The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-05-17
LOCAL MATTERS.

Destructive HAIL .SroRM. have
bean permitted to make the following extract from
a private letter received by gentleman Ia this
city, from his brother in Powhatan county, writ.
| tea on Saturday evening last.
We have had this evening. the worst bail storm
| eyer saw. The bail stones were larger than par
| fridge egg4 aud CONTINUED to fall TIL the ground
was white with them. The clouds passed back wards
and forwards over Us thrcs or four times ana when
the hail ceased falling. had tprriic 'bl w and
the heaviest shower of rain that ever witnessed.
The damage d1ne BIZ the storm in this Immediate
neishborhooj, is yerY great Tie growing crops
have been beaten down. the wheat Is prostrated and
nearly ruined, and our gardens ars literally torn
tc pieces. The bail stones were SO large that they
broke out the window glasses and alrost stripped
the forest trees of their green foliage"
IN Chesterfield County, we learn, the storm was
equally if not more, severe and destructive Mr.. NJ.
h. Gary exhibited TO rs last evening handkerchief
fuli OF hail stones, which he picked mp in the
road where they lay f,co three fret in dspth yes.
terday. He informed us that il was especially Sc
we're between Gregory's tavern and Miles Chalk
ley's, vegetation being completely cut up wheat
destroyed trees stripped of their leaves and win
d0ws broken Large numbers OF fowls, and eve
pigs. were killed. The storm appearsed to extend
over space about five miles in width p. rsons re-
siding in Chesterfield aver that they haiIstones
as large rs hens eggs: indeed. of those which
we saw last evening, twenty four hours subsequent
to the stormwere nePrly as large as partridge eggs
The utmost CONSERVATION prevails in the locality
in consequence of this disastrous visitation.
The HliL Train, from Petersburg Saturday eve
ming, came in contact with faiieu tree at GregO-
ry Cut, while terrible thnDder storm vas pre-
vaiiing. The locomotive (Mazeppa) and the second
class passenger car were badly damaged and the
ladies' car somewhat injured; but fortu nately
no person was hurt. The passengers were much
alarmed, as a matter of course, but their fears
were soon quieted. 1t was a narrow escape from
q more serious disaster. THE accident was one
which could not be avoided. the darkness and rain
rendering it impossible for the engineer to the
obstruction Large limbs were twisted from the
n Var in ia hp lima of ha
BaoAD ROCK RACES -FiFTH Day
The spring meeting of 1858 closed or Saturday
last with two races-one match, two mile heats,
500 aside; and the other mule race. The at
tendance on this day. not large owing to The
fact that little sport anticipated, as the con
testants in the match had met once during the
week, when the Billy Townes horse beat Lady
Campbell with apparent ease. With those who
were present, the horse was made the favorite at
four and five to one, and takers at that odds were
scarce as hens teeth, so that 10 one serious
ly damaged by the result. Wher, the two came
together the preceding Wednesday, Lady Camp
bell was evidently too high for brnisiBg race,
and the horse being in fair condition, beat her
handy. On Saturday, conditions were reversed.
The Lady had been worked down 10 fair orde
aud looked every inch winner, before the start,
while the horse was tucked up from the effects
OF violent cold, mad free discharge at the nose
and seemed as iifeess as living animal could we'll
be. These changes, however, were unnoticed b.
the .'felders,'' and on that account many of them
were surprised.
FIRST Hedt-At the tap Of the drum the two
went off together, the horse being unable to ex-
tend himself, and the Lady having no desire 10
leave him, and jogging along as if entering upon
a long journey, traVersed the two miles in the re-
marhdble time of I'll, the Lady winning with
ease.
Ssooad Heat-The horse having warmed up, at
the tap Of the drum jumped off in the lead, aud
forcing the running best he could, made the
mare run the heat in 3:54, which she won with
ease, to the qualification of those who had backed
her before the start.
We append a summary.
FIFTH Day, Saturday May l5--A match race, 5000
aside, half forfeit, two mile heats.
G Green's bm Lady Campbell ll................. ]
d McUauies (Mr Crouchs) III by Billy
TowneS, out of Red Eyes Qani................ 2 2
Time 4ll-3:5f.
Second Roce-A pIrse of $50 for mules, S. en-.
trance. mile heats.
There were but two entries for this racer.
Bakers grey mule, and Mr.. Moss brown mule
As ,he entry Of Mr.. Baker was known to be well
trained and good runner, every body WIS dispos
ed TO back him, while mule owners generally were
aTerse TO encounterng him ia a trial Of speed
We need only add, that the grey won easily i'll
two straight heats never leaving the track, while
;he entry OF MIR. Moss kicked up "shindy" when
ever pressed to the top Of his speed. And thus
closed the sprihg meeting on Broad ROcs-not on
ly the most pleasant, but by far the most profta-
BILE one to the worthy Proprietor, that We have
known for many yeers.