The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-05-02 00:00:00

THE GALE.

A most destructive gale with heavy rains prevailed
over the mouth and south-west coasts, on Saturday alter
noon, sal with somewhat less force during the night.
The aooounts sent us testify to the extraordinary force
of the wind, and the destmction, and, in some cases,
unhappily, loss of life, which it caused.
IN DORCHESTER AND NEIGHBOUR-

HOOD
Were a:porton/3.d some of the worst effects of the gale.
Some of the oldest trees in ths Walks were blown
down, and the paths strewn with branches. The frith
trees which were looking more than usually promisin g
are in many oases literally ruined, s ) groat he. been the
havoc caused by the wind. The roads leading into the
town were covered with branches, and one or two of the
finest trees in the nelghbourhoei hive been t 'en op.
One sepocially, the fine old elm u the top of !Wat-
ford-hill, on Lod beloogia; to Mr. Hull, and which
hes withstood missy • ga's, was levelled to the ground.
Several tress on the boodon-road have !yen blown
down or broken clean off, and in the West Walks and
Dalkon Walks, which were fully expand to the wind,
the trees have suffered greatly. Similar reports,
esilseisill relating to damage to fruit and other trees,
came from Charminstar, Puddletown, Paddletren•
Odd., and the surroundin; villages. In the town
itaelf the damage was principally confined to slates and
tiles, which were blown about like stra we, and to the great
peril of pedestrians. The mot serious incident of the
gale In Dorchester was the destruction of the roof of
the Military Hospital, which wee ca lead by the fall
of • large chimney. With the exception of the shook
and very slight injuries sustain., I by one patient, the
Inmates sustained no hart. This is most rernarkabk.
We have inspected the ruin, and considering the
quantity of masonry that fell Into the room, and even
on to the beds of the ristients, a more narrow agape
it bee never been our lot to chronicle. The accident
occurred about three o'clock in the afternoon, when
the chimney, which was ten fad high, fell on to the
ro ,1 at the west corner, and in conjunction with the
terrific wind blowing at the time, caused fearful
, damage. There were eleven beds in the ward, end ten
patients. Nine of these were in the ward and one of
them was &haat. Two of the men were in bed, and if
the other seven hai obeyed their doctor'. orders they
would have beet' there too. It is not often disobedience
to lawful and reasonable orders solders benefits on the
delinquents, but if the seven men In question had only
been in bid at the dna the chimney fell, some of
them mast have been killed. Four of the beds were
smashed under the tons of debris that fell, and the two
patients in bed had a providential escape. One other
was slightly bruised is the right leg, and greatly
frightened (as indeed all were), the other sustained a
, treat shock. These were the only personal injuries
sustained. Someoadittsjor Anderson, with the aid of
his brands! stiff immediately immediately eel to work to get the
Patients out. We need not say the seven men who
should have been in bed were not long in getting out of
the room. The relief staff had • work of some peril,
as it was expectvd 'Teri moment more of the roof
would fun. However, all the patients in this and In
um other wads were cleared out, end accommodated
at the Artillery Barrack*. Had the accident occurred
In the night, the result would have been fearful to con-
template and the escape of the inmates can only
be regiircibd ma providenthiL Among other destruction
to house property was a chimney blown down in
Prieseereatreit. At Mr. Groves' Steam Osndle Works
the roof was lifted up bodily, but fortunately dropped
Into Its plane again without causing any damage. It
has been strengthened, and Is now apparently as good
me OTC%