Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-06-30

4 house that stands on lot at the inter-
section Of Patterson avenue and North
street, owned BY Squire John Hu.Isrd, ami
occapied by bis son, Charles Ruzzard, and
Mr.. Leach, was struck By lightning during
the prevalence of q storm OF rain and lizht-
ming last Sunday afternoon.
Westward, in a house, on a corner lot, at
the intersection of Parker and North streets,
Squire Huzzard resides. At the time of
the rain ne stood in a covered porch at the
east side Of his residence, looking out TO-
ward his house on the opposite corner,
where Charles lives. While looking he saw
lightning descend and strike the house. To
h'n 1t did aot appear like zigzsg streak of
IRE, but appeared like q column of fire
about four feet in width. The descending
bolt was not preceded or heralded, es is
usually the case, by a low rumbling sound,
but it burst with crash that stunned the
ears, End fash that blirded for moment
the eyes Of half the people in the neighbor-
hood. Every one asked the question,
"Where did that strike 1''
The lightning struck the apex of the roof
at the west gable end, outside the chimney,
but did not disturb brick in the smoke
conductor. How it escaped demolition
amidst the general wreck OF the middle of
the gable end from the apex of the roof to
the attic floor, is question that those who
have seen the hole In the house at that
place talk about. Fully one-third of the
triangular part of that end of the house
was opened to sight, and knocked into
splinters as only lightning can break and
splinter woodwork. The broken weather.
boarding and lath lay scattered all about
the lot far out toward the Squire's resi-
dence, and the plastering was in measure
reduced to dust and small fragments. Shin
giles were profusely scattered on the top OF
the house and about the yard. In its de-
scent the lightning displayed one of those
queer freaks Of its nature, that man has not
been able yet TO comprehend. In one body,
il seemed, from the evidence OF its destruc-
tive wois, TO have passed down the gable
end that was struck TO the square of the
Rouse, and thence portion of the charge
passed off along the plate of the square
north, to the corner of the building, thence
along the spouting of the front part of the
house 10 the northeast corner post, down
which il passed to the gre und, breaking
and spinteiing it to such a degree that
new one will be required, and breaking aud
splitting the wesiher-boarding off on both
sides of the post In places. The plasterIng
on that end Of the house was uniniured.
The balance of the charge passed frem the
square straight down the gable end that was
struck, to the ground, every here and there
knocking off board, and damaging the
plastering in that end of the house consid-
srably. A looking glass on the wall near
by where the electric fluid or current went
down was made to jump about in manner
that would have caused modem spiritual
istic juggicr 70 rub his hands in satisfac-
tion at The manifestation, provided it had
been put in motion by his own manipula-
tion and not by lightning from the clouds.
The inmates OF the house we've not in the
least hurt. That is the second misfortune
that overlook the house; while it was in
the course OF being tailt 1t was blown down,
and its timbers much broken, ty storm.