Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-07-14
THE RAIN STORM.
Three Persons Seriously stunned by
Lightning.
From Daily Chronicle Julys

From Daily Chronicle Julys
Yesterday evening between the
hours of five and six, Knoxville was
visited by one of the heaviest rains we
have ever witnessed. The water came
down in perfect torrents, aud in some
places the streets were covered several
inches deep. We happened to be in
the neighborhood Of Burr g. T. rvs
sash and blind factory, aud nose, d
that in Branner and Crozier stress The
water was nearly foot deep, and ex-
tended nearly over the entire streets
Peal after peal of thunder, ami the
most brilliant flashes of lightning at
short intervals, seemed enough
to produce a feeling of awe in the
stnutest of hearts. One peal of thun-
der, in particular, seemed more severe
than the rest, and the opinion
was expressed 10y several that
! il must have struck somewhere
| i'm the neighborhood. A. soon as the
rain ceased sufficiently for us to ven
l AuAt Olll We SNdlltb WI Alul lfuuNlS anu
soon found that the lightning had
struck at the corner of the Rucker
house, on CTozier street, and had done
considerable damage, one ofthe Misses
Rucker being severely stunned and
younger son slightly, and another
daughter had been knocked down, but
had recovered 10y the time we reached
the place.
1t seems the lightning struck the
pavement, passed under the fence, and
entered the giOund at the corner of the
house, throwing the dirt all over the
leaves of the large tree in front of the
building, and then passed down into
the basement, where it demolished a
cupboard. In this room the Miss
Rucker, who was the severest
sufferer, was at the time, and
received 80 severe shock that
for time IL was thought
she could not Tecover. The others
were standing in front of the door'and
were severely shocked, falling to the
floor. The youngest daughter soon re-
covered completely, but the boy and
eldest daughter were in bed when wy
arrived at the scene-the girl SUFFERING
intense pain. DR.. S. b. Boyd was
called in and gave medical attention,
and at last accounts her condition had
considerably improved, though she
was still suffering to some extent, es-
pecially in one side of her body and
head. The boy was also rapidly i'm
proving.
On State street, Just above Fuckers,
Mr.. Freyman was working at the cor
ner of his fence to prevent the water
from overlooking his garden, when the
lightning stuck and he fell to the
ground as though he had been struck
by the electric fluid. He was carried
into the house and the usual remedies
were applied, when in u short time he
revived, and it was found that he had
only been stunned, and the only ef-
fects he felt was stiffness about bis
limbs.
The streets were badly washed in
number of places, and not culvert or
gutter in the city proved large enough
to hold the volume of water, hence the
streets and pavements were overs
flowed, and some damage was done.
The top of tree in front Of DR.. Nor
gan's house Oh Union street was brc-
ken off by the storm, and doubtless
similar damages were sustained in
other portions of the city and suburbs.
During the storm the observatory on
Col. Jno. J. Craig's residence west of
the city, was struck by lightning and
one side of it was quite demolished.
Upon reaching the roof of the main
house the thunderbo!t leaped to the tin
gutter and reached the ground without
further damage. Smoke aud steam
raised from the building, and the
neIghbors rushed to the rescue, think
ing the building was burning, and per-
haps the inmates were hurt, but upon
examination found no one at home
and DO serious damage done.
Man Instantly Killed near Dam
bridge.
From our cambridge CORES pondent
H., We learn that J. ID. Taft, citizen
OF Jefferson county, who resides about
three and a-half miles from cambridge,
was killed by lightning on Tuesday,
the 9TH inst. He was hoeing corn in
field in the morning, when the
heavens began to darken and heavy
shower was threatened. He sought
shelter under a large tree, like so many
have done in the past with the same
| result, and about 10 o'clock the light
ming struck the tree, instantly killing
Taft. His body was not found until
about i O'Clock in the afternoon. II
seems To us that with the experience
of the past persons should cease to
seek shelter under large trees when
! caught out IN thunder storm.