Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-06-14
ALEXANDRIA. June 10.
TREMENDOUS HAlI ST0RM

lNE NE NL/IOO AdG1s - = TN "a
On Friday evening last, about S O'CLOCK,
the town of Alexandra was visited by tbs
severest Hail Storm ever Witnessed even
by the Oldest inhabisant. 1t continued with
unexampled fury for about fifteen minutes.
The ravages committed in that short time
were such, that description OF them would
scarcely be believed at a distance. The
direction of the Hail, or rather Jumps OF
ice, was from northto south and SO great
was its force, that every house 10 town.
with a window on the north side, felt its
effects fragments of glass were strewed
on every floor. The quantity DESTROYED -
almost innumerable we have heard of one
gentleman alone, who lost thousand pancs.
The roofs of many houses were despoilcd
of the venerable proofs of their antiquity /;
aud numerous chmnies were swept of their
sootY gatherings. The gardens in and A.
round the town suffered greatly: trees were
stripped OF their foliage, and some of their
branches.
We are aware that bare recital of the
circumstances which attended this singular
operation Of nature, will have the appear
ance Of bombast; we have seen accounts
OF Hail Storms which we Thought bordefed
rather on the marvellous; but the risk OF
such charge must not deter Us from re-
cording facts However strange. Some of
| the stones that Tell were nearly foot in
| circumference Many of them weighed
four ounces. They we're of various irrrgu.
lar shapes. They fell with prodigicus
force, tearing of pieces of shingles, and,
in one instance, We are assured, penetrate.
ed the roof of house We have undcr-
stood, moreover, that one or two people
were hurt considerably. What the opin-
ion OF stranger might be, on viewing our
town on Friday evening, is difficult to tells
on one side OF every street running east and
west, the windows were entirely disman-
tied, while on the other, all was safe and
quiet. We doubt whether similar scene
was ever exhibited 10 the United States
and perhaps, il was in some measure ow-
Ing 10 its novelty, that it excited less re-
greet than any other loss to an equal extent
would have done although ii is TO be OBJ
served that the injury fell not upon any
particular individual the loss, in the az.
gregate, was great, but it was common
calamity, and di.ided amongst many. The
damage sustained in window glass alone,
amounts to several thousand dollAs
The hail was accompanied necessarily by
rain, which must have dlmiuishrd the size
OF the former, and occasional peals OF thun.
de, and Ashes of lightning.
From all that we can learn, the storm
appears to have been confined within very
narrow limits.
Connected with this subject, there Is .
circumstance well worthy Of record. Not
withstanding the universal and unexpected
demand, nay, absolute necessity, for win
: dow glass, occasioned by the above event,
Mr.. Hugh Smith, merchant ofthis town,
refused to dispose of quantity in the
wholesale way, but yetailed ii at his occus.
toned brices--an instance of generous fel-
low-feelng, which does him much honof.
Commodore Rodgers, in repairing the
mast of the frigatc President, has disco
vered, that the shot from the British ship
which struck them, were 40 instead Of %
Founders, as they were At first believed to
be.--Maf. Intel.
We are informed that Walter Rodgers,
the boy wounded on board The frigate, and
who behaved with so much hsmness, has
been appointed midshipman in the navy
of the United States.--Ibid.