The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-10

with steam engines against Just this kind OF
emergencies. Hundreds of operatives are
thus suddenly thrown out of employment.
SINGULAR FREAK OF LIGHTNING.
During the storm of yesterday morning,
at about o'clock vivid flash of lightning,
followed instantaneously by sharp peal of
thunder, was seen and heard by such un-
fortunate creatures as are compelled, by
their duties to the public, to be up and at
their labor at that unseemly hour. The
lightning had certainly struck somewhere
in the city, but exactly where was not
known until long after the morning dawned.
On retiring Tor the night Mr.. William Craig
head had left the top sash of one of the
windows of his bed room, fronting Oh Sec
ond street, open for ventilation. About the
hour named he WAS startled and awakened
by the sharp crash ofthunder, and arose to
examine II all was right about his house.
After returning to bis couch he thought he
perceived smell of something burning, ard
made another Investigation but could dis
cover nothing. His wife being alarmed,
then made the rounds of the house herself.
and on returning to the bed room remarked
that
THE SMELL OF BURNING WOOD
was more perceptible there than in any
other room. They finally concluded that
the smell arose from the gas-a small Jet
being left to burn all night, having been
blown out-snd went to sleep, although be-
fore doing so Mrs. Craighead said she
thought she had seen ball of fire as large
as her head come in at the open window.
Her husband thought this was only 2
dream produced by the continuous flashes
of lightning that had been for hours
lighting up the heavens In the
morning while at his toilet glass,
Mr.. C.'s attention was attracted to
two round holes in the wall of the room,
just over picture that hung above his
dressing bureau, and on close examination
be discovered the cause of the odor of burn
ing wood which bad alarmed him. The two
holes-one on either side of the picture cord
were about foot apart, perfectly round
as IT made with a drill, about one inch and a
halt in diameter, boring through the plaster
ing and about two inches into the brick
wall. They were on the west side of the
room and about two or three feet from the
ceiling. The theory is that
THE CURRENT OF ELECTRIC FLUID
entered the room through the open window
on the north. A large picture, or engrsv-
ing, covered with glass and in heavy gilt
frame, hung just below tho holes made, and
the fluid would seem to have leaped thence
to the frame, around which il ran, destroy
ing the gliding, scorching the wood and
completely running the frame, though,
strange to say, the large plate
Of glass was uninjured. From a cor
ner OF the picture frame the
current ran along the wall, about foot and
half, burning the wall paper and leaving
zig gag, snake-like track, until 1t reached
gas burner-a wall bracket Iight-extin-
guishiog the gas which was burning, and
from there it is presumed that it followed
the gas pipe into the cellar, although no
evidence of its exit, or further work could
be discovered. 1t is singular circumstance,
that neither Mr.. Craighead, his wife or little
girl, who slept in the same room, felt the
slightest shock, or other effect OF the light
ming.