Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-05-21
Violent Tornado In Maryi.n..

A violent tornado passed through the low
I er part of Prince Georges county, Maryland,
on Saturday evening last, and extended
through portion Of Calvert and Charles
counties Its line of destruction began, we
believe, in the neigh borhood of Woodville, at
which place chimnes and fences were thrown
down in profusion. The steamer Planter.
/ Capt Weems, encountered the gale at True
mans Point, on the Patuxent, and suffered
considerable damage, with loss of life. The
Captain of the Planter describes the scene at
this point as the most terrific he ever witness
ed. The thick ropes fastening the steamer to
, the wharf we're broken as if but threads
the boat driven with fearful rspidity from
| the shOre--the furniture in the cabins tossed
to and fro and the officers and crew COMPEL.
ed to seek shelter below decks, from the vio-
/ lent hail which fell in great profusion. A
number OF passengers, ladies and gentlemen,
had not left the boat five minutes before the
gale broke upon them. Some of the car
riages were smashed to pieces, and the in.
mates narrowly escaped with their lives
Some idea may be formed Of the powers Of
the wind from the fact that an oI-team and
| four oxen with the driver, were raised from
the ground and carried half way across the
river. The driver was drowned--the oxen
were extricated after O considerable time
OIe of the men belonging to the bost--a
cJlOred man-was at the same moment seen
to fall overheard to rise no more; and after
the steamer was righted, and the roll called,
another one of the crew was missing. He
was also drowned. The Captain says that
at one glance he Jaw four large tobacco
houses fall, crushed to atoms. We learn
that on the farm of Mr.. Geo. w. Morton,
near Aquasco, every clubhouse on the place
was demolished and we fear tina. great dam
age has been done to property in the neigh
borhood --.HIiboro' Gazette.
We learn from passengers who arrived
last evening in the steamer Planter, from
Pltuxent river, that portions of Prince
Georges, Calvert and Charles counties were
visited on Saturday afternoon last by ire
mendous thunderstorm, accompanied with
rain and hail The wind blew hurricane.
There is great destruction Of property re-
ported A correspondent notes the follow
ing:--BdH. Sun.
Among the sufferers are Mr. Jam esF. Wa
ters, whose barn was blown down and one Of
bis negroes reported killed: John B. Adams,
barn blown down; &. w. Morton, barn
blown down; H. Iarrison's servant struck
by lightning, and a slave of Mrs. Moran re-
ported killed A carriage and horse, belong
ing to }. D. Bowling, was blown over but
no lives lost, and two yoke Of oxen were
blown into the river.
During the storm the PLANTER" was lying
at Humans Point, Calvert county. She
parted her moOrings, and with the greatest
difficulty her bow was kept to the wind, and
with heavy steam prevented from being
forced on the bank of the river. The furni-
ture on tue hurricane deck was blown into
the river, and one of her hands, a colored
man, was blown overheard and drowned
The upper portion of the boat was consider
ably worsted, but no serious damage done to
her.
The storm appears to have passed over
WoodvilIe, Prince Georges county, and
through Calvert county, towards the bay -
At Bryantown. Charles County, hail is repor-
ted to have fallen to the depth Of several in
ches, bat not so heavily as at Humans Point.
The above losses are only q portion of lie |
damage reported to have been sustained by |
the planters in the track Of the Storm"