Morning journal and courier., 1886-07-31
DAMAGE NY LIGHTNING.
A Severe Storm In the Northern Part of
the State-Mueh Damage Done.

Severe Storm In the Northern Part of
the State-much Damage Done.
severe thunder shower passed over the
northern part of the State late Thursday af-
ternoon which did considerable damage to
crops, but resulted in no loss of life. The
storm consisted of severe rain and hail, &C.
companied by vivid flashes of lightning. In
Wethersfeld the storm lasted all night, and
at 5 o'clock this morning eliminated into
small cyclone. The tornado passed through
the center of the place, tearing up trees and
1eveling crops to the ground, doing in all
about SIS, 900 damage, mostly to tobacco.
In East Hartford the barn of Mr.. Willard
Burnham was struck, set on fire and with its
| contents, consisting Of about twenty-five
| tons of hay, farming tools, etc., totally de-
| stroyed. The fire communicated to an adj
| joining horse barn and tobacco shed, the lat
ter seventy-fve feet long, and both were to-
tally consumed. Through the efforts of the
| neighbors the house was saved. There was
| no insurance on the contents; the buildings
were insured. A hired man of Mr.. A. B.
| Andross started out to the fire. Just as he
reached the front of the house bolt of light
ming struck large elm tree, splitting it bad
| ", knocking the man unconscious. He soon
| recovered; however, and is not seriously
| hurt.
In Portland lightning struck the steeple
| of the Catholic church, doing considerable
damage. In Sufield bolt struck Frank
| Remipgton's blacksmith shop, tearing one
| end into fragments, demolishing henroost
attached and killing about twenty chickens.
The premises did not take fire. In South
ington the lightning struck in many places.
l ~ Ii oG 1
| Woodruff's and Truman Smiths, while the
elms on North Dim street lost their leaves.
| At G.. B. Finch's house the lightning ran
| down the rod, but at j. Burritt's, across the
! road, it wrenched off the drain pipe, run
ming from the caves to the ground, and
filled the house with smoke. Mrs. Wesley
| Burritt, who was sitting near the window at
the time, was severely shocked, but was 9th
| erwise uninjured.
In Glastonbury the dwelling house
| of Mrs. William Sampson, a little east
of Main street, was struck by lightning The
| plastering and door castings were torn off and
| the house set on fire. A little lively work
| subdued the flames and saved the building.
In Plainville after the main shower had
passed cloud swung around discharging
| copious hail, which completely spoiled the
tobacco of the Hart Bros, who had about
two acres nearly all topped. On this noun
| tain Robert and Horatia Durham lost about
four acres each, also ]. H. Me1riman's crop
of considerable extent was ruined The dam
age in this immediate vicinity is estimated
at SO, 900. A ball of fire flashed along the
telegraph wires to the post next south of the
station where it exploded like the discharge
of gun, giving nerve tonic to those neal
by. The hail is reported quite severe in Bur
lington.
Yesterdays storm was also very heavy in
the northwestern part of the State, but be-
side the accident in Madison none others were
| reportad ND to a late hour