Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-08-02
TERRIFIC THUNDER STORM.
The Worst Damage Done In Many
Years in This Vicinity.

The most frightful storm of thunder
and lightning, accompanied by heavy
rain. that has visited this section within
the memory of living man broke out at
about 12 AS o'clock Tuesday morning and
lasted almost continuously up to two
o'clock. All of the adjacent towns were
visited Just about as severely and the
damage done amounts to thousands of
| dollars.
The electric display was indescribably
brilliant and beautiful, but terrifying in
the extreme to timid people and to many
not so timid. For nearly an hour and
half the thunder claps were so close
together as to make almost one continu-
oUs roar.
In Middlebury village the damage
done was inconsiderable. Allan CAL
houn's barn on South street was struck
by bolt and hole was bored through
it, but it did not catch fire and few
dollars will repair the damage. The
tower on the Battell block over the
postoffice corner was struck and the in
terror was badly riddled, the windows
and doors being demolished. On the ex-
terror some of the brickwork and stone
work was displaced. Probably 800 or
$3.50 will cover the damage, and here
again no fire was started. The denizens
of this great block, thoroughly dazed
and frightened, rushed pell nell into the
Railways where the women huddled to-
gether.
The only other damage of any conse-
| quence here was to the telephone wires
and the wires of the fire alarm system,
on the east side. The fire alarm wires
were got into working shape early in the
forenoon, but the telephone wires,
which were badly tangled up in places,
have not been fully Strengthened out
yet.
Fay Warren, who was at work re-
pairing a wire near the town hall Tuesday
forenoon received quite a severe shock
and was rendered unconscious. DR.. E.
H. Martin brought him to after an hours
efforts and he will come out of it all
right.
About mile south of this village two
adjoining barns owned by Charles w.
Mathews were struck and consumed by
fire with their contents. Mr.. Mathews
had just finished haying Monday af-
ternoon and had in from 80 to 40 tons.
Hehad also stored all of his hay max
ing machines and tools in the barns, and
all this property was destroyed. Thirty
hens and chickens were burned to death
or killed by the lightning but horse
which was in the barn somehow made
its own way out unaided and was found
all right in an adjoining meadow Tuesday
morning Mr.. Mathews's loss will figure
up about $4,000 and he had $3.50 insur
ance.
The heaviest fire of the night was at
Frank H. Warmers in West Cornwall.
where series of connected barns and
sheds were destroyed with their con-
tents. Mr.. Warner expected to finish
haying Tuesday and had lready got in
considerable more than 100 tons. All
this was consumed, as were also five
or six buggies and farm wagons, all his
harnesses, even to the last strap, and
most of his farming tools. Two calves
and one lamb were also sacrificed. Mr..
Warmers house was only saved from go-
ing with the rest by the hard work of
the neighbors. AS it was much of his
furniture was thrown out in the rain and
some of it considerably damaged. Warn
er's loss will probably reach $4,000. He
carried only small insurance, the amount
of which is uncertain.
The other principal ravages of the
storm, so far as ascertained here, are the
destruction of still another hay barn in
Addison. the burning of a large stack of
hay near New Haven junction, the kill
ing of three head of cattle on Bristol Flats
and of four more head belonging to
Charles Jamac 0f NIauhr;J0a