Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-13

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however, that they were particularly
confined to the Shellpot more than to
other places. Among the storms that l
remember was one where the mills.
belonging TO the man with whom l
lived, were struck with lightning Later,
when a boy, about IA years of age, l
happened to be out cunning, not far
from my home, when saw three clouds
arising which seemed to be centreing
directly above the farm house. | started
for shelter in the old mill. To give an
idea of how terrible the thunder and
lightning were the kline that were pas
tured in the meadow below the mill
pond crouched in fear at the lightning,
and the loud and repeated claps of
thunder brought them nearly to their
knees. The clouds MS they came to-
gether seemed to break open and the
rain descended in torrents.
Having reached shelter and looking
around saw that Harker's barn was
afre. at once set out to see if l could
render any aid. But in spite of our
efforts the barn was burned to the
ground. This barn, since rebuilt, is now
owned by Charles P. Paschal.
There were couple of fine poplar
trees there which marked the line be-
be harmonious companions themselves;
yet time, lightning, and the woodman's
axe have laid them low.
DoAn near the Philadelphia road and
the one which led to Shipley's, there
was hickory tree struck by lightning
and torn all to pieces. Again, near the
old house which stands part way up
Shellpot hill and which has been re-
built as a relic of olden times, was some
years previous to its renovation occu-
pied by Moses Lowther, schoolmaster
who kept school nearby. Between
the house and road there stood tree,
which met with the same fate as those
afore mentioned.
.N About The year 1923 young woman
was killed during thunder storm while
sitting by the window of her home on
NJ King street, near Seventh. This acci-
dent teaches us that it is dangerous to
x sit in draft during thunder storm.
This visitation made great sensation
at the time, as the young lady, Miss
Smith, was well and favorably known.
The news was spread broadcast by the
market people, who carried 1t to thelr
homes in the surrounding country.
M Another incident which comes vividly
to mind is the recollection of an ac'
( riding into the country one afternoon
and on his return home in the evening
f was overtaken by violent thunder
storm. He was at the time on the Ian
ill caster road beyond the line of Unior
street coming home, where he made thu
oftentimes fatal error of going under {
lN tree fol- shelter. The tree stood by thu
roadside. Sometime later, the deaC
W. bodies of himself and horse were foune
Nj by a passerby. The mans name | hav,
forgotten, but he was employed by
James and John Dickson, well-knowi
builders and contractors here, sometim
before they dissolved partnership. Thi
Incident warns us not to take shelte
under isolated trees during thunder
storm.
A Philip Mcdowell, who has beel
dead number OF years, rehearsed tni
circumstance to man putting up light
\ ming rods, saying that his objection t.
having rods on his building was that h
had resided in the same house for
number of years without their protec
tion and lightning had never strue
where he lived, and while lightnin
rods would draw the lightning and dis
pose of it, he would rather not have
come at all.
FIRST USE of tuAL.
Another pleasing Renaissance to m
mind is the time when coal was tirS
used in place of wood for fuel in thi
city and of who built the first coal fiji
as q means of warming his house.
Time passes swiftly away. 1t ht
not been 70 years ago when |, a coul
try lad, warmed myself al Josep
Mendinhalls store, Second and Kin
streets. He, l think, was among th
it first if not the first to use coal as fuel.
f In the year OF 1874, when l joine
Asbury Church they burned wood
two old-fashioned box stoves. VIII;
other churches were using | do n,
ss know, but presume they heated the
edifices in the same manner.
About this time a certain Captai
(E Davis of Philadelphia, who ran stear
boat 10 this city, and who, | thin
burned coal, was conversing with n
on the advantage of coal over fus
Some years prior to this a man comiI
| from some town up in the coal regioi
visited Philadelphia for the purpose
Showing a coal stove of his own inve
ton.
M But for some reason, the stove prov
V failure, aud he went back disa
pointed, but not discouraged. 1t W
not long dlteIi HuWeNel, NuGu d 5bo
was invented which burned coal su
. cessfully, and it came into general u
~ as fuel. But to my thinking, whi
coal has almost entirely replaced wo'
as a fuel, there is no fire so clear of G
or desirable as one that wood will mai
For some time after its first introductio
= before coal superseded wood for I
making of steam, wood was in genei
use in locomotives and steamboats,. -.
too, l believe, will soon be entire
superseded by coal-oil, gas and elt
tricity.
Another outcome of coal taking
place of wood was that it drove T.
sporthy classes of laboiers out of bu
j ness. / refer to the woodsawyers al
Chimney sweeps. The wood sawy'
could always be seen around town sa
Ing and cutting wood for firing.
y MUSICAL CHIMNEY SWEEPS.
The chimney @weeps, who alws
we're colored people, went about in CO
N panies of three, generally man OF n
~ yearslend two boys, the latter
an sariably selected for their musi