The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-06-04
VIOLENT TEMPEST.


From the Noywich, Conn. Courier.
About two o'clock on Sunday last, we
witnessed an unusually violent tempest,
accompanied with lightning, thunder and
raiD--in which the most awful grandeur
oil him who ri6eth in the whirlwind, and
directeth the storm, are seldom mani.
Tested.
In this and the Deighboring towns, sew
eral oarns and sheds were unroofed. and
many fences and trees laid prostrate.-
But these should not be mentioned, be.
fore we speak oftbe awful calamity which
ras befallen our friends and Deighbors in
Montville.
AS singular coincident, we would re.
mark, that no sooner had their rev. Pas.
tor finished reading hymn, at the OPEN
ing OF Divine service, beginning with
these words (:
"Methinks the last great day has come,
Methinks hear the trumpet sound
1hat shakes the earth,rends every tomb,
And wakes The prisoners under ground :"
than stroke of lightning struch the top
OF the Cupola of the Presbyterian meet
ing house-shattered the belfry-entered
the body of the house-split to shivers
several posts broke most of the glass, and
several window sashes-s hivered 10 at
oms several pews, and instantly sent two
human beings into eternity. Several
other persons were seriously wounded ;
among them were two young ladies' who
were SO severely injured as to render it
necessary to carry them home on beds.
WE arS harnv In cto tI,
the recovery. The persons who were
killed, were Mrs Betsy Bradford, widow
of the late MIR Perez Bradford, aged 70
years,and Miss Mary S.Comstock, daugh-
ter of capt. John K. Comstock aged 9
years. The CONSERVATION in which the
congregation was thrown, on this awful
occasion, can be more easily imagined
than described
A tree standing about rods from the
meeting house, was struck by the same
discharge of elecrity.
1t is to be hoped this may operate as
sufficient warning, not only to the inhabi-
sants of Montville, but to all others who
may have very improperly attempted to
support vaDe by an iron rod secured to
che top Of building or cupola instead Of
extending 10 the earth as conductor.
Had this have been the case, the proba-
bilityis we should not have had this mel
ancholy intelligence TO record.
Extract of letter to the editor of the
Frederick, Md. Examiner, dated
UNIoN-TowN, MD. MAY 21.--"This vii.
]age and neighborhood was visited last
night by severe storm Of hail, wind and
violent rain accompanied with incessant
and vivid lightnings. Many of our
fields ofrye are totally destroyed; great
injury done to gardens and fruit trees
The plumbs, cherries and apricots, which
had escaped The frost, have, in one hour,
been beaten off and destroyed. Almost
every house in the village has had glass
broken. One house has has had upwards
of 60 panes of glass broken by the hail,
and upwards oil 500 panes have been bro
ken by the storm in this little village
The hail stones were generally as large
as hickory nuts, and of various shapes,
and SO numerous, that this morning after
sun rise, they might be collected in hands
full, although the weather has continued
remarkably sultry.
''How terrific does such storm appear
al night. With how much force docs
man feel his insigni6csnce. Happily tor
Us, our country is exempt from frequent
storms Of such destructive tendency"