The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-08-13
LIGHTNING WAS TERRIFIC
MANY HOUSES, BARNES and TREES
IN THE STATE STRUCK.

Two Men Killed by Lightning-A West
Haven Woman's Wonderful Experience
Barn Destroyed in Guilford-HeRvy
Wash Outs at Fort Wooster and Fort Hale
Parks-Church In New Canaan Burned to
the Ground-Many Animals Killed
ange-Tremendous Down Pour of Rain
other Effects of the Big Shower-Fifty
Houses Wrecked In Indiana.
AS may be expected, judging from the
terrific and binding flashes of lightning
and big downpour of rain yesterday
morning at about o'clock much dam
age was done. The lightning struck in
score or more places in the state A
most remarkable experience was that
of Mrs. Newton Bradley of so First ave-
nue., West Haven.
Mr.. Bradley is engineer at the Grand
avenue station of the New Haven Elec-
, trio company. He is employed nights
and his wife and five children were at
home alone during the storm.
When the storm came up the light
ming played about in every direction
and at exactly 2:2S bolt entered the
house. Mrs. Bradley had put all her
five children into bed in little north
east chamber, and the storm was so
severe she went in to see them. She
leaned over to throw the bedclothes
over the children, and just at that mo-
"a str =
tered a window at the head of the bed.
piece of clapboard was torn from the
house about two feet in length, and
all the Stats were ripped out of the
blind, The bolt entered through the
window, smashing it into bits and pass
ed right across the bed under Mrs.
Bradley's arm. She fell to her knees,
and the fire played all around her so
that she says she thought she was
afire. She screamed and then got up
and srasping the children went down
stairs with them.
A, SCENE OF WRECK.
She went to the door and screamed
for help, but no one heard her for
some time. Finally Andrew Smith, who
lives next door, came in and went
over the house. He found no fire, but
discovered that the bolt after entering
the window, had gone right across the
bed where the children lay and out
another window at the other side of
the bed near the foot. The bed was
charred and big black spots were on
the panels and the outside of the house.
In another bedroom next to the .one
where the children were half the plas-
terng was torn Off The lightning
went into a small incandescent light
which was hung on the bureau as an
ornament and smashed it. Mrs. Brad
ley's pocketbook was struck and the
silver pieces We're scattered all over
the room.
In the front bedroom the ball struck
dresser, tearing off a large splinter,
which was carried clean across the
room. The clock which stood on the
mantle was stopped at exactly 2:2S, but
was not injured. In another room up
stairs the plaster was torn away and
several black streaks on the paper
showed where the lightning had run
about the walls. 1t went down stairs
into the parlor through the floor. There
it ran around the wall paper, took the
gilt border off one picture, and left
another which hung right next to it
unframed.
In the pantry and kitchen the plaster
was wrecked also and several dishes
were broken. The lightning evidently
went out the pantry window, for the
pane was broken and also the blind, the
panels being badly charred.
At a spot on the roof of the house the
shingles We're torn away so that the
rain leaked in. Mrs. Bradley's escape
from death and that of the children
seems almost miraculous. She says
that the shock has not affected either
herself or the children beyond giving
them a bad headache.
Mr. Smith, who came to Mrs Brad
ley's assistance, says that when he went
into the cellar after the lightning
struck there was so much smoke and
birthstone there that he had to hurry |
upstairs to keep from being overcome |
Mr.. Bradley was much surprised |
when he arrived home to find his house |
hold in such a condition, but he made |
the best of it, and himself and wife |
were kept busy this morning relating
would prefer not to have repeated.
The house was the object of great GU |
Tiosity to West Haveners. The Brad |
leys' friends were early on the scene, |
offering assistance and congratulating |
them upon their hairbreadth escape.
The latter were very grateful, and one |
and all said that they were thankful to I
be alive.
The house is owned by w. H. An
tlrews, and the damage will probably
amount to several hundred dollars. Mr.. !
Bradley's loss is not large.
ANOTHER HOUSE IN WEST HAVEN
Another house, some distance away,
in Main street, occupied by Daniel Bar
ry, a painter, was struck, but no dam
age done beyond demolishing portion
of the chimney and tearing off some
shingles.
AT FORT WOOSTER AND FORT
HALE PARKS.
That there was an immense down.
pour of rain is evidenced at Fort Woos-
ter and Fort Hale parks. AT Fort Woos-
ter park in particular torrents of water
rushed down the hillside toward Town