TERRIBLE LIGHTNING STORE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1250, 11 December 1882, Page 2

TERRIBLE LIGHTNING STORE.

■ ■ : : . : : 'I i I : The Sandhurst correspondent of the Melbourne Argus telegraphs on November 27tb as follows : A terrible lightning storm passed over Sandhurst this evening, hut itsappearance was magnificent. Tho stprm began to Gather in strength a.few minutes before 7 o'clock, light clouds, heavily charged with electricity, wiling up from the west, and the eastern sky being lit with s peculiar radiance from the setting sun, Gaslights around the town appeared ; pala ; beside effulgence of (lie light reflected from the sun, though to the westward itself it was almost as dark as night. At 7 o'clock the lightning burst forth—rot in flashes,' hut for SBvernl minutes in almost continuous fheeta of flame. At a quarter past 7 o'clock there was one terrible explosion. Doors and windows and articles oil shelves ; trembled, as in an earthquake: house's L even shaking, and women and children in H some instances fainting or screaming with fear. The tower of St. Paul's Church wjw-> struck, and one of the pinnacles height was thrown down, the bricks falling along the street 25ft or 30fl off. The. tower is 100 ft in height. So far, the ex-, lent of damage has not been ascertained, it being considered unsafe to ascend, thfc tower by tho stairway. The peal of bell* it i 9, however, believed is uninjured. Quite close at - hand the. electric fluid made a passage, clean, through a weatherboard cottage, tearing' away some boards, and (laying the roof; open. A woman at the toa-lable had & cup dashed out of. her hand, whilst other articles were thrown off the mantelpiece. The canvas lining of one oi the was ignited, but the occupants, aided by>;B the now fast descending rain, were ; aplfr-vr to put oMthe flames. Tho escape of'tKe- V; family was'almost miraculous. On the .;;? Marongroad, about two milos from Sand* :■;, hurst, a cordial manufacturer' nanie'i;,;. Thomas Davies, and another man named . ;: Wm. Trezise, were sitting in; a concofii! ' waggonette, when Treziso was struct iiui: /.:, the back by lightning. He citerwafuVUf; described it as being like a blow from a sledge hammer. Davies, in helping his companion, who was; then senseless, out of the wagon, was struck by the next flash, and also fainted :away. Assistance being at hand, hotli men were taken into an hotel, ,ind im regained their Bensoj, though both m Btill suffering from nervousness, Coming • in from Shelbourne in one of Qobb k Co.'« traps, the horse, whioh, was driven ty a man named Pangla.se, was knocked down, and the drivi" •«ts scorched on the left leg through a ih.k rug which he had. over his left kneo. All this occurred; about a quarter past 7 o'clock.: In about. 15 minutes from this time half an. inch of/ rain was registered. Towards 8 o'clock.; 'he lightning and thunder moderated,, but the lightning is still (11 p.m.) flash-, ing vividly at intervals, and more ramis« threatening. Eighty-five points of raw, were registered up till 9 o'clock Reports from outlying localities indicate that the storm was felt with siraitw sevorit y all over the. Bendigo district* .