The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-15

led by discharges OF electricity, and
thunder accompaniment.
While the first bolt only startled the
people generally of the village, it was
matter Of nuch more serious import to
two persons in particular, and that it did
raculous, when it is known how very
narrow was their escape. These per-
sons are the Misses Arnold, who reside
on North Columbus street, and it was
their dwelling house which received the
stroke that startled every body in the
village. II descended upon the chin
ney, which il in the center of the build |
ing, and passed down on all sides Of it
inside as well as out-rendiDg the |
plastering and wall paper in a manner
very suggestive of the great volume and !
terrible force of the fluid. After enter
ing the apartments up stairs, it seized a
door whose hinges were attached to
frame work adjoining the chimney, and |
wrenched it from its place, tearing the
side-piece into which the cross-pieces
are teneted, and upon which the hinges
are fastened, into a thousand splinters,
more or less, and snngly depositing one
piece between feather bed and mat
tress, as nicely as a person could do so,
passed on down the chimney, into the
rooms below. just "a one of the ladies
Miss Amanda--wa5 stepping out of
the parlor door into the little entry
from the street door, portion Of the
fluid, bursting through the wall next
the chimney. struck her down, and she
fell forward upon her face into the zig
ing room. Her. sister Sarah who was
at the r.ar of the house at the time
| on the p"rch-was also knocked down,
but she roon rallied, and hastened into
/ the room where her sister vas lying
| Upon liftinI her up, she discovered that
/ there Was FIRE in tie clothes press. and
this she had the Precaution 10 subdue
at once-though she burned her hands
badly in the effort Seeing that her sis
ter did not respond to her calls, she ran
to the door to call for help, and sue
ceeded in attracting the attention Of
Mrs. Hoyman,a a "next door neighbor," !"
who, at the time of the stroke, was in
the basement Of her own residence, and
not aware that the discharge had been
so close, and she, with Mr.. Reaver, NJ.
keenan,. Captain Greiner, and others,
hurried to the assistance of the ladies.
All this time Amanda remained uneon-
scious; but shortly after the arrival of
DR.. Skinner, and the administration and
application of remedies, she recovered
consciousness, greatly to the relief of all.
Neither of the ladies have any recol,
lection of seeing any lightning or hear
ing any thunder that day. And it was
not till some time after help had arrived
that Sarah became aware of the cause OF
their discontinue.
In the clothes-press or cupboard next
the chimney in the sitting room, the
J electricity left numerous tracks of it:
very singular freaks-a few of which We
; will mention. The door of this cup
board was closed before the storm, anC
q when the lightning entered it, it frs
opened the said door, we will suppose
for convenience of operations, and thel
ente=ed the mouth Of quart bottle on th
second shelf which was about half-ful
of linseed oil, and going down unde
the surface of the oil about an inch, i
bored a hole through the side of tn
bottle, so as to let out the oil; afte
which it "set of" the matches that wer
close by-thus starting a confagration
On the third shelf was the coal OF
J. lamp. This it broke in two-makin
: the separation in the stem between tn
! base and the bowl containing the oi
4 throwing the latter out upon tn
Ie floor, thus showing it was not the desig
1t to burn down the house without givin
the folks chance to save it. About
u half stick of sealing wax was in tn
II cupboard at the time, and some perso
r. about the house having occasion to us
il the next day, sought for it in tn
y place where it had been kept But
~ could NOT be found at once. Aftt
awhile, however. it was discovered d,
,r posted in mmnte particles on the shell
.. ing and doors Of the clothes press
n conveying 10 the touch sense similar
!. that which is experienced when the iii
be gers are passed lightly over a piece
a coarse sand paper Then the finid pun
tnred the leaves of an account hook,
he if it had been used as target for rii
n shooting, and gouged and mark'
be the surfaces over which it passed in
A. most remarkable manner So great W
the charge of electricity which follow
the chimney, diverging from it at plac
and scattering into the room, there
:, little doubt but that both ladies won
=, have been killed had they been in al
~ other part of the house than that
which they we're at. the time it W
struck. Amanda received the create
~ injuries-a terrible shock, and bu
~. upon the left eye and right shoulder al
~ though she is yet confined to her bt
- her speedy recovery is assured by t
= attending physician, DR.. Skinner. 81
II abs injuries are, We believe, confn
" to the hands, which were burned in p
~ ting out the fire, as above stated.
cal A CARD OF THANKs.--To the frier
ian and citizens of Somerset and vicin
ing who contributed literally and Willing
toward the purchase of bell for
al Reformed Church of Somerset, we
,o, turn our thanks. The congregation fe
rod grateful for the encouragement thus
10. ceived, and hopes to reciprocate t
md kindness in part by the bell which
Zoo already been purchased. The pas
J, :. feels thankful for the kindly manner
no. which he was received by all on wh