
nature have beeu received.
Thr Worst Storm Ever Known--TeIe-
graph Wires Melted by the Electric
FIuId.
From the Troy llmesl
The mutterng thunder in the distance told
that lc was coming, and the Intensely black
clouds assured all L1at they contained Inc ma
terial for frat-class shower. NO one, now:
ever. suspected such frightlul storm. or
there would have been more apprehension
and Iess desire for it. IL Was curious, TOO, to
watch the changes in the clouds Just previous
IN the Glescent of the rain. 1t seemed as II
There was q whirlwlnd In the heavens, and
the effect of the clouds tumblipg and rolling
about, b,own hither and lhlther with great
velocity, mingllns ana lntermiaslng WIN
cribab:e. Presently the rain descended. The
Iirbtninps began 10 play and The thunder
to roar This WAS about two o'clock. In
q very few minutes the storm was at
it's height, and ragged with fury suf-
tcient to appal tile sIoutest hearts. The atmos-
phere was entirely surcharged with eleclricl-
~. and each flash OF the nnid was almost
binding. lis effect upon tile police ana fire
teepraDh In our Office was rather alarming
the current coming In upon The wires and
playing about the instrument in sort OF de-
mons dance. The ground wire Is affixed to
the pas burner, and This shot out balls OF fire
with the report OF good sized pistol. This
storm passed away alter about an hours dll-
ration II was followed by another equally
severe, but with the additional phenomenon
of a clap of thunder from clear sky. The
storm seemed 10 have exhausted ilseIf, the
sun was shining brightly over The city, when
suddenly there came the most appalling Clap
of thunder we ever heard. II seemed to
burst everywhere with equal distlDctness. II
was q perfect surprise 10 everybody. 1t was
sharp, like the crack Of rifle, and loud as
the discharge OF two-hundred-pound Par
rott. 1t was the death throe OF the storm
and with it passed awaylor the time the con
| tondfnp forcpa of nature.