Mr. J. S. Applegate’s Barn 1895

APPLEGATE

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 3/29/2020 at 17:43:24

Cascade Pioneer, published in Cascade, Iowa on Friday, May 31th, 1895

Mr. J. S. Applegate’s barn was set on fire in a peculiar manner, on Tuesday, says the Monticello Express. Two travelers found a hole burnt in the side of it, and gave the alarm. The fire was easily extinguished; but no one could tell how the fire could have burned a hole about a foot square in the side of the barn a considerable distance from the ground. Investigation showed that the bottom of bright new milk can, tilted up, had acted as a “burning glass” in the sun and had set the fire. The concave bottom of the can had focused the sun’s rays on the side of the barn, and the fire was the result. To verify this the can was focused in the sun and a second fire was set by the experimentation. Positive care is now exercised at the Applegate’s farm in the disposition of milk cans.