The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1938-08-25
Two Barns
Destroyed By
Lightning
Fire Department Called
To j. F. Cooper Farm
Friday Morn
TOTALLY RUINED
August Brue, of
Birchdale, Suffered
Loss By, Lightning

During severe electrical storm
which passed over this community
Friday morning, the barn on the
J. F. Cooper farm, in Pleasant Val
ley, north of Sank Centre, was
struck by lightning and burned to
the ground. The milk house near
the barn was also destroyed.
About ten o'clock that morning,
shortly after Chris Lentz, the rent
err, had returned efrom the barn to
the house, there was severe crash
and soon smoke gushed from the
hay NOW. Mr.. Lentz ran to the
barn, cut the four horses from the
managers and led them out uninjur-
ed, although they are somewhat
stiffened and appear to be unable
to hear. No other livestock was in
the barn at the time.
The family removed several sets
of harness from the building and
the separator and other dairy ap-
purtenances were saved, SO that the
greatest loss to Mr.. Lentz was about
thirty tons of alfalfa hay which
had been placed in the barn, besides
a large number of tools, etc.
Lightning had rendered the tele-
phone useless and Mr.. Lentz drove
to Sank Centre to get the fire de-
partment, which responded imme-
diately. Firemen, with the aid of
neighbors, did excellent work in
saving other nearby buildings. All
the water available at the farm was
consumed, and it was necessary
to run line to Sank Lake, and de-
spite that delay firemen were able
to save the chicken and hog
houses.
At about two o'clock that after
noon the fire department was re-
called to the farm where fire
threatened to consume large
strawpile, again threatened build
ings on the farm. Several hours
were necessary to get this fire I'M
der control.
The barn was 1880 building,
erected in 1880, and the milk house
which stood nearby was a 10x12
structure. Mr.. Cooper carried $500
insurance on the barn, which was
modern in every detail, including
drinking cups, storage tank and in
side storm doors. Mr.. Lentz car
ried no insurance. Mr.. Cooper stat
ed that he will rebuild Immediately,
and the new barn to be erected will
be the same size as the one which
was destroyed Friday morning.
It is thought that the lightning
struck the hay track, outside the
large hay door, as the fire seemed
to gain Roadway there.
A large number of cars followed
the fire apparatus to the Cooper
farm, and it is said that this some
what hampered the department.
A fine Of 500 to $1,000 can be
placed against persons who persist
in following the fire department
and Chief Geo. Fish says 1t is pos
sible that the law may be enforced
some Of these days.
Other residents OF the Pleasant
Valley community felt the force OF
the severe bolt Of lightning. Avery
Norton, on the Fairy Lake road, re-
ceived a shock on his arm, which
could be felt several days afterward.
Bobbie Plant and Ray Schloegle,
who were repairing fence at the
Plant farm, and Bert Neal and chill
dren and Hazel Christie, also felt
the shock.
Telephones in the immediate vic
Unity were put out of commission,
and lightning struck the 20-F line
about a quarter of a mile south of
the Sam Erickson farm.
Another Barn Burned
Farther over in Birchdale town.
ship, the barn on the Andrew Pet
erson farm, now owned by August
Brue, was also struck by lightning
and destroyed. Some feed was lost
in this fire.
This barn was an old landmark,
and was built by Andrew Peterson
about fifty years ago. It had been
remodeled recently. Mr.. Brue car
ried $500 insurance on the building.
COOb. ASs0ci0t