The Portland daily press., 1896-06-22

fire. The barn has only recently been
built.
Chief Eldridge was notified by tele-
phone about six O'Clock that Ii building
was burning ct Peaks island. Upon
receipt of the message the chief started
for Portland Pier, where he issued orders
for the fire oat to proceed to the island.
The boat started in the midst of severe
part of the rain and storm, but in spite
Of the elements without, the steame r
made landing at Trefethen Landing
sixteen minutes from the time of leaving
Portland. AS soon as the island was
reached it was found that the alarm had
been sounded and in twenty-five minutes
time the local iremen had appeared and
vera at work.
When the fact that the scene Of the fire
was located mile and half from the
island fire house, and that they had the
rain and mud to contend with, the local
department made quick run. The fire
proved to be In barn belonging to
Henry Trefethen, and contained, beside
the usual agricultural implements, two
horses. They however, were saved from
the fire, but the barn was burned to the
ground. The chief seeing that the other
property in the vicinity was safe, ordered
the boat to the city where she was landed
at 7.20.
The Storm at South Portland.
During the heaviest part of the thun-
der shower lightning struck the house of
Mr.. T. S. Jewtt on Grant street, South
Portland. The lightning took zig-zag
journey half way round the house and
demolished nearly yerything in its
course.
The bolt entered the corner of the roof
at the front of the house, and passing
into the attic. began it's work of destruc-
tion. Boards and shingles were ripped
from the roof and nearly the entire front
of the house, from top to bottom, was
badly torn and splintered, windows
broken pictures torn from the walls and
smashed to pieces and furniture and or
naments ruined.
After the crash Mr.. Jewett rushed up
been done by the lightning. He discov-,
cred fire in two different places and
hastily returned to the lower part of the
house, procured several pals of water
and put the fire out. He then went to
the front bed room over the par1or. Hore
he found nearly the entire front of the
room torn to pieces Or badly broken. and
1t looked as if small Cyclone had been
let loose there. Pictures were torn from
the W alls and smashed in fragments, the
walls badly cracked and soorched, and
large parlor lamp which was sitting on
o stand on the opposite side Of the room,
broken in many pieces.
The bolt then went down into the par
lor and left its mark in every direction.
From here 1T took circuit around the
side Of the house, ripping things right
and lett in its course. 1t then went into
the side Of the house and down into the
cellar, tearing the door and badly splin,
teripg the side of the door. Mr.. Jewett
his wife and little son ana two ladies
W ere seated at the dinner table, but
strange to say, no one was injured and
did not even feel the slightest shock,
although the cellar door WAS but fow
inches from the table at which the party
was seated The bolt followed down the
slide of the cellar stairs and running
along the wall, cut the union of the
water pipe in two and and then passed
into the ground. 1t was miraculous that
no one was injured by the bolt in its
descent for If it had come six inches
further into the dining room, it could
not have failed to hit some of the peo-
pie seated at the table. Mr.. Jewett said
the first intimation he had that the
house was struck by lightning was hear
ing the crashing Of glass and the ripping
sound made by the bolt in its descent
1t was impossible at the time to est1-
mate the amount of damage done, but it
will probably reach upwards Of $500 or
$1,000. The house was fully insured.
There were thousands Of people at the
Casino and scattered along the beach at
Willard yesterday. When the dark
clouds began to gather there was a
scampsring for the cars. The day being
warm the people, especially the ladies,
did not take any outside wraps, and con-
sequently many white dresse will prob
ably have to be washed before they can
be worn again.
The oars were crowded on every trip.
People were packed like sardines in a
box and many were hanging on the out
side. 1t was good-natured crowd ana
all seemed to be satisfied Il only one
foot could get grip on the step.
When the shower struck, there was a
scampering to get in out of the rain.
The large Casino was soon crowded and
the people were hurrying in all direotoins
to find shelter. Every available place
was soon crowded and as car arrived it
was packed with people anxious to get
home before the heaviest of the shower
came.
The bicyclists, too, were out in large
Numbers and some were not as fortu-
nate as others. Those who could find
shelter from the storm did SO, but there
were others who had gone on long runs