Litchfield enquirer., 1878-07-18
Lightning.

1 The lightning of Tuesday of last week wa the most severe and destructive we have eve known in this vicinity. Its effects were fel all over the state, but perhaps more severely in the southern portion of Litchfeld county than anywhere else.
 The electrical discharge seems to have beer severest about Hotchkissville (Woodbury). II and near this small village house was struck and three barns were destroyed by lightning The house was that of Mir. Alonzo Smith, who himself received a severe shock. The barns belonged to William Smith, Ira Thomas and H. H. Peck. None of them were insured Considerable hay, many farming implements and some stock were destroyed.
 In Roxbury, also, the storm was extremely severe. The thunder and lightning were in. cessant for nearly an hour. The roar was like that of heavy artillery and the binding flashes followed each other in constant succession. George Morriss house, near the Bridgewater line, was struck, the lightning entering through a window near sink where Mrs. Morris had just been standing, and, passing into the pantry made havoc with the dishes. As Mrs. Leander Blakeman and daughter was returning from New Milford one of their horses were instantly killed and the other stunned, while hole was torn through the carriage Both occupants es- caped. The barn of Darwin Beardsley was also struck, the ridge-board shivered, the shin gles scattered and the frame shaken, after which the lightning passed over mow of rye straw and disappeared.
 In Bridgewater Burr Mallett received very severe stroke, lay insensible for a long time be- 1 fore he was found by his family, and was re- suscitated with great difficulty. In Lanesville Charles Hatch's new house was struck, and slightly damaged. Two men standing near it were knocked down and several trees were struck. John Duncan's milk house on Second Hill (New Milford) was struck. John Straight's barn was burnt in Kent and he him. self had very narrow escape. Several bolts descended in New Preston.
 | Lightning struck in several places in Water town, doing some damage. Sheldon French had pair of oxen killed, and c. l.. Dayton one cow. John Heminway's gas house was struck and set on fire, but was discovered and extinguished before much damage was done. At Plymouth the barn of Sllas Darlington, on i Chiponey hill, was struck by lightning and de- 1 stroyed. Tne luss includes vIlc llorse ana elgnt tons of hay.
 | Outside the county much damage is report ed. Hezekiah Shailor was struck dead in Haddam; and laborer named Troy was kill elk at Stamford At Bethel the residence of Bradley Adams was struck, and the freaks of the lightning are reported as follows in the l Palladium:
 The bolt came in at the roof and entered ev- | cry room i'll the house, ripping things to pieces and scattering the plaster from the wall pre- l miscuously about. In the front chamber was a lady on the bed. The lightning paid it's re- spects to this room first, tearing off the wall and entering closet setting fire to some pa pers in the closet. It then went into the hall way at the top of the stairs, tore curtain, broke out glass, and ripped off the wall over- head. Down stairs it went. lnone room was a lady and little girl, both standing at the door, The girl was thrown across the room, the dashboard of baby carriage was torn of, bureau was split open and the floor torn up. The kitchen was next visited. Three of the floor boards were torn up and glass was brok- en in the windows In the sitting room a queer freak was exhibited. A square piece was torn from the top of curtain, the bottom of mirror was broken off without cracking the glass, and the curtains on the opposite side | of the room were torn.
 Two fine oaks were shattered at the corner of Goodyear and Drummond streets New Ha- ven. At Charles Island the chimney of the oil works was struck. Elder Shailors barn in Haddam was burnt, with loss of from $3. COG to $4,000; barn was struck just across the river and horse killed In Somers two barns were struck, several head of cattle and two horses killed. Houses were struck in Bristol, Rockville, Meriden, Westville, New London and Manchester. The Catholic church at Jewett City was struck and considerably in | jured. The telegraph poles between Bristo and Forestville were shivered and at Forest vile the lightning jumped from the wires into Welch's clock shop where allfelt theshock ant one girl tainted. A barn was burnt also in Dur ham. -... ........ :.
 We notice several instances in which charg es seem to have been successfully carried of by rods, though that seems not to have beer always the case. rrf
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