Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-09-02
The Month of August.

August has burning reputation, and Is gen
orally month when disease ia rife. The pres
ent month may be cool. even cold. There il
precedent for it, though the precedent is so rare
it amounts to the exception, rather than th'
rule. In 1916, the medium temperature of Au
gust was only &C degrees. And such o cheer
less, desponding, melancholy summer month thu
oldest inhabitants never experienced. 1t com
menced with cold northeast storm, and wher
it cleared, the atmosphere was go chilled as t.
produce ice in many places half an inch thick
The Indian corn was frozen, and being in the
milk, so hard did it CONCEAL, that it rotted upor
the stalk, and farmers moved it down and dried
it for cattle fodder. Every thing green was de-
stroyed, not only in this country but in Europe
Newspapers received from England said, III
will ever be remembered by the present genera
ton, that the year 1916 was o year in which
there was no summer" Indian corn raised ir
Maryland was sold for seed in many places al
four dollars per bushel.
The hot Augusts since 1890 have been those
of 1898 and 1888, when the mercury marked an
average of n degrees. In 1888 there were some
intensely hot days. During nine days the mer-
curry ranged from 30 to SO degrees in the shade
and on twelve days it marked from "a to 80 de-
grees There were frightfal thunder gusts in
the course Of the month. Ono in particular,
which occurred on the 11th, is remembered as
being particularly awful. 1t extended from Vir-
ginia up through the Middle and New England
States. Many persons were killed by the light
ming, houses and barns were burnt, vessels struck
and set ON fire, and many animals of various
kinds killed. During part of the shower the
wind blew a perfect hurricane. In Maryland
several houses and other buildings were razed
10 the ground. The destruction to life and prop
erty was indeed awful.
OF boisterous Aususts that Of 1S4S will be
particularly remembered. 1t was literally a
month Of disaster. On the morning Of the 9Th
q tremendous northeast storm commenced, and
continued all day. Towards night there was
terrific thunder and lightning, and the rain pour
cd down In torrents. In Delaware county, Penn
sylvsnia, thirty persons lost their lives and prop
erty to the amount of half million Of dollars
was destroyed Fifty bridges were swept away,
and an immense amount Of other damage sus-
in the States OF Delaware and New jersey, and
also IN other States There were other destruo-
tive foods during the month in Maryland, Vir-
einia, North Carolina, and elsewhere. Nine and
a quarter inches of rain fell during the month.
There have been already severe rain and hail
storms during the present month in various parts
Of the United States At Phenix, Oswego CO.,
New York, great damage wss dore to crops
trees, and dwellings. Hailstoues measuring two
and half inches in circumference were picked
up. At Clinton, Michigan, the same day, 1t lit
srally hailed balls of ice. The wind was very
heavy, and oorn, &C., were completely out up.
still more tremendous hail storm fell upon the
country about New Haven, some twenty miles
up the Big Miami, from Cincinnati, Ohio, Au-
gust lst.