The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-08-07
Afa Account of the Storm.
RosELAND, Cambria Co, Pa. }
AurrlSf l 1871

RosELAND, Cambria Co. Pa
August 1, 1851.
This section of country part of White town
ship, this county, and Beccaria township, Clear
held county, was visited by a most terrific and
destructive storm of wind, rain and hail On
Saturday, the 26th ult, and as presume de-
scription of it and an account of its effects would
prove satisfactory and interesting to your rea-
ders, viii take the trouble of furnishing Won
with short detail of facts connected with il.
About II o'clock on that day the heavens be-
came overcast with clouds, and presented every
appearance of rain, but no one expected aur-
thing more. The clouds continued to gather
until about o'clock, when it commenced rain
ing, and it soon became very evident that We
would have an extraordinary rain; if not bur
ricane- About o'clock the storm burst forth
in all its fury in the section DESIGNATED. II
passed fem Clearfeld county into Cambria
above Nevling's Mills, otherwise known as
Smiths Mills, and such a scene of devastation
and ruin as its track presented was never before
witnessed in the two coun ties
cannot tell where the storm commenced. but
hear of its effects in hIorgansland, Clearfeld Co
1t crossed Clearfeld Creek below Glen Hope. in.
the shape of 'rhirla0ind, levelling everything
IN Its course as it went. Benz. Wright, living
near the creek, was the first to suffer within
our knowledge, having his barn unroofed and
otherwise injured. 1t continued on in southern
direction TO the Allegheny, abating in fury as
1t neared its summit and every farm over which
1t passed suffered severely in the loss of crops,
(Which were not yet hauled in,) buildings, cat
tie, fences, and last but by no means the least
Item, timber. Every stick of timber in its course
is demolished; and when 1 tell YOU that its
average breadth is near a mile, through the best
timber lands, you can imagine its destructive
ehects upon the property of our citizens
The number of houses, barns, Sc, blown
down and injured are very considerable. Besides
Mr. Wrights, already mentioned, Frederick
0hon barn was unroofed and otherwise injured
John Shof, besides having his barn unroofsd,
lost nearly all his crop of grain, which vas
standing In shocks in the field. The sheayeS
were taken up by the wind, and carried entire
ly away, or lodged amid the falling timber.z
Mr. Hamaker's house and barn were both blown
down-also the house and barn of Samuel Lam
born. Joseph Smiths and James MMurray's
barns ere unroofed and the crops much injured
The dwelling of Stephen Morgan, near Nevlings
Mill, was entirely demolised, the occupants
barely escaping with their lives-indeed two Of
his children were so much injured by the falling
tmbers as to be thought dead, but they after
wards recovered. Considering the number Of
persons in the house at the time, (eleven) and
the suddenness of the catastrophe, it is truly
remarkable, if not miraculous, that no more os
them were injured, or that any of them es-
capped.
The loss in horses, cows, sheep, hogs, Sc, IS
also quite considerable, every family within its
range losing more or less in this way. The
amount of timber destroyed is incalculable.-
SO also of crops, garden vegetables fences, SC
James Gallaher, at the Cross Roads, recently
purchased piece of land in order to have tin
ber to supply the wants of his farm, and he in
forms me that there is hardly dollars wortha
good timber left on it. He also lost fine
young horse and nearly all his wheat. Wesley
Nevling is the loser of a horse, great part of bis
grain crop, the house occupied by Mr. Morgan,
besides timber beyond estimation.
As yet no accurate estimate of the extent and
amount of damage sustained by the citizens Of
the country through which this tornado passed
can be arrived at; and the instances above re-
ferred to are some of the most prominent o.
which have heard, and embraced within an
extent of or miles.
But while the people of thatsection OF TIC
country were suffering such fright and loss,
other parts of the two townships were yisi'e0
by drenching rain, in some places acoOmpa,
MED by great hail. A hail storm trayerSeu
White township from west to east, doing coz
siderable damage to the corn crop, and faihpo
to respect the comfort of those who were pru'
dent enough to be indoors, il dashed = ~