The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-13
A TERRIBLE DISASTER.
A Crowd of Women Struck by Lightning
in the Wyoming Valley.
TWO KILLED AND FOUR FATALLY lNJUREN
The Flesh Torn from the Bodies of
the Victims.

SCRANTON, Pa, August II, 1873.
thrilling catastrophe occurred this afternoon
on The hills, about five miles from this city at VI
place called Kuhn's Patch. large number of
women and girls from Scranton were on the hills
gatheiing berries, when storm came up iromE
the south and they rushed to an untcnante6
building to take shelter from the down pouring
rain.
ABOUT roRTY-oNE WOMEN AND CHILDREN I
lound room In the old house, while seven were
obliged to stand outside under the storm. With the
Increasing storm the sheets OF fire began to dee
scend, the lightning becoming more vivid
and the peas OF thunder seeming td
advance from distant caverns until tha
old building began to tremble. At length
lightning shaft, more vivid than any
that had preceded 1t, descended among the una
happy group OF women and girls, killing two Of
them and scorcbing In frightful manner iour
others, tearing the flesh Off their limbs and pro4
ducing heart sickening scene among the panic
stricken women. For some time even those whd
had not been touched by the electric fire were
paralyzed by the appalling sight they had seen anQ
were unable to render any assistance.
THE ORGANS
or those fatally injured and the six other sunern&
victims were heartrending, and the utter nelpJ
lessness OF the poor women and girls was pitt1
able. Word was sent eventually to Scranton, anG
with the utmost despatch messengers were sent
over tue hill to the scene Of the disaster witlA
wagons, medical attendance and bedding ON
which to convey the dead and woundeG
to the city. Two of the women who stood outsid0
the shed said that the excitement was so intensa
when they left the shocking scene that they cOu6
not bear to go into the old house nor to hear that
means Of those within who were suffering frOu0
the most excruciatng agony
THE ROAD LEADING FROM SCRANTON.
fo I'M io hahn
pletely dooded at several points; and 1t will be q
late hour tonight before those who have gone there's
with wagons can return to the city.
learn that woman named Kline and a girl
named Schonck, eighteen years of age, the daughA
ter of Il poor blind man, are dead.
Later Details of the Calamity.
SCRANTON, Pa, August 1910 p. NJ.
The party of women struck by lightning on thX
Kuhn Patch hills near Scranton this aftcrnoon.
have been brought to this city, Only two were
killed on the spot, but four others are burne4
fatally and many quite seriously.
Several of the women were unable to find roOn1
in the Old hut the deaths would have been muclA
more numerous. 4
One of the women standing ON the outside at th0
time the fiery dart entered the ul-fated place.
states that the rain and hail was falling in torrenta
and all crowded to the door. When the lightning
struck, preceded an instant before by terri
flying peal OF thunder one dreadful chOruS
OF screams rent the air, and at the sight
of the dead ana those whose flesh had
been stripped from their bodies In many
parts, several members of the party tainted, while
the remainder, though unhurt, were perfectly parS
alyzed with fear. 1t was some twenty minutes be.1
fore any one could be induced to move toward the
city for assistance great was the dread that had
fallen on them by this frightfu visitation. The
wyoming Valley had been partly inundated by the
heavy rain, and there was considerable 'diHcultF
In reaching the unfortunate people. No.