Smyrna times., 1915-08-18
SMYRNA ESCAPES SEVERE
ELECTRIC STORM SUNDAY
TWO CHILDREN KILLED BY
LIGHTING WEST OF DOVER

Much Damage By Rain and Hail in the
Vic,o.w Of Townserd-E Excursion
lists at Augustine Piers in Panic
Smyrna escaped from the damaging
rain. hail and electric storm which
visited the vicinity of Middletowr
Sunday morning. The storm did not
reach below BIackbird but at Town
send and north beyond Middletown.
one Of the worst storms of the season
was had. doing great damage to grow.
ing crops. and also some damage 10
live stock. The rain. the third heavy
one 10 fall during the week. began
before noon and continued intermit-
tently during the afternoon. flooding
the already saturated ground. In
Middletown many cellers that never
before were flooded were filled with
water On Main street the water
10y from curb TO curb. At the corner
Of Main and Cass streets. Middle.
town. the heavy gutter planks were
washed away. and a horse was used
70 pull them back into place. The
rain was accompanied by a severe
electric storm, and several small fires
are reported in the country. A horse
on the farm of c. Malcolm Cochran
vas killed The corn crop was further
damaged by the storm. and it is hardly
possible for it to come up again.
ESsursiOosis at Piers Panic Stricken
At Augustine Beach, where there
was a large crowd of excursionists.
the thunder and lightning were ter
rife. Women tainted as it seemed
that the hotel was struck several
times. but no serious damage was
cone. Water lay in some places two
feet deep. Townsend and vicinity
vas completely deluged by rain and
bail. Oldest residents do not re
member the like Of il. Hail stones.
some as big as guinea eggs, fell and
smaller stones, many with prongs,
literally covered the ground. To-
matoes. and corn were badly damaged.
tveu cattle in the field were pelted
50 BY hail as TO bring blood. The
solld stone roads were in some plares
badly washed. At st. Annes Church the
new concrete cutters were partly un-
aefmined and washed away. At Newark
the storm was also severe A valu-
abel horse owned by Samuel J. Wright
was killed By lightning in a lot on
Delaware avenue. A house on South
Chape! street was struck by lightning,
but sustained little damage.
Severe Around Dover and Bowers
sunday afternoon two storms passed
around Smyrna. The one to the east
struck Woodland Beach. kits Ham
mock and Bowers Beach and was
very severe. The storm which passed
west Of Smyrna visited Kenton and
west Dover Hundreds after most
saltry day, leaving death and destruc-
uon in its tracks. In West Dover
hundred where the electric part of the
storm seemed to be unusually heavy.
Two children Of Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
Oollison Of near Thomas Chapel. 10
miles west Of Dover. while PLAYING
10 neld opposite the Collision farm.
near wire fence. were struck by
"gntning which ran along the fence.
ana were instantly killed. The vic
ums we're a boy, aged Z years. and
sli' aged 8 years. The boy was
suuck in the head. but it could not be
aseeTtained where the girl had been
suncS as no marks could be found on
nef A third child. son of Thomas
WILSON, a neighbOr. who was playing
Win the COLLISION children. was Sc
'efe.y stunned. and knocked down by
we io'ce Of the lightning. but later
recovered from the shock.