Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-07-26

OF Ine EIst"hSEo
A terrific thunder storm passed over
the region on Friday shortly after noon.
1t came up suddenly and many were
caught in the rain. Among them were
several huckleberry pickers. One, an
oleven-year-old Polish boy, met death
during the storm by being struck by
bolt of lightning. With his mother he
was in the swamp near Upper Lehigh
when the rain began falling. The near
est shelter he could find was under the
branches of a tall pine tree. His mother
and other pickers took refuge under
another, some distance away. Flash
after flash of lightning darted from the
skies, and when the crashing thunder
ceased and the party started homeward
the body of the boy was found under the
tree by James Rhoda, of Upper Lehigh.
who happened to be first to reach the
spot where the little lad was seen last.
Life was extinct when the party reached
him, and nothing could be done to aid
him. The body was carried to the home
OF his father, George Rymsha, of Brvan-
ton He was buried yesterday.
The storm was severe while it lasted,
and nearly every town in the region had
some mishap to report after it was over
Many outbuildingS and sheds in Butler
valley were unroofcd by the wind, large
trees were blown down and growing
crops were damaged somewhat
AtAudenried the Presbyterian church
was struck by bolt OF lightning. The
steeple was hit and several shingles
were taken off the roof but no serious
damage resulted.
DEATH AND DAMAGE IN wILKEsBA ERE.
A fatal explosion occurred in Wilkes
barre at the Empire mine of the Lehigh
and Wilkesbarre Company. About sew
cuty-five feet from the shaft is located a
powder magazine and during the severe
thunder storm Il bolt of lightning struck
the magazine. In an instant there was
a terrible explosion and John Higgins, II
fireman at the mine, was blown twenty
feet in the air. When he was picked up
life was extinct, he having been killed
w hfiI VIC poul was ltNpNtlT
ed it was discovered that the force of
the explosion had stripped him of his
clothes
The explosion was most destructive
in other ways. The shifting Shanty,"
where the workmen change their cloth
ing, was completely demolished. Near
by it was located the boiler shop and
one side of this was crushed in and the
windows all blown out. A short dis
tance from where the magazine
four houses, known as the Red Row.
In the row not pain of window glass is
left
The saloon and residence of James
McGroarty were badly damaged. The
force Of the explosion was so great that
it shook the foundation of nearly every
dwelling in Wilkesbarre. The people
thought great earthquake had occurr
ed. There was about twenty tons of
powder in the magazine.
POWDER MAGAZINE DEMOLISHED.
The lightning also exploded IA maga-
zine near MilneSvile. About noon
bolt OF lightning struck A. C. Leisen-
rings powder house, which was located
between Minesvillc and Hollywood.
The lightning passed through the roof,
igniting the powder. There was about
a ton of black giant powder stored in
the building at the time, Not vestige
of the building remained and big hole
in the earth alone marks the spot where
it stood
The villages of Hollywood and Mines
Vile were shaken. Houses rocked so
violently that not only did window glass
break, but the sashcs were twisted and
fell out of the casing. Not a pane of
glass was left in the town of Hollywood
The shock was also plainly felt by many