The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-07-19

+ out the need of an umbrella. +
+ The elements were kind to +
+ William Jennings Bryan. +
+ s. j. + j. ]. I. !. I. + I. !. 4. i !.
Jap Pluvius, Old Thunder Bolt
and Forked Lightning played a joint
engagement in MankatO and vicinity
early this morning. They arrived
and made their presence known
without previous warning. Their
visit was not welcomed. They left
behind them havoc The rain flood
ed a number of easements and the
lightning struck a number of barns
and fire followed, destroying prop
erty and in one or two instances
about four o'clock in the morning
and continued until about seven.
The thunder was almost !deafening
and the electrical features We're
spectacular.
The rain was one of the heaviest
that has fallen in Mankato for some
time The rain seemed to be con-
fined near Mankato, as little fell
near Lake Crystal and some of the
other surrounding towns. Three
barns We're struck, one church and
a COW was killed by lightning last
night. This was the extent of the
reports up to noon today. The rain
fall at Sibley park registered 2.70
inches up until seven o'clock this
morning.
Lightning Strikes Barn.
The barn of George Atchison on
South Second street was struck by
bolt of lightning about five o'clock
this morning. The bolt struck the
cupola and tore a hole in the roof
1t set fire to small pile of straw
in the loft, and the fire department
was called after considerable diff
Guilty in sending an alarm.
Mrs. Atchison got up to lower the
window about a quarter of five,
and Mr.. Atchison raised up in bed
and saw the bolt strike and imme-
diately there was a display that re-
sembled fireworks on the night of
the Fourth. Mr.. Atchison dressed
hurriedly and FASTENED to the barn
for the purpose of backing out of
the building two autos, one his own
property, and the other owned by
the Morehart & AtchiSOn Land COM
pany. He succeed in doing this.
Meanwhile Mrs. Atchison made at
tempts to telephone the fire depart
ment, but these proved futile. Miss
Violet Atchison and Miss Fran
els Flower of Cleveland who is visit
ing Miss Atchison, got up and ran
to box A where they tried to turn
in the alarm In breaking the glass
A oh;
criticism Is being registered against
the glass covers, which must be
broken to get the keys. thinking that
mica would be a better substitute.
Made Quick Run.
However, the alarm was sounded
at the station, but failed to register
the place, and when the fireboys
did not arrive, Mr.. Atchison hurried
to the station in his automobile. He
found everyone waiting to dash out,
and the fireboys made a quick run
after Mr.. Atchison had told them
where the fire was.
The damage to the barn and fix.
lures was slight, considered at about
SIS.
The lightning also struck the
Welsh Calvinistic church and tore a
large hole in the steeple, about four
feet long and two feet wide. II
also knocked out several bricks in
the foundation of the steeple
Killed a Valuable Cow.
Chief of Police Donahue is minus
a fullbred Guernsey COW. His COW
was standing under tree in the
pasture, when a bolt struck, both
the cow and the tree. killing the
animal instantly. The COW was
valued at 500.
A. ]. Wagner, who lives on route
No. 7. lost a horse in the storm
of this morning when lightning
struck his barn. The roof was dam
aged somewhat and the horse was
killed, but the barn did not catch
fire. The damage done to the barn
amounts to about $25. Mr. Wagner
carried $500 insurance on the barn
and the horse was insured.
Easements Were Flooded.
Easements all over town were
flooded in the storm early this morn
ing and although most of them haC
a good deal of water in them there
was very little damage. The heavy
rain of July 4, when all the base
ments appeared to be swimming
pools caused everyone to prepare
for the future rains. Draper & Pet
tersen, the Gamble Robinson fruit
house, the Elks Club, the Candy
Kitchen and the Sanitary Dairy were
among the buildings which had con
siderable water in them
The huge barn of Patrick Henriet
ty, living six miles from Mankato il
Belgrade township, was struck By
lightning about five o'clock thi.
morning, and completely destroyed
About 400 bushels of oats were con
sumed and ten or twelve tons o
hay were burned, besides consider
able farm machinery. There were fir,
head of horses in the barn hut these