MUCH DAMAGE BY LIGHTNING

Severe Electric Storm Monday Night Does Much Damage to Barns and Live Stock

Tampico Tornado

Friday, August 30, 1907

A large frame barn on Mrs. Con CUMMINGHAM’S farm east of Tampico was struck by lightning aabout 10:30 o’clock Monday night during the severe storm and entirely burned to the ground, the loss being total. The barn was built but a few years ago and was n excellent repair. The lostt will easily be $2000 with $1200 insurance on the barn and $600 on the contents.

Very fortunately the neighbors who were summoned by telephone were able to get all the live stock out but large quantities of hay and straw, a new binder, some harness and other tools ordinarily kept in a barn were burned.

The fire was discovered at the east end of the barn by a neighbor, John BROPHY who quickly telephoned to CUNNINGHAMS who could not see the east end of their barn from the house. In a short time neighbors were notified and gathered but th fire had made such headway that it was impossible to save the barn.

Misfortune and disasters seem to be the lot of the CUNNINGHAM family recently. Charles CUNNINGHAM a son had scarcely got up from a terrible railroad  accident in which his life was nearly lost when his father died and while his death is still fresh comes the third calamity proving the old assertion “that it never rains, but that it pours.”

Other barns that were struck and burned down was one on Stephen HOLSTEAD’S farm six miles northeast of Tampico. The barn was 40x50 and was full of straw. The loss is $800. A barn owned by George REECE four miles south was struck and  burned, including thrity tons of hay, six hogs and a stack of straw, loss $1500. Three large barns and contents on a farm one mile north of Lyndon  occupied by J. F. KILROY were burned, loss $5000.

Eleven Head Cattle Killed

Eight head of cattle were killed by ********************** long to Mr. BERGE but to different persons who had pastured them there. Four head were the property of Frank SWANSON’S

John G. ANDERSON also had a steer killed.

Ernest MCKENZIE also had a critter killed.

Rev. Thos. WILLSTEAD had a horse killed and J. J. HIGGINS lost  a cow.