Year: 1873

scranton Aug. u Dispatch 20 the New York
Herald


= thrilling catastrophe occurred this
afternoon on the hills, about five miles
from this city, at place called Kuhn's-
Patch. a large number Of women and
girls from Scranton were on the hills
gathering berries, when a storm came


up from the south and they rushed to


an untenanted building to take shelter
from the dOwn-pOuring rain. About


forty-one women and children found


room in the old house, while seven were


obliged to stand outside under the storm.
With the increasing storm the sheets of


ire began to descend, the lightning be-


coming more vivid, and the peals of


thunder seeming to advance from dis


tant caverns until the old building be-


gan to tremble. AT length q lightning


shaft, more vivid than any that had


preceded it, descended among the un-


happy group of women and girls, kill


ing two of them, and scorching in q


Frlghtful manner four others, tearing the


flesh off their limbs, and producing a


heart-sickening scene among the panic


stricken WON Il. Fer some time even


those who had not been touched by the


electric fire were paralyzed by


the appalling sight they had


seen, and were unable to render any


assistance. The groans of those fatally


injured, and the six other suffering vie


inns were heartrending, and the utter


helplessness of the poor women and


girls was pitiable. Word was sent event


ually to Scranton, and with the utmost
dispatch messengers were sent over the


hill to the scene of the disaster with


wagons, medical attendance, and bed
ding on which to convey the dead
and wounded to the city. Two
Of the women who stood outside the
shed said that the excitement was
50 intense when they left the shocking
scene they could not bear to 90 into
the old house nor to hear the moans of
those within who were suffering from
the most excruciating agony. l learn
that woman named Kline and girl
uamed ScheBck, eighteen years of age,
the daughter OF poor blind man, are
dead. 10 P. M.-The party of women
struck by lightning on the Kuhn Patch
hills, near Scranton this afternoon, have
been brought to this city. Only two
were killed on thespet, but four others are
burned fatally and many quite serious
ly. Several of the women were unable
to find room in the old hut, or the deaths
would have been much more numerous.
One of the women standing on the out
side st the time the fiery dart entered the
place, states that the rain and hail were
falling in torrents, and all crowded to
the door. When the lightning struck,
preceded an instant before by terrify-
ing peal Of thunder, one dreadful chorus |
OF screams rent the air, and at the sight
Of the dead and those whose flesh
had been stripped from their |
bodies in many parts, many members |
Of the party tainted, while the remainder, |
though unhurt, We're perfectly parslyzed |
with fear. 1t was some twenty minutes
before any one could be induced to move
toward the city for assistance, so great |
was the dread that had fallen on them |
by this frightful visitation. The Wyo- |
ming valley had been partly inundated |
Oy the heavy rain, and there was con-
siderable difficulty in reaching the un-
fortunate people.