The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-08-21
2 KILLED BY
LIGHTNING IN
STATES STORM
Victims in Fields Around
jamestown Are Instantly
Killed Last Evening
MAN HIT AT DAWSON
Farm Hand Knocked UncOn-
sciOus - Heavy Rain Car
ries Little Hail With 1t
MAN HIT AT DAWSON

Two men killed, one knocked un-
concious by lightning, one farm house
destroyed by fire, light hail in some
places, appeared to be the chief toll
of terrific rain and electrical storm
which swept southern North Dakota
yesterday afternoon and last night.
The two deaths by lightning occur
red within u radius of Is miles of
jamestown. The victims were John
knitter, prominent farmer of near
Buchanan and Amos Thorstonberg,
transient laborer whose home is at
Salina, Kansas. Both men were kill
ed within an rour, 5 to 6 p. m., when
the rainstorm struck the east CEN
tral part Of the state with the great
est force.
House Burned
A message received here today said
that lightning struck the house of
John Garfield, near Dawson, and
knocked hired man unconcious. The
victim of the bolt Of lightning recov-
cred. The house was destroyed by
fire.
knitter, at the time Of his death,
was returning with his family from
the harvest fields. He was walking
about 20 feet ahead of the rest of
the family in the rain, followed by
his daughter, Agnes. The lightning
stripped the clothes from his body
and made hole about the size of q
dollar in his head. His daughter was
Knocked unconscious, but was rest
ing comfortably last evening. The
other members of the family were
badly shocked. The widow and eight
children survive.
Took Refuge in House
Thorstonberg, the storms second
victim, was killed in an abandoned
shack about 6 miles south of James
town in which he had taken refuge
from the storm. He, with pal, Ar
thur Sparks, were shocking when the
rain began falling. They entered the
old house and Thorstonberg sat on
the floor, Sparks went over to the
door to watch the rain and lightning
and while there lightning struck
Thorstonberg, killing him instantly.
Sparks was uninjured.
w. o. Johnson, brother-in-law of
the victim, living at Saina, Kans.,
was notified of the death last even
ing.
Terrific Rain
The rain storm was one of the
hardest of the year, and although it
carried some hail with it, the damage
appeared light. according to reports
received today.
Napoleon reported the heaviest
rain, veritable cloudburst, with
2.55 inches Of rain, or two and half
as much as fell in Bismarck. James
town followed with l.63 inches of rain
while Bismarck had "a of an inch,
mostly from p. m. to p. m.
Precipitation reported from other
weather stations included: Armenia
one inch; Bottineau Is; Devils Lake
&c; Ellendale SO; Fessenden "a;
Grand Forks .21; Langdon AT; Lari-
more so; Lisbon 1856: Mnot 81;
Pembina so; Moorhead, Minnesota,
one inch.
None At Dickinson
While rain was reported from all
weather stations except Dickinson,
Dunn Center and Williston, the heav-
lest storm appeared to be in the
southern part of the state, starting
southwest Of Bismarck and travelling
eastward.
Jason Hoover, living 80 miles south
of Bismarck, reported a light hail in
southern Burleigh county, but said
there was no great damage done.
The 500 lines report follows:
Heavy rain three quarters inch to
inch and a half, Bismarck to Hankfn-
son, Wishek to Pollock, last evening.
Light rain Baldwin to Drake. Max
to Sanish except Garrison and Kongs-
berg where rain was heavy. Light
hail in vicinity of Kintyre. Very
little damage. Heavy hail IL miles
south Of Pollock, South Dakota, strip
six miles long, four miles wide, fifty
percent damage to standing grain.
Fifty percent or better of grain cut
was slightly damaged"
Minot, N. D., Aug. 21.-A heavy
shower which descended in Minot
yesterday afternoon accompanied
by scattering hailstones brought
precipitation of 81. No serious
crop damage was reported, though
slight lodging where stands are
exceptionally heavy is expected to
cause Inconvenience. No hail in
serious amounts was reported from
rural districts.
MIN rIuInvHy