Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-07-17
Destructive Electrical Storms.

The electrical storms that passed over this
county on Sunday afternoon and Tuesday
afternoon last were the most nerve. rackIng
and destructive to property ever witnessed
here. They were accompanied by a slight
rainfall, though q soaking down pour OF
long duration was needed to revive the
parched vegetation that had reached stand
still stage In four weeks drought. Bolts
of lightning with their Irresistible force en-.
tered dwelling houses in two Instances. In
the one case leaping from room to room on the
fret floor and passing in Its supreme power
through the building to the upper floor and
down into the cellar, carrying destruction
in Its sportive path. The human souls with.
in were terrorized by It's pranks. The light
ming, the unwelcome intruder, to add fur.
ther agony TO the terror already inflicted by
its entrance, burst and sent scintillating
sparks past the occupants Of the house. And
in the other, ignited the gall paper at Ger.
tain portion OF the house and passed through
without trace to make wide rent in the
building at another point. The barns and
wheat and hay crops OF several persons were
entirely destroyed. Others lost some stock,
such as horses and COWS. One OF our citl.
zens is reported to have sustained loss OF
$4,000.
The dwelling house of Mr.. Lee Ricketts,,
near Gaithersburg, was entered by a bolt of
lightning on Tuesday afternoon. The en-.
trance was made on the eastern side of the
house and into the pantry. The bolt burst
in there and several holes were made in the
wall. Other sparks passed through the ad-
joining sitting room where the family was
sitting onward, piercing the walls of the OPP
posite side of the room, one went through the
ceiling Of the next room to the upper part Of
the building and another through the floor
into the cellar. The dishes in the pantry were
dashed to pieces, large spaces of plastering
were broken and the wood work of the build
ing splintered.
The home of Mr.. r. E. L. Smith, OF this
town, was entered by bolt. The wall paper
on one side of the house where the bolt
entered was knocked lose and set ON fire.
The bolt leaped through the building freak
ishly and made its exit on the other side
without coming in contact with another OBJ
ject. The fire went out, dong but little
damage, and the extinguishment Is mys-
terry.
Mr.. Charles Y. Waters, whose farm is near
Germantown, has been the heaviest loser.
His loss Is estimated at $4,000. His barn
and several other buildings close by, q lot Of
hay, harness and pony were consumed in
the fire. He conducts large stock farm
and race stable, and many Of the articles in.
cluded in the paraphernalia connected there
with we're destroyed. Fifteen horses were
released from the stable after the building
was set on fire.
Messrs. Winfield and Wade Magruder
near Hunting Hill, lost barn filled with hay
hay loader and calf.
Mr.. George Brewer, near Poolesville, lost
barn and 80 tons of hay and entire crop of
wheat from an average acreage, and also
lot OF harness and COW.
Mr.. JEFF. Rabbit, near Middlebrook, lost
large barrack and crop of wheat therein.
Mr.. Frank Gather, near Derwood, lost
stack of wheat estimated az $50 bushels.
Mr.. Horace Davis, near Poolesville, lost a
horse.
Mr.. Thomas Darby, near Dawsonvill Q,
lost very large hay rick.
Mr.. Lawrence White, near Dickerson, lost
q colt