Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-06-12
Violent Storms of Rain, Hail and Wind
Crops Destroyed Of Life in Iowa and

| are now, almost in the middle OF June,
| experiencing, is accounted for BY the frequent
occurrence OF violent and destructive storms
of rain, hail and wind, in almost every sec
ton of the country The express train from
Baltimore for Wheeling, was attacked by the
heaviest kind of hail-storm whilst passing
Cranberry Summit on Thursday evening
The hail, it is stated, ratified down upon the
cars tops like neyer-ending charge of grape
shot, and in such immense quantities as to
nearly obscure the track.
There was also heavy hail-storm on
Thursday, on the National road west of
Wheeling and it was with difficulty that
horses ght upon the road were kept from
running away.
On Friday afternoon last a destructive
tornado passed over the vicinity Of Norfolk,
Va. There was not much rain, but the wind
blew with great violence, accompanied by
hail The Norfolk Day Book, after stating
that the storm was preceded by heavy.
dark cloud, which suddenly divided, says:
The cloud that passed off in the direction
of Tanners Creek, gathered strength as 1t
went, and when it reached Mr.. VIM. Jones
farm on Little Creek, had become almost u
whirlwind. In its course it took up trees,
Frustrated fences, and almost destroyed
vegetation.
The cloud that passed off in the direction
| Of Granny Island, cut across the country IN
! the rear Of Portsmouth, and swept everything
before it: what the wind did not pull up, the
| hail cut down, and its breath is said to have
been as devastinS as the much dreaded
simeon of Egypt
At Weldon, n. c., on Friday evening,
| there was violent tornado. A letter to the
Petersburg Press says: The whole OF Col.
n. NJ. Longs growing crop of corn and cot
ton is swept clean, and not q solitary stalk
left standing on the plantation. Every plan
tation is seriously injured. The root OF
Happens Hotel was blown off, and large
number of trees uprooted in the town and
| vicinity.
We continue to receive the most painful
accounts of the terrible tornado IN Western
| Illinois aud Eastern Iowa, on the I'd Inst
| No sim lar calamity ever has bcgnn to equal
this one in actual destruction Of life and pro-
pertv, and in all the attendant trighttul CIR
| cumstances Severe as the storm was ana
great as was the damage done on the illinois
| side of the Mississippi river, the storm visit
| ed with far greater violence the section Of
Iowa, lying between Cedar Rapids and the
river. An extra of the Mount Vernon News,
Linn county, Iowa, contains thrilling ac-
counts of the tornado and It's disastrous
effects in that quarter. We quote the toll
| lowing:
The wh.rwind, when first seen, probably
six Of seven miles away. had the appearance
| OF large black shaft Or column, shaped Xix"
an upright hour glass, extending from ire
mcnlous, threatening cloud, which for some
time had been hanging over the y est to The
ground. Hundreds watched II a it swept
on It's course. seemingly bearing directly to-
wards Mount Vernon. 1t was attended with
heavy roar, as of Il hundred trains OF cars.
Branches of trees could be seen in the air,
while its changing form and the flakes Of
clouds thrown from its sides, showed It's
whirling notion When within two miles
of Us, while people were seeking safety III eel
| lars, or, a. in Sonic cases, running wildly
about the streets, it yeercd on itS course, and
swept By in full sight sublime bat fearful.
Hardly had it passed ere = h"l.-tircs:ci
man, bleeding from wounds uinn his head.
and reeIing upon his horse, rode lurionsly
into town calling for help. Talking inco-
hcrently. he reported persons killed and
others injured, at Il little village or hamlet
one and a half miles west, known as ST.
| Mary's. In few minutes hundred were
on their way there. The wild scene Of de-
ISOLATION, they found, heggars description
We had imagined the horrors Of battle
field, but never had pictured anything so
awful as the $; ght Of those poor victims, dis
ahlod, dying and dead"
As heretofore stated, the town Of Ca
man~ho, H., was entirely destroyed. The
editor of the Chicago Press, who Subsequent
| y visited the place, say:
awhile there the sight that met :he eye
was perfectly horrible to look upon, #nd no
pen is adequate to the task Of conveying
the most faint idea Of the disastrous effects
of the tornado, as it passed over that place.
Horses and cattle are lying in every dircc-
ton, killed from the effects Of the Storm
The buildings all look as though they had
all been torn in small fragments, scattered
over the whole country and feathers from
the bed-clothes line the ground, and then
all had been overswept with rushing waters.
| We went into one building where fifteen
bodies, some n,an@!ed in the mos; GEightiuI
manner, and only wrapped up in ashcct, and
rut into Il rough box, ready for burial. Dir.
| Howell informed Us thar, from Sunday even
ing to Monday noon he had visited ninety
one wounded, and set twenty-thrcc broken
limbs. We saw twenty-eisht dead bodies,
and there were cighty-two that required strict
medical attendance, and as many more that
are more or less hurt, yet are able to be
around In addition to this number, twenty
| eight were swept from Il raft in the river that
! NJ ili