Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Thursday 22 March 1877, page 3


Terrific Thunderstorm at Gundagai.

(From the Gundagai Times)

Gundagai was visited on Monday, the 12th instant, by a severe thunderstorm, whicoh, although short in duration, was the most severe we have experienced for some time ; it ooourred about 1 o'olook, when vivid forked lightning gleamed along the heavens, but the main crash had yot to come, for accompanied with a streak of the bluest lightning it has ever been our lot to witness, the clouds seomed literally rent in pieces by the loudness of the peal. The eleotric fluid struck the dwelling of Mr A. W. Armour Mrs. Arnnur met with a most providential escape; she had been sitting in the room struck by the lightning during the storm, but hearing what she considered to be a lull in the elements had gone into the yard, and immediately after the electric fluid struok the house. So intense was the heat of the current of eleotrioity that the house was ignited, and but for the timely assistance of Mr. William Paine, Mr. Flinn, and Mr. Slater, it must have been demolished ; these gentlemen, however, rushed in, and water being at hand, checked the fire and saved the premises. The roof of the house is so shaken and split as to require a new one, and the furniture of Mr. Armour is seriously damaged.

Another Ínstance has been reported to us of a

providential escape from death. At the time of the storm a lad, Walter Bowditch, was sitting in a verandah, his hat being on the ground beside him Perceiving a smoke near him he turned and found his hat burning and one side of his trousers singed. Next day the lad com-plained of great numbness in the leg, and the trousers were found to be quite burnt. Gunda-gai was not singular in accidents for a very severe loss was at the same time inflicted on1 Mr Yabsley, of Adelong Crossing, his entire horse, "The Earl" being struck dead in his box, and the stable burnt to the ground. The Earl is the horse his Exoellency the Governor passed such enoomiuma on during his overland trip, and his lose will be severely felt by his popular owner, who estimates his losses in buildings, forage, harness, horse, &c , at £500. A letter we have received from a gentleman travelling to Wagga, minutely desoribes the storm and the vividness of the lightning. Rain fell heavily at Adelong Crossing, Snow-ball, Cootamundra, Jugiong, Coolac, and Kimo, and the creeks were running bank high every-where around us ; but although we got a nice shower no weight of water fell in our immediate vicinity.