Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1917 — LIGHTNING DESTROYED BARN [ARTICLE]

LIGHTNING DESTROYED BARN

Joe Borntrager Sutlers $3,500 Loss Thursday Afternoon. The large barn on the J. C. Borntrager farm, formerly the Marion I. Adams (arm, about four miles south of Rensselaer, was totally destroyed by fire at about 4:30 o’clock Thursday afternoon, when it was struck by a bolt of lightning and was a mass of flames a few moments later. The men were at work in the field with the teams at the time, and saw the building struck, but before they could reach there it was a mass of flames. The barn was an extra good one. It had been built by Mr.. Adams and was constructed of heavy oak timbers. It was 50x42 feet in size and one of the best barns in the county. It contained about 450 bushels of wheat and was also filled with hay and straw. The vitrified brick silo close by was also a complete wreck, the heat expanding the hollow brick and they exploded with loud reports. The loss is in the neighborhood of $3,500, with $2,500 insurance in G. H. McLain’s agency. There was SI,OOO insurance on barn, S3OO on silo and the balance on hay, grain, tools, etc.