Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 113, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1904 — SOME STORM DAMAGE [ARTICLE]

SOME STORM DAMAGE

As was to have been expected from such a big electrical disturbance as raged Sunday night, con* siderable damage resulted from lightning, and probably some more than has yet been he rd of .here. O. I. Walker,, of Barkley tp., was one of the victims of the storm. His barn, a good building was struck about 10 o’clock. Uncle Ike happenued to be standing in his house door when it happened, against uis good wifes vigorous protests, it is unnecessary to say, for never yet did a man stand in his door, while lightning was flying loose, that his wife did not try to pull him back. Almost immedi* ately after the bolt struck flames appeared from the part where the hay was, and Mr. Walker and his family rushed out and saved a mare and colt, in the barn, and also his buggies and most of the harness. Some 100 bushels of oats 55, of wheat, a small quantity of hay, and a whole lot of smaller farming implements were burned; but no live stock. The barn burned clear down, The barn was insured for S3OO, the grain for $75 and the hay fqr S6O in Bruner agency, of the Continental, which will go far towards covering the loss. Two bolts at least struck within the limits cf Rensselaer. One of these killed a good jersey cow, of John Jones’ dairy herd. She was out in the open field, in the Makeever pasture, south of the Monneit residence, on the college road. Some dcsen or more other cows were in the same pasture, but were not hurt. * As usually happens in suoh cases, the cow that was killed was about the best in the bunch The other town case was David Shupe's house on Cherry street, in' the east part of town. The lightning hit tne peak of the roof, and tore off shingles by the wholesale, clear to the chimney. It also passed down into an up-stairs bedroom and splintered one of the corner posts of a bed, throwing pieces clear into the next room. It also ripped a widdow screen, in this next room. A portion of the disoha ge passed down the roof of the main part of the house and down intd the kitchen, where it split the ice box. The bed which was struck is the one in which Mr. Shupe’s brother Jesse sleeps, when he is at home, but he happenned to be away now. Had be been in bed be would no doubt have been killed. The damage to the house is not great, and is understood to be covered by insurance.