The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-07-16

Shortly before eight o'clock last
night one of the most severe wind,
rain and electrical storms of the year
struck the city end vicinity, doing
thousands of doilnrs worth OF dam
age, most of wtich was to the grow
ing crops.
| The electrical display was excep-
tionadly brilliant and at times the
thunder was doasen;ng. Limbs were
broken loose and hurled from tree
tops like so much chaff by the strong
wind, fences and sheds were blown
down. Corn was ticwn to the ground
in many places.
Lightning struck the barn, recently
completed, on the Huber farm three
miles east OF the city on the Mt. Ver-
non road. set It afire and the struc-
ture was burned To the ground. About
thirty-two loads cf hay were stored in
the NOW and all was destroyed The
horses and implemt nts were rescued.
Andrew Suit lives on the farm. The
loss will not exceed $4,000. The fire
illuminated the heavens to the east
and attracted much attention.
During the two kours that the sorm
ragged LIZ incles of water fall was re-
corded at the Office Of DR.. Z. II. Raj
rensperger, weather observer
The telephone and telegraph wires
isustained muca damage but the elec-
ltric light and street railway compan-
les escaped. All arc lights were turn
ed off during the Whole of the storm,
shroudlng the city in inky darkness.
Pedestrians took 20 the streets and
even then proceeded with difficulty.
Street cars ware stopped during the
worst of the sto- nj
Out in the country districts, where
the storm king could hold undisput-
ed sway. the earth and sky seemed
to meet and merge in one confused
swirl OF rain and wind and electricity.
The clouds tumbled over each other
like angry sea waves, vained with
vivid streaks of blue fire and there
was nothing of the gentle rain about
the flood they proceeded to empty
from their dark depths. Corn now In a
promising stage, was leveled to the
ground. and the less to the farmers
VIII be considerable. Many stray
81 eds sheltering stock were struck,
trees were rivsn as If by a giant ak,
fields were flo)de1, fences torn from
their mooItngs and altogether car
nival OF destruction followed In the
wake of the storm.
| At Waldo, ths residence OF DIR. r. S.
Dombaugh, was struck and portion
Of the slate roof demolished. None of
the family were injured by the bolt.
The barns of w. II. Owens and
Frank Epley., located east of the CITY,
were struck by lightning during the
storm. At the Owens barn the bolt
went through the roof, and bored
through an immense quantity of hay
In the NOV, but for some unknown
reason fire did not follow. Both
barns were badly damaged. In the
vicinity much damage was done to
crops and small buildings.
| The large barn on the farm of
| Chris Hinkle, about two miles west of
! Prospect was entirely consumed by
| flames following an especially severe
| electric shock which seemed TO en-
velope theentire building. The con-
tents OF the barn were also COM
plete loss.
A barn belonging to william Golf
at Woodland was struck when the
| storm center reached that place and
the building and contents were lick
ed up by the greedy flames which
spread rapidly to all parts of the
structure.
| Altogether the storm was one of
the most costly that has visited the
county Tor many moons and one not
likely to be soon forgotten by those
| remote from fire lighting facilities