Herald Of The Times

[From the Boston Traveller.]

Effects of Lightning.

We publish the following description of the appearance of Mr. Bennett's house in Brighton, after its late severe shock by Lightning. It is from the pen of one of the most competent electricians in the city, who has stated facts precisely as they came under his observation—
By request, I accompanied several gentlemen at different times, to examine the late destructive effects of Lightning, on the dwelling-house of Mr. Bennett, in Brighton. For above thirty years, I have neglected no opportunity of making such examinations when offered, more especially of such buildings as had conductors; but in no instance, have I seen such destruction, from a similar cause before; and as I have not seen any description of it in print, I will endeavor to describe its situation, the morning after the catastrophe. Its appearance was truly terrific. The chimney above the roof was most of it broken off and the bricks scattered over the roof and on the ground; every window had more or less of the glass broken; many of the sashes were thrown from their frames into the rooms, entries, and around the house, and most of the doors unhinged and thrown in every direction; the laths and plastering torn off, the joists and posts of the building, generally shattered and shivered, with many pieces thrown off in every direction, and in many instances, had the appearance of being scraped with a scraper, such as is used for scraping masts. The floors of most of the rooms. were covered with plaster, laths, window glass and broken sashes, chips and splinters from the joists and posts. This is but a faint description of what might be seen within the building. The garret floor was also covered with shivers and splinters from the rafters; shingles and bricks from the roof and chimney. On the outside, and for fifty feet around, shingles, clapboards, window-sashes, broken glass, doors and splinters, were scattered in every direction, and a free passage out was made from three sides of the building, both from the chambers and the lower floor. by the boards and clapboards, and in some instances the joists, being split and thrown from the building. The chimney was split and shattered more than half its length downwards. There were four marks of the passage of the Lightning in the cellar, on the foundation, corresponding with the appearances above the floor. This description of the effect of this discharge of Lightning, will be known, by the many who have examined it, not to be in the least exaggerated. And when we consider that the whole of this destruction must have been instantaneous, and accompanied with a noise the most tremendous, and but one person waked, out of six persons that were asleep in the different chambers, it is most astonishing; and I may say, that it was very fortunate for them, that they were thus situated; for, had this discharge of Lightning taken place during the day time, and those persons been traversing the rooms, it would be nine chances in ten of their being all killed. Indeed, as it was a most extraordinary escape; and if any of the inmates had been awake, and sensible of the effect, the house would have been represented by them, as completely filled with Lightning. I attribute the preservation of the family, more to their horizontal position, than to the defence afforded by the feather beds. From many appearances of the effect of the Lightning about the building, on various substances that it passed through and over their surfaces, it was my impression that charge from the earth through the building;—that is, that the earth under and about the building, was in a positive state, or as some theorist would say, was vitreously electrified. As a confirmation of this opinion, a sheet iron baking pan, laying on the garret floor, was perforated as though a large bullet had been driven through it. Here has been an expense to the insurance office of at least seven or eight hundred dollars, when, in all probability, the trifling sum of twenty dollars, expended in properly constructed Lightning Rods, would have protected the building; not taking into the account the loss of lives that might have been caused from such neglect.