, 1862-06-02
DISASTROUS GALE In ILLINOIS.
Effect Of the Storm at Fulton and
Sterling.
Severe Hail Storm at Mendoza.


About half past SIX o'clock Last evening
while henvy ruin storm was passing over
this city, tho store of Meesrs. Messerean g.
Wheeler was struck by lightning. prostrating
Mr. Messerean and District Attorney McCart-
ney, who were standing near the open door.
Water was immediately applied and other
means to restore them, the former laying
some five minutes before any signs Of return
ing life were visible, while the latter soon re-
covered, and this morning both orc doing
well, and though thoroughly impressed with
realizing sense Of the quick effect Of cleo
tricity, think 1t not pleasant to take, be it in
quantities ever SO small.
As the storm reached Sterling it Was accom-
panied with heavy hail and wind, producing O
general smash Of window glass. The Presby-
terian Church suffered much. 4 portion Of
the fine stone freight house, belonging to the
Ga1ena d Chicago Union Railroad Company,
was left roohess. The rain fell in torrents,
and serious fears are entertained for the safe
tt Of the crops in the county.
MENDOZA, Ill, May 3l.-A severe hail
storm, accompanied with q strong north. east
wind and thunder, visited this vicinity about
NAN~0
damage to windows, shrubbery, aewer gar
dens and fruit. Many Of the most solid hail
stones were fully three inches In diameter.
It is impossible to estimate at present tie
amount Of damage by these Icy projectile5,
but It is known to be very heavy. One hun
dred lights Of glass were broken in the Illi-
nois Central Railroad passenger house alone,
and fory-seven in the front Of the post-ofi1ce
building. Other unprotected buildings and
residences suffered In like proportion, while
fruit trees and shrubbery were stripped of
leaves and otherwise damaged, and gardens
almost destroyed Hail fell thick1y for about
half an hour, giving to the streets and side
walks the appearance Of snow storm.
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribune
STERLne. Whlteside Co., Ill, May 81, 1862.
About three o'clock P. m. it commenced
raining in torrents, accompanied with heavy
crashing thunder and most vivid lightning
and Boon the whole country was full si1
inches under water.
It soon commenced hailing, and doubt i
the history of the country can record such
hail storm as this. For full one hour tile bal
came In solid sheets, email at first, but be
come larger until they got to BIZ the size o
hens eggs, and any quantity could be fount
much larger,
At this stage Of the storm the scene was in
decribable. The cattle came running throusl
the streets by hundreds, believing and tear
ing around, giving evidence Of being perfectl
| crazy and beWi1dcred.
| The city was full Of teams, and many brok
| loose and went rushing through the street,
The people rushed out and cut horses frou
the wagons, and in few moments every stor
vas filed With trembling horses, who we1
not only frightened nearly to death, but man
| we're Injured from the hail. The win
blew perfect hurricane, and signs, boxer
lumber, and every conceivable thing that wa
Eot securely fastened, became movable Pre-
perty, aud tho air Was filed with The fras
| ments. The south side Of the freight depo
Of the Galena road Was taken of, aud dashe
into million plects. The water was two fee
deep all over the depot grounds. The ravinc
became rivers, and the whole country was
lake Of water. Every garden in the city
completely destroyed, and the shade tree
nearly ruined. Hardly whole light Of glas
is LETT on the east side Of house in toT1
The crops in the country must be very bad1
est Inhabitants say they never knew so MUG
water falling in the same length of time. Tn
storm lasted in all its fury fully two hour
and the hail stones could be gathered up b
the wagon, load hours after the storm.
The. destruction Of property in this cit
alone is large, and this morning, hundreds ar
eroEdjng the glass stores, for The wherewit
to fix up their windows.
1t was an awful night, and We hope that "
may never bevisited with the like again. TIL
| clouds were terrible to look at, the element
beiDg in perfect Whir1, and it may be ths
some other locality was visited with its fury
| and that the destruction Of property is wors
than here. It must have nearly DESTROYED til
wheat, and the corn will be very apt to rot
the ground from the effects Of SO much waite,
It is impossible to estimate the damages q
present. but it must be heavy. uuderstan
That at Empire, four miles west of here, ther
Vas no hail, but q terrific storm Of rain an