Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-06-14
LIGHTNING STRIKES
IN MANY PLACES

by the lightning, while the rain was
a prolnged downpour, which was lit
tie short of a clOudburst.
The storm came up about O'Clock
and was most angry and threatening
in appearance The clouds filled the
entire western sky along with portions
of the northern and southern horizon.
As the great pail of black clouds roll
ed up to the zenith, it became as dark
as night and lights had to be turned
on. Even the streets were dark and
with the Lightning darting about, with
thunder following peal on peal and
winds blowing with almost cyclonic
fury it was enough to awe and appall
any one.
The downpour Of rain lasted for near
lv forty-five minutes The streets were
transformed into rivers and the piping
on the houses at many places being
overtaxed the water poured down ov-
er the caves in sheets. No part of the
borough probably Jared as bad as
Bloom street, where the cutters prov
ed utterly inadequate to carry off the
water. The p. & r. crossing on Bloom
street resembled dam as the water
poured down over it carrying along
immense quantities of red earth wash
ed down from the hill above. Above
the crossing the water poured in on
abutting properties, flooding cellars
and doing other damage.
The residence OF George Sandel
north of Bloom street. just beyond the
borough line, was struck by lightning
and the inmates slightly shocked. The
lightning struck ON the west side of
the house near the roof and performed
a very singular prank. On the outside
it tore off a weather board splintered
the window frame and tearing off the
window casing on the inside hurled it
across the room and stood it upright
on bed. Several members of the
household were slightly shocked while
all received a fright that they will
not forget very soon.
At Strawberry Ridge the lightning
struck the residence Of Samuel Moser,
/ tearing off a weather board, splinter
i ing a plank from the caves to the
ground and knocking off the plaster
on the inside of the house. Harvey
/ Shultz a neighbor who had taken re-
/ fuge there during the storm, was bad
ly shocked by the lightning, one OF
his arms being temporarily paralzyed.
The barn on the farm owned by ia
cob Snyder and tenanted by Jerry
Black in Derry township was struck
by lightning. Fortunately it did not
ignite, although the barn is very bad
/ ly shattered and damaged by the shock.
The residence of William Derr at
/, Morland, some distance from Exchange
was struck but little damage was
wrought \ large tree at Jesse Hart
mans at Exchange was also struck
along with Western Union telegraph
pole in the neighborhood.
The large barn on the Fruit farm at
/ Turbotville, on which Charles Miller
/ is tenant, was struck by lightning and
burned to the ground. The stock was
saved, but the farming implements be-
longing to the tenant were destroyed.
! The barn was one of the largest and
4 handsomest in Northumberland coun-
/ ty, being built of ploughed and groov-
/ ed boards and was valued at nearly
$4,000 The tenant carried small in
I surance, but it is thought that the
barn was not insured The owner lives
in New York City.
/ At Rohrsburg the barn on the farm
/ of William NJ. Reese, was struck by
! lightning and burned to the ground
The farm is Occupied by Alfred Reese,
| the son, who in trying TO save the live
stock was badly burned. The loss is
estimated at some $4,000, partly covered
with insurance.
From every side damage is reported
The big grand stand on the base ball
ground at DeWitt's park was blown
over by the terrible gale. The struct-
ure went over bodily, the posts which
support it, ON one side being lifted
out of the ground. On Carr's farm a
short distance below Kipp's run big
tree was blown across the Pennsyl-
vania railroad track. The West bound
passenger train, which is due to arrive
at South Danville at / 81 p. III. was
held up at the spot long enough for
the crew TO chop the trunk of the tree
through removing section which re-
sembled a saw-log and left a space
wide enough to clear the cars.
All about town were to be seen evid-
ences of the cyclonic wind that accom-
panied the storm. Along every street
were to be seen scattered around limbs
of trees that had been broken off by
the wind At the new culvert on
Bloom street just above the borough
line a heavy washout occurred. which
damaged one of the sidewalks very
badly. Many of the fields throughout
the county are very badly washed by
the heavy downpour.
The barn on the farm of William
Chrisman near Jerseytown was struck
by lightning Sunday afternoon and
completely destroyed along with sew
eral tons of hay and a quantity of
grain, etc. The wagon shed attached
to the barn was also destroyed but the
farm machinery as well as the live
stock was saved The farm is tenant
ed by Peter Walter. The barn was a
new one just completed last week.
The loss is estimated at $500. There