The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

PROVIDENCE. July 31.

In the storm of Sunday last, the house of John I. Clark, Esq. was struck by lightning, which first touched or passed very near the S. W. chimney, breaking a few bricks; then passing a dormer window, entered the roof by a rafter on the south side where it divided--one stream going down the S. E. hip rafter to a corner post, and then to the ground, the other part following the rafter first stricken to a large post that went down near the south door, which conducted it to the ground--each stream tearing the plastering, casing, &c. in its way.

The rafters and posts were much shivered, and parts of them, with boards, shingles, clapboards, &c. thrown to a considerable distance, leaving the S. E. corner of the house open. The windows of the garret, and some in other parts of the house, were broken, and the building otherwise much damaged.

A young woman, who was in a chamber of the third story, standing near a window, between the two posts which conducted the lightning, had a bed thrown against her, the bedstead being partly overset; a large table was forced from a closet in the same room, and broken; in a lower chamber, a large pier glass was melted and some China broken. A negro man standing near one of the garret windows was struck down, but not much injured, though his hearing is not yet perfectly restored.

A clock which stood in the lower entry was stopped by the shock, and a strong smell of sulphur remained for a considerable time. The lightning also set fire to the house, which was immediately discovered, and the flame extinguished. Mrs. Clark and three others of the family were at home, but providentially no lives were lost.

During the storm, a considerable quantity of hail fell of an uncommon size; some of the pieces were picked up in the streets, which measured 3 inches round--and the rain fell in torrents.