The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-05-05
HAD A NARROW ESCAPE.
Peculiar Freaks Of Lightning at Ava.
Oklahoma.

Alva. Q. T. May 3.-puring the heavy
rain Friday night about HIS. lightning
struck the residence Of ar. GeorSs c.
Grundy. one bicck east OF the Christian
church II IS s square house buIlt by
Win Matthews several naoaths ago. The
lightning first strlcS the chimney In the
center OF the roof, knocking or the up
per part and cracking il down 70 the
roof. While a portion OF the electric
current went down the chimney. throw
ing the joints OF stove-pipe all over the
room. the main portion diyil.-- and. fol-
lowing the tin covering the roof JOINS
10 the southwest and northeast corners
OF the house, and tore the corner boards
and drop siding loose from caves 20 SIN
Henry Walker. who was sleeping on a
sofa in the southwest corner OF the
house. received such shock that he re-
NAMED unconscious for an hour ard q
half before he came to himself. The bolt
passed through the head Of the sofa
within a few inches OF his head. scorch-
ing his hair and making an irregular
hole the size OF a silver dollar through
the sofa Several yards ar plaster were
scattered over the room and the lath was
badly broken. The northeast room OF
the house was damage. a5ou- the same
as the other room. Mrs. Grundy and one
Of the children were sleeping on a feather
bed in this room and were not injured.
although the beGstead. which stood
against the east wall was jarreo over
foot from the east wall and the two cas-
tors feu out Of the bed posts on that side
OF the bed. Air Grumpy. who had Just
gone 10 sleep in the northwest bed room,
was awakened by the crash and discover
ing M Walkers condition, had Or. d. Z.
Gamble hastily summoned ana before
long had his restored to consciousness.
Mr.. Walker is able 20 be aoou. again.
but complains OF a continuous headache.
This is not his first experience with the
lightning, as he had a horse killed under
him during q storm in Missouri some
years ago.
Prairie Lake was also visite-- by a ter
rible han storm Friday evening. com
mencing at $50. It hailed with but few
intermissions for three hours. Dry ra-
vines in that time became raging tor
rents. sweeping fences and bridges before
them. Orchards and groves were strip
ped OF leaves, and even the small twlgs
and the bark was peeled of the more
tender trees The whoa fields present
ed a sorry looking sight but IL Ia 10 be
hoped that the wheat VIII recover 70
such an extent that il VIII make a fair
crop. AS near as we can learn the Union
church was near the center of the track
OF the storm. \ twister was seen in The
clouds. but we have not heard that Il de-
scended 10 the ground.
During the storm Lew Whittett with
his wife and son were returning from
Alva. Mrs. Whittett and the boy stop
ped at h. L. BlcClearys. but Mr. Whit
tett thought ne could get home. but
when ne came to cross Lake creek. south
OF the Union church. the wagon was
washed of the grade and termed bottom
side up. Mr. Whittett succeeded in get
ting TO the shore and kept the horses
heads above water. while he called for
help. .. ". Lutte. VINO lives near By,
heard his cry and came 20 the rescue.
and it was with the greatest OF difficulty
that the team was saved from drowning