Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-08-29
Struck by Lightning.
Experience of the Crew Of North
Beach Life-Saving Station.

OCEAN CRY. MD.. Aug. 25.-
About halfpast , o'clock Monday
morning, August "a, during severe
wind, rain and thunder storm, the
life saving station at North Beach was
struck by lightning and three of the
men, including the captain, badly
stunned. Lightning struck the obser
vatory first and almost demolished it,
SCATTERING the roof and corner posts
and knocking out three windows
The current descended to the south
side of the main roof, where great
rows of shingles are ripped of, espec.
tally from the gable on that side.
Shingles were thrown IS yards from
this gable, and one opening from the
mems quarters the ether from the
storeroom, which connects With the
captains bedroom.
The captain, John Hudson, had
just put down the window in the
storeroom and one hand was on the
sill and the other on the window lock
when the crash came. The window
was completely shattered, and the out
err facing and one shutter being torn
entirely Off and the inner facing dis.
placed. The captain was knocked
down and after being unconscious for
several minutes found himself lying
six feet from the window lie says
that for several minutes after he
got up he heard something like match
es striking in quick succession inside
his head. Besides a slight cut from
glass on the wrist and general sore
ness he is not injured at all. About
five square yards OF plastering were
knocked of in the storeroom and one
square yard in the captains bedroom
William J. CULLEN, No. / man,
was in bed near the window in the
mems sleeping quarters. The light
ming perforated the ceiling just above
his head in six places. The pune.
lures greatly resemble bullet holes.
The floor was torn up under his bed.
He was unconscious for twenty min
utcs and at intervals ever since he has
felt pains in his head. lie is other
wise uninjured But it was miracle
that he nor the captain we're killed.
No. ) man, John {. Baker, was
standing in the messroom when the
box covering the telephone battery
was thrown seven feet from its place.
He was hoisted into the air and saw
balls of fire, but came down ON his
feet uninjure,l. The odor of sulphur
was noticed throughout the house.
Damage to the building is confined
almost Ell tirely to the south side. and
it is feared the frame may he ruined.
Every piece of studding that can be
seen through the broken plaster is
very badly split. The lightning must
have gone through all tina, side of the
house, for about every fifth weather
strip is started and in places the
Notwithstanding is loosened. The
window frame and one shutter were
knocked off the boatroom window and
the ceiling in the boairoom is bulged,
but none of the apparatus was injured
or displaced. The belting board he
meath the second story windows across
the west end was sprung about a foot.
All the wires leading 10 the telephone
were burned out. Ii will take
some time TO estimate the damage.
Capt. Benjamin S. Rich, superintend
ent of this district, is expected at the
station to morrow to institute an eX-
animation.
A sailboat, the katydid, known at
Ocean City and belonging to Charles
Birch, member of the North Beach
crew, was struck while lying in the
bar, half mile from the station. The
mainsail was torn into shreds as fine
as could be made with knife The
storm prevailed al along the beach.
A house was struck at Chncoleague
and the telephone wire damaged at
Fenwick Station.
On June s last lightning splintered
the hagpole, which stands about fifty
feet from North Beach station. When
the lightning struck the station yester
day morning Captain Hudson was
looking at the pole To see il il had
not been struck a second time.