Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1903 — LIGHTNING'S WORK. [ARTICLE]

LIGHTNING'S WORK.

Several localities in this county were visited by rain, wind and lightning Tuesday night, but Rensselaer was out of the path of the storm. Wednesday night, however, a very heavy and much needed rain fell here, the storm being accompained by considerablelightning. The latter storm seems to have been quite general over the county, and notwithstanding much damage was done to property, the benefits to corn were worth many thousand dollars. The most damage done seems to have been in Jordan tp., where Wm. Washburn’s barn and Howard Burr’s barn were both struck and burned. Mr. Washburn’s barn was not the new barn built last season, as reported, but an older barn, Still a good building. It contained 100 tons of hay and • some few farm tools. The loss is about $2,000, with S9OO insurance in C. B. Steward’s agency on the barn and S9OO on contents, but not all on hay, so that the net loss will probably be several hundred dollars. His new barn contains some 140 tons of hay, so he will still have plenty to feed. A good horse standing near the barn was knocked down and badly shocked and may possibly die. Eleven years ago, in July, Mr. Washburn had a barn burned on the same site, supposed to have been set accidently. James W. Pierce and Mr. Washburn were in Goodland at the time of the former fire, Mr. Pierce having left his horse in the latter’s barn and rode to Goodland with him. Mr. Pierce’s horse was burned up in the fire. During the same storm Howard Burr’s barn, one mile west from Mr. Washburn’s was also struck by lightning, about ten minutes earlier, and consumed, together with 20 tons of hay, corn planter, cultivators, seeder, etc. The loss which is partly covered by insurance in the Farmer’s Mutual, will reach S6OO to S7OO. Just over the line in Newton county, a farmer named Kennel had three head of cattle killed by lightning during the same storm. It is also reported that several head of cattle were killed at different points north of town during the Wednesday night storm. Wednesday afternoon a small ball of fire passed from the back of McFarland’s grocery to the front and passed out apparently at the top of one of the front windows, followed by a heavy clap of thunder. No damage was done and no marks left by the ball. Mrs. McFarland was sitting at the front of the store, on the east side, with her arm lying on the back of a chair, and her arm was numbed considerably. It was a strange freak indeed. Joe Luers, south of town, had a good cow killed by lightning Tuesday night.