Reed City, MI Violent Thunderstorm, Sep 1886

A TERRIFIC THUNDERSTORM.

Reed City, Mich., Sept. 25. -- A terrific thunderstorm commenced at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon and lasted until 9 P.M. CHRISTOPHER CABEL'S barn was struck by lightning and consumed, together with the season's crop, involving a loss of $2,000, on which there was $1,100 insurance. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad has a bad washout half a mile north of the station, and the track is undermined for half a mile between Reed City and Crapo. On the Hersey River the flood carried away everything. GINGERICH'S dam, north of here, was washed out at 9 o'clock, and the rush of water cleared away MORRIS & MARTIN'S and P. & J. BITTHER'S dam in this place, and the dam at Hersey is also gone. The Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad has a number of wash-outs east and west of here; their bridge, about two miles east, has been moved out of position, besides damage to the stonework from settling foundations. At Copleys lightning struck a tree, which fell on a house, killing a child and badly injuring its mother; names unknown. The loss in this section is estimated at $100,000. Trains will be delayed several days.

The New York Times New York 1886-09-26
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!