The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-07-20
THE LATE STORMS.
AND LIGHTNING, RAIN.
HAIL, AND WIND.


HAIL, AND WIND.
HOUSES STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.
Chesterfield swept by q Tornado.
DESTRUCTION OF CROPS AND BUILDINGS
The storm of Saturday night last, on ac.
count of the superabundant presence OF
lightning and thuoder, will not be soon
forgotten. In the opinion of o6servant per-
sons who bave fingered long In this land
there was never anything 10 late years to equal
it. Those who resided in the western por
ton of the city thought that the lightning
spent its full force in their nA6st; the people
in The centre OF the city and on Church and
Union Hills, and 10 Rockets, had the slme
erroneous idea. The fact is that the whole
city was affec'ed alike. Never were there 40
| many affrRhted people. Amid all the thun-
dsrs OF the seven.t days battles, when the ell.
envy vas storDing our defenccs, when bomb.
shells were bursting in the air not far Oft,
| and the shrieks Of wounded and dying could
| be heard, 1t is believed that not such WIDE
spre ID terror ever came upon this goodly city.
Ladies and children alone were not the VIC
Tins the fearful pclls of thunder shaking
| the earth. the lightning FISHING and cour>lng
| along the streets. playing about church
steelles in its mad pranks. and seeming TO
strike near by every few minutes, created
| scene of terrific grandeur. and made brave,
| manly hearts quail, while il struck with al
most mortal fear many nervous and tlmld
persons. The fact, as published in this pa
| per, that most of those who have been killed
| by lightning Ibis season met their death
wtnle seated or lying in drafts has made
deep impression. In numerous Instances
| that nigDt be mentioned ladies, prohtlng by
| the Information, shut themselves up in close
rooms, or even IN tight closets, aud 10 spite
of the almost stuff ,csCing heat there remained
until they could in their opinion safely
emerge. Nor was the storm of short dura.
| ton.
AFTER THE STORM.
The storm began about 81 o'clock, and
continued until III. During much Of that
| time Richmond seemed 10 those off at dis
tance all hi ime, only the light came and
went, with short intervals between dense
darknes. and dazz'ing briliaucy.
There was Considerable Iall Of rain, but
nolhiug remarkable: though the force with
whlcn 1t seemed precipi;Aled upon the earth
was rather Unusual. The alea covered by
| the storm was quite extensive, reaching be-
yond the city on all sides.
Saturday night, after the storm had some
| what lullt d, 1t was declared to nave been of
| extraordinary violence, but not uhtll Sun-
day, when people had met together and com.
| pared notes and talked 1t over, was true
| effect of it known. 1t is very notabie that
| while nearly every house in The city shook
as il it was leaving It's foundation, and
though bolts OF lightning appeared TO de-
scend on every street. not 4 lite was LOST and
10 serious damage was done any one.
| SOME OF THE RESULTS.
We give below some Of the results:
| A sycamore tree on the lot Of Sir. Robert
V. Prlddy, on Clay near Henry street, was
struck ana killed by lightning.
Tne residence of Robert Dlard, No. 101
| east FIRST and Canal street, was struck and
| badly damaged. The fluid entered by Il
! window, and within tour teet OF where Mrs.
| Dillard and her children were sitting on q
sofa. They were stunned but not Injured.
| Tue fluid made Il large bO!e IN the cDamOer
| floor tore of the TaSh00ardS, Knocked
| down the plasterlng, broke globe lamp aud
puL out the lIgnt. Also stunned SOME mcln
| bcrs of the family OF Mr. }. IL. Knowles,
| living near by.
| An oak tree near the Sidney Baptist
church Was torn down. Also, bi9 locust
tree near The burying ground OF The late
Eustace Robinson, Esq, by the new reser-
| voir, and a huge ok on the Chesterfield side
| of james river, opposite the hr>t canil-locks.
The ligntning also struck the house OF
Mrs. JOY mes. near BIcon'> Quarter Branch,
| Knocked the chimney ali to pieces, then WenL
| into the second story, spllntercd mantel-
piece, aud tiualIy entered Tie first story anG
| passed out on a gas-pIpe without lnJurlng
any OF The inmates.
OTHER INCIDENTS.
The rod on the Second Baptist church il
believed b. some TO have carried of the
| Lightning tAlce. A gentleman who noticed
! St. Paul's church steeple wDcn The lightning
was most dazzling in that vicinity says 1t
seemed 10 hlm a. if The steepe would surely
| be set on fire. Yet il escaped uulfJured. a
| Church Hill gentleman states rs lAct that,
seated at his front WINDOW, more than lille
away, be could during the fishes plainly
discern the FURNISHED fork OF the lightning.
ROD on Broad Street Methodist church.
4 brick hotIs- on Second and Duval streets
| Was somewhat Injured.
Ata house owned by Mr.. Caulder, south
| end of Pine street, part OF The chimney was
knocked off, and the mantelpleceS were
moved from the wall. The lightning left 10
two different directons-through the house
and along the conductor.
A bouse near The corner Of Fifteenth and
Poplar streets was also struck, but not very
greatly damaged.
The lines of the Western Union Telegraph
Company and city and police telegraph were
very little inieriered with. A c0Dsluerapie
| portion of our telegrsphic dispatches satur-
day night were received here Wnlle The stcrm
| was in progress, and when the lightning was
| daucing around the wires anu posts 10 most
| fantastic style, aud when the air was go
heavily charged with electricity that 1t sent
tipglirg sensation through peoples frames.
The vessels lying in the dock aud those IN
| the river below toe city also suffered from
the effects of the storm. There were fe"
| lying IN the dock yesterday that were MOI ln-
| ured IN some respect. A lev miles Dtlo"
the city schooner had her mast shattered
! by llghtnng.
The street railway track WIS struck by
| lightning on Broad street above Ninth, and
| the electric fluid run on the track, win Pc
cuiar Kissing noise, down as far as Eleventh
street.
TIE STORM SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
| Very few people of this city knew Sunday
evening that q violent storm OF vino, ac'
compaLled by rain, and to some extent by
bail. was preva ling near this vicinity. 80
people in Hanover, Henrlco, and CheSierhelo'
on Saturday night, Dsd not, aod prooaols
never will hive, any conception of tie * ra-
ordinary character OF the storm 6ere. sun
day evening between and 8 O'Clock couds