The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-02
QUEER WEATHER IN TEXAS.
sleet-Covered SCENERY Illuminated By Electric
Bolts In n SnoNstorm.

holts In q Snowstorun.
From the 81. Louis Globe Democrat.
SHERMAN, Tex, Dec. 22.-Within the last
few days the citizens Of this town have wit
messed some weather phenomena and spec
tacular displays of weird beauty su I'll as one is
not apt to see more than once in a lifetime.
The ground was covered with snow and sleet.
Some rain had fallen, but 1t had frozen as it lay
on The ground. The trees and the far-reaching
level places presented a scene OF beauty. but as
night came down the scene was gradually shut
out from sight. The wind was blowing rather
strong. and u mixture of snow and sleet filed
the air. There was nothing unusual about all
tbs; II ws was nor slbmpiy a regular oid-fashioned
Such were the conditions about 8 o'clock,
Of the town. left his store for the purpose Of
walking home. The distance was about a mile.
and s,d., the Exercise exercise was w, sufficient hfs nt. to keep ,I him
well up about his ears to keep out tho sting OF
the wind-driven snow and sleet, he was rapidly
%"t the town ais way All Hr at once aati IN w tRf %t't Sarn Rast
something. happened. 1t did not require any
telling e inform the w~ayfarer Of his fact. i
the whole sky above had turned loose in ono
brief instant. In the. midst Of the binding
forth. lighting. up all the surroundings. This
was followed by o most terrific peal of thun-
der Der, i JT H. a sST s q s1s S shssd iS Of b MI. , chs%;
to strike. 1t seemed as II a large ball Of pur-
plish blue FIRE marked the spot. Tho roar fol-
Mantle Stunned BY the electric DISCHARGE, MI.
Chambers was struck fiat In the middle Of the
road: and probably lay there u = " h,Yrs. for o.;
bolt had struck. The left side of bis face
the stroke. and burned as II actually scorched
by the fire. Making his way into an adjacent
house, he rested for some while, and was finally
Beginning with tho first terrific bolt already
mentioned, an almost continuous electric dis.
ali the vehemence OF a violent tropical thunder
storm; The temperature was down close to
7 %I9hi but saoh sh saca sss NO a sIsst thu npGi se.l taS s' tpees
down under. a weight Of rubies and diamonds.
The display OF colors was a matter
The electric Are in general had rather a
RF Saepa tw Ias'' and Dd' b ns n SV os the effe %Ro pr tae tssi
was that Of almost every conceivable color. "
was as II the colors of the aurora borcalis had
eoior had been refraoted into a dozen daintier.
more delicate tlnts. Meantime the snow and
s psftie S9G.fn siafo h snd o asr1afn cleaned iss atfd sna et tSe
brightness ,ss OF 2 separate q ,bo aur9ra had AZ AZ t these
too frightened to notice. .
II the display Of the Ice, laden shrubs and
prairie was no less. Just outside the town
there 70 a region known as the Flats" where
there ID nothing TO obhtruct the sight as far out
covered with snow. slect and frozen rain. Here
the spectacular display was perhaps at it's
greatest. The almost lnterminable miles OF
white.covered prairie were lighted up with a
radiance that was absolutely dazzling and
with a variety OF colors that was absolutely
the element OF distance seemed almost entirely
lost. Houses and other comparatively small
objects that were really miles away doomed up
as II only q few rods of. The ,purplish light
made every detail wonderfully distinct.
~tacular displays to the folks outdoors and to
those looking out Of their windows, II was not
neglecttng the larger number who. were In
their houses and behind closed doors. 1t
quite a number of these also, At one house, a
small part Of the electric fluid came down tho
chimney and gave n severe shock to one men,
Der of tho family who was costly seated In an
armchair reading, with his feet on the fender OF
were hurrIcdly withdrawn ard tho reading
abruptly discontinued. At another place tho
electricity seemed TO centre ut the supper table
and played on the points OF the knives and
forks. The supper At that household was post.
telephones were burned out and telephone bells
were kept ringing all over town. 4 rcmark-
able feature about this display was that while
several people werc severely shocked and
stunned and considerable damage was done In
was demolished. Although the storm was in
point OF severity equal to the worst that ever
ragged In this section In tho spring or summe :
which IL saying Il good deal-the bolts seemed 70
have the peculiarly OF sIri6.nS nowhere IN
Some Of the citizens OF sherman claim to be
the only people IN the world who have ever had
the privilege OF being struck by lightning Dur
Ing & binding storm OF snow ana sleet