Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1904 — Nine Horses Killed By Lightning. [ARTICLE]

Nine Horses Killed By Lightning.

Duiing the terrific thunder storm about midnight Sunday night, or early this Monday, morning, lightning struck a large stable,*bn the Thos. Murphy farm, in Jordan Tp. about 9 miles southwest of Rennselaer; the farm being worked by Willard Pruett. Seven good work horses were in barn, and two were killed by the ligntuing, and the other five suffooated or burned. The stable took fire and burned down at once, and with it all of Mr. Pruett’s work harness, six sets, four tons of hay, a wagon loaded with straw, saddles, bridles etc. Mr. Pruett had four other horses, which happened to be loaned out to neighbors. His loss is about SIOOO and he had no insurance. He was formerly a liverystable keeper, in Goodland, whioh accounts for his having so many horses.

During the same storm, some 6 or 7 miles northeast of town, lightning struok and killed two good work horses, on the Granville Moody farm, in Barkiy Tp. They belonged to his tenant, John Behrens, and were out in a woods pasture. He has two other work horses, whioh escaped.

And the lightning did not spare the humble swine, no more than the haughty horses. At Willis Hurley’s, near Blackford, it struok a wire fenoe, and killed four hogs that were out in his lot, near his barn. They were insured in E. H. Hurley’s agency, Still another case was that a barn on the Bill -Baker place, about four miles north was struck, and a good cow, property of Dan Leeh, the tenant, was killed. The barn was not much damaged. Mr. Leah hid his cow insured.