The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-08-16
LIGHTNING CAUSES FIRES.
Much Loss in State from Destruction of
Property During Wednesdays Storm.

Electrical storms were general and of
great severity throughout most of the
state last Wednesday, reaching hurricane
proportions in some instances.
In Hartford, the barn on the farm of
Wilder Pierce was struck and completely
destroyed by fire. -Four calves, the sea-
sons crop of hay and utensils were de-
stroyed. The property is reported as UNI
insured. The rain and wind leyeled fields
of corn, blew down trees in every sec
ton Of White River Junction and near
the Norwich line various telephone poles
fell to the ground.
In Brandon, two barns filled with hay
at the William Mcconnell place were
burned TO the ground One of the barns
was struck by lightning and set on fire
and the other barn, which was located
nearby, soon caught fire and before help
arrived was beyond saving. Besides the
hay, lot of farming tools which were
stored in the barn were burned,
From the barn of Hugh b. Mcneil in
Ludlow only horse was saved, the
building being struck by lightning and
destroyed with the contents AT the
time ii was struck Mr.. and Mrs. Mcneil
Ntlt bDbH away 1lNul nNlAiN anu tAANt
children were playing in the barn They
escaped without harm.
A large hay barn on the Joseph Ash
farm on the New Haven river was struck
by lightning during the thunder storm
and was burned to the ground together
with 80 tons of hay, The loss is partly
covered by insurance,
Lightning followed the wires into the
house of Frank Stearns of New Haven,
grounding on the sink drain, blowing
the sink away from the wall and knock
ing down Mrs. Stearns, who was in the
| kitchen The house was filled with
smoke, but there was no fire. The same
thing occurred at the home Of Isaiah
Brickey of the same place.
| In the eastern part OF Middlebury
large hailstones fell, beating down crops
and causing extensive damage. Shade
trees were uprooted, especial damage be-
ing done the trees In the school and coll
| lege parks Trees in front Of the home
Of John K Dwyer were uprooted and
thrown against the house.
The storm followed an intensely hot
spell, during which horse belonging to
| the Tufield Abair estate Of Middlebury
/ was killed 1t was working on three
horse reaper when it was suddenly taken
sick and died before it could be gotten
out of the harness It was worth $500.
In Rutland, the rain itself did more
damage than the lightning or wind, de-
veloping into a cloudbust Streets We're
badly quilted and the losses Of storekeep-
ers from the water win amount to con-
siderable Four feet of water backed up
in the cellar of Nichols & Barney, damag
ing quite a stock of goods. The loss will
amount to thousands Of dollars. Many
other stores win have losses mounting
into the hundreds.
A horse standing near the plant of the
creamery package department and be-
| longing to one Of the employees, 7, Woods
of the Mendon road, was struck by the
lightning and killed.
An accident attributed to the storm
was the collision of two autos, those Of
Edward Kessap and Erwin E. Reyes Of
Rutland, the rain beating. onto the wind
shield Of the Kessap auto SO that he
could not see and steered his car in front
of the other one. Both cars were badly
damaged
In West Rutland, bolt Of lightning
struck the French Catholic church and
but for prompt and efficient work by the
Are department it would have been de-
stroyed. AS it was, the interior Of the
church was but slightly damaged and
the expensive organ was uninjured. The
bolt struck the highest point of the
steeple.