A VIOLENT THUNDERSTOM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4028, 5 February 1892, Page 2

A VIOLENT THUNDERSTOM.

six Horses Silled by Llghtah?. Two Hon Paralysed.' The most violent thunderstorm which hasever been experienced iu this district passed over Masterton yrater* day afternson. Tbeatmosphere.obarged with electricity, had been peculiarly oppressive for somo days, and early in the afternoon dark and ominous clouds gathered in the north-western sky, spreading wiih great rapidity until at throe o'clock the town was in almost complete darkness, Suddenly several vivid flashes of lightning were seen, accompanied by loud peals ot thunder, which were quickly followed by torrents of rain. The streets were soon flooded, culverts blocked, and rivers swollen, For about an hour the storm continued, when the clouds lifted and the rain stopped. At five o'clock, however, dark clouds resemblingsmoke gathered on the Tararua ranges, presenting a peculiarly strange and weird appearance. It looked, indeed, as though the mountains were ablaze. In a few moments the town was in darkness again, and ANOTHER STORM AROSE of even greater violence than before. The thunder was something terrible and the lightning, creating a strong sulphurous odour, such as had never been seen before. At a few minutes before six o'clock a most vivid flash, which startled nearly everybody in the town, passed from west to east. Cattle and horses were frightened out of their very lives, and innumerable bolts occurred. The second storm also lasted for about an hour, when the clouds dispersed and the evening—until about midnight—was beautifully pleasant and cool. QUITE A SENSATION was caused in town shortly after six o'clock when a messenger arrived from tho Opali, stating that one man hid been killed, another paralysed, and several horses struck dead on the farm of Captain Qolmwood, Dr Be»rd, who was summoned, rode oat with all haste, but on arrival at the farm discovered that no human lives bad been lost, although several persons had

MARVELLOUSLY AND PROVIDENTIALLY | ESCAPED. It appears that three sons of Captain Holmwood, and a man in his employ, had left the harvest field when the storm began, and were in the stable with the horses, One young man was removing the harness from a horse whilst another was patting the animal, when suddenly a streak of forked lightning struck tho building, and, dividing itself into two parts, passed alons; both sides, ot the' stable, Six horses—three on each ; side — struck by the electric fluid

FELL DEAD ON THE FLOOR, whilst the two young men who were in the stall were knocked backward, paralysed. The other two rushed out of the stable, terror-stricken,- and informed Captain Holmwood of what had occurred, Dr Beard was immediately sent for, and - upon his arrival found that young Holmwood had recovered from his temporary paralysis, but that the man was still paralysedin the head and feet. The doctor examined the unfoitunato fellow . .and .discovered .on his groin four little blisters, with a scorched mark around them ; whilst down his leg was a burnt line, about an inch in width, the current having evidently travelled downward. The escape was indeed a miraculous one, The only mark about young Holmwood was a scorch on his under garment,

NO TRACKS OF THE LHJHTNING I could be seen on the stable itself, al< 1 though at the end at which it left a post was shivered to pieces, and one of the Holmwood boys who was standing near had a narrow escape, i Strange to say one of tho brothers who was looking out of the door at the time escaped unhurt, One of the men who were in the stable whin it was struck hy lightning states that the building was filled with sparks, whilst another believes it was an electric ball. The theory of the latter appears to be the mors likely, as a post jn a field a few hundred yards distant was also shattered, Dr, Beard inform? us that, the two injured men are recovering and are likely to suffer NO PERMANENT ILL EFFECTS from their unpleasant experience, The six horses which were killed had just been brought from the harvest field, and were valued at £l5O. Ciptain Holmwood will therefore be a heavy loser, v NO DASIAOE lof a serious nature beyond tbp above has been reported, although farmers and bush settlers will necessarily 1 sustain hoa/y loss by the Biidden ' change in the weather, - |i