The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-08
STRIKES
EVANS HOUSE
DURING STORM.
Fire Wrecks Third Floor of
Spring Grove Residence,
While Water Increases the
Damage to About 1000.

During the severest electrical storm
of the summer, which visited Rich
mond late yesterday afternoon the
home of the Misses Mary and Sarah
Evans, Spring Grove, was struck by
lightning. The cupola and roof were
burned off, the third story partially
destroyed and the entire building bad
ly damaged by water with total loss
estimated at between $500 and
$4,000. It is understood that the build
ing, one of the handsomest and most
deliberately furnished in the city, was
insured for about $1,000.
The same flash of lighting, which
struck about SIS accompanied by a
deafening crash of thunder and a
deluge Of rain, also struck a large
barn in the rear of the home of John
Schultz, Chester pike, about half
mile north of the Reid hospital. The
barn was burned to the ground. The
loss is estimated at about $500.
Secretary Leroy Browne of the
Home Telephone company stated to-
day that over 900 telephones were put
ing out fuses and that considerable
lightning striking poles or by limbs
of trees falling across the wires. The
companys loss is estimated to be
about $500.
Wind Storm to South.
Telephone lines within a radius of
eight miles of Richmond were dam
aged by the storm, but the greatest
damage was in this city and south of
Richmond. South of the city there
was quite a wind storm, which did
not strike Richmond. The gale snap
ped heavy iced" wires in twain, blew
down poles and trees and did con-
siderable damage to the corn. So far
as known, however, no houses or
barns were unroofed in that locality.
Excellent work by the No. 1 hose
company crew saved the Evans home
from being completely destroyed. The
first telephone alarm announced that
the Schultz barn was on fire and the
automobile truck responded. Within
short time another telephone alarm
from Spring Grove came in but fire
department headquarters was not in
formed that the Evans home was
ablaze, SO the informant was told that
the motor truck was on it's way. Three
minutes later another telephone alarm
announcing that the Evans residence
was burning and Immediately No. l
hose company was dispatched to the
scene. The motor truck crew was
working with the barn fire before the
third alarm came in but the blazing
Evans residence, quarter of a mile
away, was not noticed by the truck
firemen, trees obstructing their view
Smother the Fire.
The Evans home had been on fire
at least fifteen minutes before the No.
/ company arrived but they skillfully
battled with the flames from ladders
and succeeded in confirming the fire to
the roof and third floor.
While the firemen worked a cata-
ract of water poured into the first
and second stories, running all the
wall paper, put up last spring and of
very expensive quality, the hard wood
flooring and rendering the walls and
ceilings so unsafe that they will have
to be replastered. The furniture on
the third floor was nearly all destroy
ed but neighbors were able to carry
out all the furniture on the first and
second floors.
This was nearly all badly scratched
and damaged by the rain. Several
valuable paintings were saved. A
parrot, the household pet, was rescued
by police officer and the bird for the
first time in long while was render
ed speeches., so badly was he fright
ened. George Dilks and his two young
children make their home with the
Misses Evans. The building will be
repaired at once. None of the occu-
pants of the building were shocked
by the bolt which struck it.
The horse and two rigs belonging
to Mr. Schultz were not in the barn
when it was struck by lightning.
Lightning splintered tree in
Reeveston shocking a horse driven by
John Underhill and driving two small
splinters into the face of the driver.