LIGHTNING STRIKES BARN

The gig barn out on the John Barnhart ranch a dozen miles northeast of St. Francis was struck by lightning last Tuesday afternoon about four o’clock and as no help to combat the flames was in reach, the barn was consumed by flames. The son, who makes his home there was in town and the hired man was so far out in the field that he did not arrive until too late to stop the destruction. This was one of the good barns in the country. It was something like 40x60, with a big loft. The loft was filled with hay and feed and of course, this was consumed. In addition to this, there were three horses in the barn and one calf, which could not be taken out. Eight sets of harness and two saddles were burned and also something like a hundred and fifty bushels of corn. Several hogs had been in the barn at noon but up to the time that this article was prepared it was not known whether or not any of them were killed in the fire. The loss of the barn and fee at this time will work a hardship on the Barnhart’s as feed is not any to plentiful this year. We understand that no insurance was carried on the barn nor its contents. In this case the loss will be complete.

--St. Francis Herald

The Haigler News, Haigler Nebraska, Friday, September 24, 1926