Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 85, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1899 — BIG STORM IN NEW ENGLAND. [ARTICLE]

BIG STORM IN NEW ENGLAND.

Rain, Hail and Lightning Do Great Damage in Vicinity of Boston. The southeastern portion of New England was the center of heavy electrical storms the other night, in which a combination of the elements wrought extensive damage, hail destroying crops and breaking window glass, rain causing washouts on lines of suburban street railways and electricity wrecking buildings and causing some loss of life. At Sandwich, Mass., an electric bolt killed Abram Ellis, but did not injure his wife and child, who were in the same room. At Fall River several structures were set on fire, including the Globe yarn mill, but the losses were not great. In Wareham, three men in a vehicle took refuge in a barn. The lightning demolished the structure, killing the horse and two-men, Perry and Westgate, and injuring the third. New Bedford had a very severe experience, many houses catching fire. A summer hotel at Dartmouth kept by Benjamin Potter was burned and the guests lost all their effects.