Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-09-10
LIGHTNING STRIKES
CONCORD BARN
THREE TIMES
Electric Storm Does Heavy
Damage; Fuller Bros,
Barn Destroyed

The heavy storm which passed
over st. Johnsbury Monday after
noon did thousands of dollars
damage in this section. The lightning
struck and destroyed by fire the big
barn Of Fuller Bros. at Miles Pond
with loss of $500. George F.
Marsh, a member of the last Yer
mont Legislature, was struck by
lightning in Middlcbury, but will
survive. The lightning also destroyed
a barn in Barnet.
A number of trees in this section
were struck, damage done to eelctric
service and the telephone and tele-
graph service.
Lightning struck the barn of Fuller
Bros. at Miles Pond, Concord, Mon
day and it was burned to the ground
with a loss of about $500. Accord
ing to those who fought the fire the
barn was struck three different times
by lightning. The first fire started
after the barn was struck at three
o'clock during the heavy thunder
storm that passed over this section.
Volunteer fire fighters of the vii
lage did thel best to save the proper
ty. Over u tons of hay was destroy
ed. The fire fighters gained headway
against the fire and thought they had
succeeded in putting out the blaze
which had started on the first floor of
the barn. At this time there was an
other terrific flash and the hay in
the loft burst into fame. After this
there was still third binding flash
of lightning and the barn was beyond
hope of saving from destruction.
The fire fighters directed their at
tention to the Fuller house only Is
feet from the big barn and with the
aid of the downpour of rain were able
to prevent the house from being des-
troyed.
There was a mule, a horse and a
number of pigs in the barn. They
were all saved. The horse was scor-
ched probably by the bolt of lightn-
ing.
In the barn besides the hay was a
two gasoline engines and valuable
farm tools. With the exception of
a few small tools most of the pro-
perty was destroyed.
The big barn was built about so
years ago by the father of Lambert
Hastings, of Concord. Some of the
buildings were built by the Hazen
Lumber company when they did some
heavy numbering about Miles Pond.
1t is understood that the Fuller
Bros. property was partially covered
by insurance.
George G. Marsh, proprietor, of
the West River Telephone company
and a member of the House of Rep
at the last session of the
Legislature from Chester was struck
by lightning Monday afternoon while
standing on his front piazza during
a severe electrical storm. He was
not killed, but is resting in his home
in fairly comfortable condition.
4 He was standing on the porch with
his little daughter when the bolt
struck. Mr. Marsh suffered severe
burns about the head and back. His
daughter was untouched.
Middlebury suffered severely and
the storm created havoc all over the
village. Trees were blown down in all |
parts of the village and on Water
street the house of John Herbert,
was struck damaging the roof and
also an ell.
CaugM in the rain and wind the
little Herbert girl was struggling to
reach the house. James Burroughs
and Fred Dumas, from barn be-
longing to Mrs. Joseph Nash saw her
and fastened out t6 aid her if nee
essary, only to be Caught by the fall
ng limbs of the willow tree. Mr..
Dumas escaped, but Mr.. Burroughs
was pinned down.