Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-10
Lightning Causes Death of
Ralph Wickham, Kills Cattle
and Stuns Three Persons
BECAME ALMOST cLouDBuRsT
Over Two Inches. and
Most of 1t Fell Within An Hour
Streets Turn Into Temporary Tor
rents-union Station Platform Cow
cred With Two Feet of Waten

| three other persons, death to three
head of cattle belonging to A. b. Cole,
| a dairyman just west of the city, and
| for time turned streets into raging
| torrents. An unprecedented precipi-
tation of 2.14 inches is recorded by OBJ
server Jones, and most of the water
fell while the storm ragged Friday ev-
ening. 1t rained again quite hard
during the night.
The area of the storm appears to
have shown Marshalltown to be about
in the center and While heavy rains
are reported from other points, the
storm does not seem to have broken
out in such fury as it did locally
Lightning Proved Fatal.
The most severe electrical display
was witnessed about $3.50 when flash
after flash frightened the cloud laden
skies. A bolt struck the dairy barn of
A. b. Cole, just west of the city on
Summit street. and resulted In the in
slant death of Ralph WiclSham, lad
II years Of age, son Of Mr.. and Mrs.
S. NJ. Wickham, who lived on the adj
Joining place to the west, just this side
of the Iowa Central tracks. Young
Wickham had gone to the Cole barn to
chat with the hired man, Charles
Brown, just before the storm became
the most severe. He was standing in
the door of the barn when the bolt
struck the gable end of the barn. The
bolt struck the young man squarely on
| "a tao ,.tt \, sa l.,
leaving no marks excepting two small
dark spots, one on the right cheek and
the other on the neck. The same bolt
killed three cows in the barn and Sc
verely stunned Mr.. Brown, who was
at work just behind where the three
COWS fell dead in their tracks There
We're forty-two head of cows. and
seven calves in the barn. and all were
more or less affected by the shock, and
so frightened that all were huddled to-
Sether, some of them down. by reason
of the close contact with the lightning.
Mr.. Brown is still suffering from the
effects Of the shock today, and has a
severe headache His injury, however,
is not serious.
Young ,Wickhan1, the lad who was
Killed. by the lightning, was removed
TO his home later in the evening, after
physician had been called and ex-
amlned him, and found that death had
been instantaneous. The boy was the
oldest child of his parents, and is sur
vived by two brothers and two sisters.
The family has a number of relatives
living in Hardin and Grundy counties,
near Steamboat Rock and Clifford, and
Grundy Center. w. M. Rainsbarger, of
Steamboat Rock, is the father of Mrs.
Wickham, the boys mother.
The funeral will be held from the
Methodist church Monday afternoon at
2:30, Rev Dr. Gould officiating.
Secretary Rubee Shocked.
Secretary S. w. Rubee, of the Riv-.
erside Cemetery Association, while at
work getting under cover several of
his small chickens, was severely shock
ed at $3.50 by a bolt of lightning that
struck the beautiful elm tree standing
near the Rubee home. Fortunately Mr.
Rubee was not injured. and today is
suffering no i'll effects from the exper-
fence, altho he was thrown to the
ground by the force of the shock. The
tree was stripped of its bark in places,
and pieces of bark We're picked up fifty
feet away. Mr.. Rubee was only about
twenty feet from the tree when the
lightning struck.
At about o'clock, as the men en-
ployed in Riverside We're leaving their
work. they noticed climbing down from
the tree large fox squirrel which has
been making it's nest in the tree. The
squirrel had also had an experience
with the lightning. and was minus his
fine brush, the hair of which was
completely burned away.
Other Damage by Lightning.
Miss Ida Day, employed as cook
by Henry Sundell. was quite severely
shocked by a bolt of lightning that
struck near the rear of the restaurant
Miss Day was not injured, but was
dazed for a time.
Horses Are Killed.
Reports from the country tell of the
death by lightning of three horses, dur
ing the storm of Friday evening. Luz
Their IN. Tuttle living on the Charles
Poffenberger farm, two miles north OF
Melbourne, lost two fine horses.
young standard bred mare, worth 5000
and horse valued at $175. Both ami
mails We're insured. William Gle, liv-
Ing 1Ouf IHll6eS SOUTHWEST Ol llle CITY,
had one horse killed, on which he car
ried no insurance.
Lightning struck a we'll in the north
east part C town, caving it in and de-
stroying the curb.
At Third and Lincoln streets fuse
box on an electric light pole was burn
ed out by the lightning, and the fire
department was called. No damage
was done.
Streets Were Raging Torrents.
Some of the streets of the city, par
those on the north and south
slopes, were turned for a time Friday
evening into raging torrents. South
Second avenue was small river and
again the union station platform was
converted into lake. When the Iowa
Central's evening passenger arrived
from the north at o'clock the water
stood two feet deep on the platform,
the wooden portion of which was
afioat. The water extended clear back
to the building, covering the brick part
of the platform under the shed. The |
storm sewers We're entirely inadequate
to care for the sudden deluge.
On Norsl, Third street, at Park, |
Il