Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-09-05
THE THUNDERBOLT.
"A Picnic tarty Struck by Lightning
On . esleasu BARGE.


On PLEASURE Barge.
From the New Haven Palladium, Aug. 24th.
At about S o'clock, Thursday after
noon. while the barge Francis Rislev
was returning to Middletown from Say
brook with an excursion party of about
800 souls, the lightning struck the top
OF the mainmast with such force as to
split it: besides shaking Ito powerful
barge from stem to stern. The fluid
then passed down through the upper
deck where 1t separated, one part fol-
LOWING the chain which CONNECTS the
pilot wheel to the rudder till it reached
the stern, where it darted down the
hold of the vessel. The other portion
proceeded down the mainmast to the
main deck, Frustrating about twenty
LADIES' ana gentlemen, and then going
to the cabin where it passed out Of
window.
OF course this was done in moment
of time. All the excursion party were
affected by the shock, some Of them
quite seriously. A boy named Foster,
whose father is employed at the W. 4
B. Douglas establishment, in Middle
town, was supposed to be dead for some
time, but he is recovering, though still
suffering. The lightning burned q
large hole in his hat. Another boy
named Daley, was also seriously in
jured: Andrew Cody, member of the
Middletown Cornet Band, under whose
auspices the excursion took place, was
standing with his arm around the main.
mast when the bolt came down, and has
not yet recovered the use of his arm.
John Wall, another member of the
band, received severe shock, as also
did Patrick Kneaville. Some twenty
or thirty others were partially para.
lived for few minutes. Several ladies
tainted. One lady had her silk sack
rent in many pieces by the lightning.
+ A severe tempest of rain and wind
accompanied the lightning, lasting
about fifteen minutes after the acct
dent, which happened when the boat
was about one mile north of Lyme
bridge. During this time a sloop was
almost capslzed by the gale, tree ON
shore torn up, and the lightning flash
ed almost necessarily. The scene ON
board was one which those who wit
messed will never forget. After the first
shock was over it was feared that the
lightning in the hold had set the boat
on fire. Mothers called for their chill
dren, and all searched Tor their nearest
friends. Some one raised the cry OF
fire. The gale was fast blowing the
barge toward the shore, aud in order
to prevent this the awnings were cut
down. As soon as order was restored
attention was given to quite q number
of persons who were still lying on deck
paralyzed, and these uufortunates were
rubbed until the boat reached Middle
town at 23P.M.
The smell OF sulphur was quite strong
for some minutes after the accident. A
large number complained of a singular
sensation in their feet and others in
their faces. About an hour afterward,
while the boat was approaching Deer
River, appearances indicated another
storm, and therefore about one-third
Of the party landed at this station, from
which they took the Valley Railroad
cars for home, but did not arrive unit
near midnight, as the evening trair
from Saybrook waited nearly three
hours for the steamer Sunshine, which
was delayed by the gale. The barg.
Risley remained at Middletown unit
morning, and then proceeded to Hart
ford, having been but slightly dam
aged, not sufficient to cripple it. Prob
ably $500 or $500 will cover the loss t.
the boat.