The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1898-01-09
ODD TEXAS WEATHER
SPECTACULAR DISPLAYS OF WEIRD
BEAUTY AT SHERMAN.

Eiectrlc Bolts In a SLowstorm-Experi-
ence of a Young NEerUhant-No One Was
Killed, and No building Was Destroyed.
Within the last few days the citizens
OF Sherman, Te2., have witnessed sorae
weather phenomena and spectacular dis
plays Of weird beauty such as one is not
apt to see more than once in a lifetime
The ground was covered with snow
and sleeU Some rain had fallen, but it
| had frozen as it lay on the ground. The
trees and the farreaching level places
presented a scene Of beauty, but as night
came down the scene was gradually shut
out from sight. Tue wind was blowing
rather strong, and a mixture of snow
and sleet filled the air.
Such were the conditions about 8
| o'clock, when Mr.. A. H. Chambers, a
| young merchant Of the town, left his
store for the purpose Of walking home.
With his overooat turned we'll up about
his ears to keep out the sting of the
! wind driven snow and sleet, he was rap
idly making his way up hill in the
western part Of the town. All at once,
without warning, something happened.
1t looked as if the whole sky above had
| turned loose in one brief instant. In the
midst of the binding snow and sleet a
dazzling sheet of flame broke forth,
lighting up all the surroundings. This
was followed by most terrific peal of
thunder. Just few yards ahead of Mr..
Chambers in the middle Of the road the
bolt seemed to strike. 1t seemed as if a
large ball of purplish blue fire marked
the spot. The roar following was like
the explosion of a keg of dynamite
Stunned by the electric discharge, Mr..
Chambers was struck fiat in the middle
OF the road and probably lay there I'M
conscious for some seconds. When he
arose, vast pillar Of smoke was ascend
ing from the spot where the bolt had
struck. The left side of his face seemed
to have received the greater force of the
stroke and burned as if actually scorched
by the fire. Making his way into an adj
jacent house, he rested for some time
and was finally able to make his way
home unassisted.
Beginning with the first terrific bolt,
| ANe'NJ AAAOhO1OAlNbJ III uAluOSO COnblilu-
GUS electric display was kept up for a full
hour. 1t ragged with all the vehemence
of violent tropical thunderstorm.
The temperature was down close to
zero, but that had no effect upon the
storm. With each successive flash the
ice laden trees and shrubs cleaned and
glistened as if borne down under a
weight Of rubies and diamonds The
prismatic display Of colors was a matter
of wonderful beauty.
The electric fire i'll general had rather
g purplish tint, but as it scintillated
upon the ice laden twigs and branches
the effect produced was that of almost
every conceivable color. 1t was as if the
colors of the aurora borealis had shone
upon multitude of prisms and each
color had been refracted into dozen
daintier, more delicate tints Meantime
the snow and sleeU continued flying
through the air, and each particular
fake and crystal CLEANED with the
brightness of q separate aurora All
these things the residents of the town
had the privilege of seeing-and did see
when they were not too frightened tC
notice.
If the display of the ice laden shrubs
and trees of the town was beautiful,
that on the open prairie was no less
just outside the town there is q region
known as the "Flats, p" where there is
nothing to obstruct the sight as far out
as the horizon. All this level country
was covered with snow, sleet and frozen
rain. Here the spectacular display was
perhaps at its greatest. The almost in
terminable miles of white covered
prairie were lighted up with q radiance
that was absolutely dazzling and with
variety of colors that was absolutely in
describable. One peculiar effect was
that the element of distance seemed al
most entirely lost. Houses and other
paratively small objects that were
really miles away doomed up as if only
a few rods off. The purplish light made
every detail wonderfully distinct.
While the lightning was busy giving
spectacular displays to the folks out
doors it was not neglecting the larger
number who were i'll their houses. AT
one house small part of the electric
fluid came down the chimney and gave
a severe shock to one member of the
family who was cozily seated i'll an arm
chair reading, with his feet on the fend-
er Of the stove At another place the
electricity seemed to center at the sup
per table and played on the points of the
knives and forks.
Several telephones We're burned out,
and telephone bells We're kept ringing
all over town. A remarkable feature
about this display was that, while sew
eral people were severely shocked and
stunned and considerable damage was
done in minor way, no one was killed
and no building was demolished. AL
though the storm was in point of sever
ity equal to the worst that ever ragged in
this section in the spring or summer
which is saying good deal-the bolts
seemed to have the popularity of stril-
ing nowhere in particular, but every
where in general.
Some of the citizens of Sherman claim
to be the only people in the world who
have ever had the privilege of being