Daily Republican., 1879-05-19
SATURDAYS STORM.
A Regular May Thunder Gust-The
Damages by Lightning.

As was generally anticipated, the
hot sultry week eliminated In violent
rain and thunder STERN, which, being
the first of the kind for the season, con-
siderably alarmed the more timid and
nervous part of the community. Though
the rain extended around for several
miles, the violent thunder and lightn-
ing seem to have been only felt in the
locality Of Wilmington. The storm com
menced about IL 30 o'clock and lasted
about one hour. The rain fell in heavy
torrents and soon the street cutters were
full, the water in many instances ex-
tending across the street and up on
the pavements.
The thunder was unusually loud and
the lightning fierce, and for few
minutes hardly had the reverberations
of one crash died away in the distance
before another seemed to come bursting
through the dense sultry atmosphere
with more violence than the proceed
ing crash. Fortunately no lives were
lost though a number of places were
struck with lightning, and some were
even stunned with the electric shocks.
The following is a record Of the damage
done:
House No. 1l13 Lombard street, was
struck by lightning. tits three story
building and stands one story above
the others, the lightning striking the
east gable end. 1t then followed the
corniee right straight down, tore it of
and also the first course of bricks with
it. The tightening struck the rain
spout, bursted the pipe and came out
within three feet Of the ground. The
store was kept by Mrs. McKnee as a
grocery store. Mrs. Brown, colored
woman living at 1ll7 Lombard street,
(two doors below was cooking in the
kitchen when she received a severe
shock, being knocked through the
dining room into the entry distance
of twelve feet. Her friends soon after
found her lying in the entry, uncon-
s;ious. Parties in the neighborhood
say that the smell of sulphur was very
great. !.
Another place visited was Swift &
Courtney's stables, on East Fourteenth
street. The colored driver who was in
the stable when the lightning entered
the window, was struck and knocked
down. Two mules received each a
severe shsck.
Among the points visited by the cleo
trio bolt was the West End livery sta.
bic of Kirkman & Son, a: Delaware
Avenue and Tatnall streets. The light
ming first struck ball on the top OF
SO foot flag pole, and it glanced off the
ball right in the centre OF the flag pole:
thereby teariag it into a thousand
pieces. The bali was not split though
there were several indentures in it.
The lightning also knocked part o
the rain spout off and entered the office
tearing the gilt cornice and burnt the
gilt off the wall paper. Henry Lape,
carpenter and contractor, who was pass
ing by on the opposite side Of the street
was also struck by one of the fyins
splinters, and man who was passing
by in carriage had his whip knocked
out of his hand by the shock.
There is an old tall chimney, whicl
has stood for many years the storms, ,and
which stands near what is known al
Barrett's saw mill at the rocks, wa
struck by lightning and the top Of tn
chimney knocked off.
1t is strange that the lightning woul'
pass by the iron and steel works o
McCullough's foundry and strike
chimney short distance Off.
The lightning knocked brick out
the corner of the gable OF Mrs. Kerns
house at Eleventh and Walnut streets
As Harry Christy, who drives one o
Walton Brothers ice wagons, was drlv
ing along Washington street, one OF tn
mules was knocked down, but atte
considerable trouble the animal wa
got uron its feet again. The drive
stopped in front of Mr.. Crows house
and while talking to him was badl.
stunned and fell back i'll the wagon.
He was taken into Mr.. Crows house
and Doctor Mitchell being called in, tn
driver in short time was able to star
on his route and on reaching the resi-
dence of Captain Nones he says that
appeared as tremendous blaze OF fir
was burning in front of him. He wa
taken into Mr.. Nones' house, an'
after remaining there for a short tim
he was taken to his residence at No
1902 Walnut st. Doctor Draper wa
called in several times yesterday. Tn
blood flowed freely from his mouth an'
he complained OF severe burning il
the stomach. He was no better thi
morning.
Mr.. Barr's meat store on King stree
above Eighth, was struck by lightning
but the damage is slight.
1t is reported that several men wer
stunned at Tasker's works at New Cas-
tie, an account Of which will no doub
be given in full by our correspondent
Holes In their Pockets.