Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-12
AUGUSTA LOCALS.
LIGHTNlNG'S FRANKS.
House on GIendon Street Struck
About 500 Damage Done.
Roll Too Close Tor Comfort in Other Places.
No One Injured.

shower, soon after O'Clock, last even
ing, which for the amount of rain that
fell, for heavy thunder and vivid light
ming, has not been equalled for long
time. The rain fell in torrents and the
streets and sidewalks We're raging
rivers Of water and mud. Though
there were but few crashes of thunder
it was very heavy and the lightning
was binding.
From some OF the pranks that the
lightning played. it would seem that
il was out for frolic and though there
were no very serious results on account
of the eccentricity of the electric fluid
ii did not have the effect of increasing
the sense of security felt by those
whose immediate vicinity it visited.
At 12l. in the midst of the down.
pour. came binding flash that set
the electric wires swapping and crack
ing all over the city and was immedi-
ately followed by Il crash of thunder
that sounded like the roar of a heavy
piece of artillery. This flash was par
ticuIarly noticeable in the Journals
telegraph room. which was filled with
blue flame that danced about in a way
that was anything but comfortable 10
the operator.
1t was thought from the severity of
the crash that the bolt must have
struck at no great distance and the
correctness of the superstition was
proved a few moments later when a
telephone message announced that Il
mouse on Glendon street had been
struck and set on fire.
on Investigating. it was found that
ha
named street. owned by Joseph Emery.
had been struck, and was thought to
be on fire. An attempt To ring in the
alarm was tried upon two boxes, but
owing TO the fact that a fuse was
blown at the City building by the same
flash. which crippled the entire alarm
system. the effort was futile. How
ever. a telephone message was sent
to the chief engineer and to the Cush-
noe and Atlantic hose houses and the
TWO pieces of apparatus arrived on the
scene in a remarkably short time. but
their services We're not needed. for
though the lightning had done consid-
cradle damage to the building, the
woodwork was not ignited
The upper part of the house is oc-
cupied by Chas Dunn and the base
ment by Mrs. Rice. but the latter
lady was not at home at the time. The
lightning struck chimney on the ell
Of the house. completely demolishing
it above the roof. and. passing down
inside. split the chimney near to the
attic floor. on the floor below and to
the right of the chimney was a double
china closet and into this closet the
bolt went. smashing every dish in it
ana tearing off the doors, which We're
thrown across the kitchen. Everything
in the room was streWn around in the
greatest confusion. and it looked as if
a cyclone had passed through it. \
funny thing that happened was that
the doors of the cooking stove. which
were open, were closed by the bolt with
a slam. In the closet was a table cloth
and the fact that this was set on fire
caused the alarm to be pulled in.
After wrecking the china closet. the
bolt passed out and down the side of
the house. ripping off the boards at the
southwest corner for a distance of
about six feet and scattering clap
boards in all directions. 1t is esti
mated that the damage will amount
to about 800. There is an insurance
on the house. and Mr.. Dunn carries
an insurance on his goods.
Luckily. there was no one in the
kitchen when the bolt descended. Mr.
Dunn and his wife We're in their cham
Der. on the same floor with the attic
and though both We're stunned for u
moment, they We're uninjured.
There We're several other incidents
reported that show the cccentricity of
the nuid. Mr.. Davidson, who tends the
gate at the Rines hill crossing. was
waiting for a train. standing by the
pole which supports the ball signal.
When the heavy crash came, he was
startled to see a BAH Of fire, about as
large as ones fist. slide down the wire
and explode in front of his face. with
a noise like a firecracker 1t was near
enough to his face to give him that
peculiar prickiy sensation that one gets
from an electric battery.
At the boarding house on Grove
street. kept by Mrs. Moore. a bolt
passed down the lightning rod on the
stable and tore a large hole where it
went into the ground. Some of the
help who We're near the windows on
the east side of the house We're blind
ed by the flash and felt the shock.
People who were at the passenger
station of the Maine Central during
the shower. We're treated to a novelty
in the way of electric fireworks 4
baggage truck stood near the rails and
some OF the fluid, running along the
rails. jumped to one of the wheels of
the truck. For a moment there was
the hvehest kind of a pinwheel in OBJ
Grafton and it sizzled to beat the band.
At the Electric Road waiting room
near the Augusta House. when the
crash came the lights went out with
snap and gentleman and lady who
We're in the room lost but very little
time IN seeking more congenial quar-
tiers.
The rain ceased at about o'clock.
ana II is needless to say that there
was general feeling of relief when
the electrical disturbances We're over