Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-14

gives the following OF the recent des ructve
nail storm Con the 26hl in that part of Pennsylyc-
nia
ne Sqnal began AT the farm and residence of Geo.
Wetsell. VI the barn scarcely log was left on its
foundation. Tine family occupied a large loo bulJ;oY
with an immense old fashioned stone chimney in The
western gable; the first blast OF h.sto m brought down
i1e Old chimney, and crushed Mfs Wesell under it.
Huge ones ie on Mr.. Vessel. Half the floor was
covered with stones from the depth ola foot to eeh.
teen inches Many of them weighed from ty 10 eishtv
pounds! From under these Mr. Welse literally quar-.
RED out MS WI hndng her in sitting posture with her
head pressed down to the floor with the superintendent
stones They were drenched with her blood A era.
ole, IN winch was young child, crushed to the
floor, but the child was unhurtl
Over the top of the next hill it encountered the harm
and dwelling OF Mr.. Arrson; the barn was not entirely
destroyed, but the dwelling was a heap Of ruins =.
Both Nir and Mrs Arrson were badly hurt-he bayipe
| and bruised WV
Descending the hill short distance it encountered
the residence Of the Rev. Mr. Rose two story stone
building. The family consisted of Ten persons ono
being absentr from home Nothing was lett but small
angle OF the first story. One girl Is years old was
instantly killed all the rest badly injured Three of
e AMY wee sleeping in the garnet; they found
tty or sixty PAGES distant, lying in adjoining field
Tho hat OF one OF the boys was found on the isrm of
| Col. Butte, three miles distant.
Crossing two telds and small ravine the storm next
encountered the frame barn and dwelling of Jaa Stew
art Inc latter was two story log building with stone
| basement. Reused by an unusual roaring ia the air
Mr. stewart stepped to bis door, and by the glare Of
the lightning he saw limbs OF trees and all sorts of rub.
Dish rushing aud eHng through the air. la an instant
he seized child, his wife another and thew rushed to
the basement. There was but one blast and crash,
ana the house was gone. In minute there was
perfect calm. He lighted candle and there was not
breeze enough TO disturb it in the open air. He pro-
ceeded 10 search for two other children who were
sleeping On the first floor; over the bed which wss
crushed the floor he found wooden partition and
on The top of that several large logs Crawling be-.
meath them he found his children, stunned but not Sc
| rlously injured.
Following the ira of the storm distance of a mile
We passed the residence of Mr.. Strong, whose new
dwelling witstood the blast but his barn had lost part
OF its root. hundred wards from his house il nm
rooted stone school house and taking STRIP Of the
finest timber we sknow Of, belonging to COL Butte il
seems to have let loose all its fury. The road run
ming along its side was Literally cboked up with trees
| and brush. We took to the woods, and vending our
way first in one direction and then in another passing
between trees lying parallel, crawling through their
top bEanc hes where we could, we at Length reached
the open road, within half mile OF Col. Butes.
The Colonel thinks that he has come in for more
than his toll share ofthe Storm For him destroyed
eigh! buildings composed Of stables, dwellings occu-.
pied by his sons, and various granares and eu.ouses
Ills man dwelling house and large barn escaped. A
grandehild-a small child of Mrs. Archibald-had its
skull fractured. Another was slightly injured. One
horse was killed and twelve others crippled injured
more or less Col. Pute estimates his loss at $4,000
Crossing the next hill and the road to LAUREL Hill
meeting-noqse 1t came down upon the premises Of
His dwelling was substantial brick, with eighteen
inch walls. The family on the first floor, in
room fronting the east The roof and upper story
carried away, and the east front fell outward exposing
The family to the open air but the floor overhead pro-
tected them from above, and they escaped unhurt.
There is gentle rlse-mosy open fields-to the
next batch of buildings, belonging to General FL. w
Reason. First the storm took the house, carrying away
the upper story, and uprooting everything about it,
One spple-tree near the house has never since been
heard OF.
The Generals barn was hty.two feet square, rarned
of large tinbers, and double stone foundations one
within the other Il stood on the very apex of the hill
We saw tine foundation, but what has become OF the
barn is yet unascertaned
Pursuing its towards the mountains it de-
sroyed the barn and brick dwelling of Mr.. Jones on
the old Conceivable road It's last act before rising the
mountains was to unroof a house occupied, by Mr..
kinsil, and he, stepping out OF his door the tine,
found himself on the top Of fallen tree, hun
dred steps from his house, occasionally touching
the aground on bis way but unable to- STAY his course
until he lodged 10 the tree. Several other houses
destroyed wholly or in part before the storm reached
the am but we cannot give particulars Crossing
belonging to Levi Downer, of this place. We next
hear of it Sebastian Rusts the national road IL
miles east of this, where blew the roof off his new
barn, just finished, and partly unrooted his store.
WEATHER AND CRoPs IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
Since the publication OF article under this head on
the lstnst, we have seen numerous letters of later dates
from different sections of South Alabama the tenor OF
which is even more discouragng than detailed that
occasion. During all this week we have had fine rains
but whether they have been general north OF us we
have no exact information and the question presents
itself fgeneral, would the cotton and corn crops be
terially benefited :? As to the latter no amount of
rain now, would be of any service. The protracted
drought has been SO severe that of late, where the
blades not entirely burnt up by the hot sum- the
corn has been and housed for fall and winter feed
for cattle aud horses. And therefore, whatever may
be the result of other crsps the average yield will not
be sufficient for the wants OF the planting district In
poets of cotton such as the stiff. bottom and prairie
lands but thin and triabe soia, whether level or
rolling, we do not think rain at this late period cen
counterac the effects of the drought. The plant is SO
small and deficient in sap that heavy rains would now
the dropping ofost OF the forms and small bos
and induce second growth. In the black lands, this
would also be the case to some extent. Persons
quan'ed with the culture and habits Of the plant
draw thei. own conclusions to The probability of ma
king any thing like full crop under such ccumstan
ces. Ii plentiful rains come, with warm growing
weather, the caterpillar would be certain 10 follow
the other hand ii sufficient quantity does not come,
parchedu up, as the plant now is, the yield must be
short.
The West Albanian of the Both ult, published in
Pckens county, gives irighu picture of the of
the eS crops in that section; It says =
"The long continued drought, unparalleled in this
section has put beyond all controversy, the fact that
absolute suffering, if not absolute want, awaits many
scores of families in this county
"There are many, very many men of humble means
in Pickens county, whose sole reliance for their daily
Bread is the little crop they planted in the spring. aud
which day by day they have seen blasted and wther
ing beneath the ecorchng 1aness sky. Many of these
VIII NOT iiidEe COli Secu, CotLon enough
to bny their bread until Christmas; famine stares them
in the lace and AFFECT restitution threatens their wives
and Children
The future is so gloomy, indeed that plans are on
foot form relief associations other pro-
supplies of corn Tor the needy A meeting was
called for last Saturday to axe the subject into consid-
Grafton
We have before US letter from the same county,
dated Both July, which says, eve are very div, not
having had good rain for twelve weeks. Corn will
be nearly total failure and hundreds OF will
not make the seed planted. Cotton will not turn out
more than a third ofa CROP"
Another letter written at Livingston, Sumter county,
july 90 informs the prospects of both corn and
cotton are very bad. I'VE will be compelled says the
writer to send abroad for grain OF some kind"
A planter writes from Harvana, Greene county,
same date, that "a large portion of this state and
ly all of the upauds of Mississippi have not had drop
of rain for eleven weeks The has long since been
ruined, and now the cotton almost beyond redemp-
YOu N kan,