The Van Buren press., 1866-08-25
REMARKABLE HAIL STORM.

w SNiSsual, thc <otu utt-, tuc pcopic VI
Middletown, Conn, were visited by the
most tremendous storm Of hail, wind and
rain that was ever known. The storm
commenced from the East, working round
to the South, accompanied with high
wind. Some OF the hail stones were the
size Of large walnut, and the quantity
falling was So great that at I o'clock il
might, in some places, be picked up by
the half bushel. A heavy rain accompa-
MED the hail, flooding the streets. The
hail stones did much damage through
Middletown, Portland and Cromwell, cut
ting the tender fruit and flowers as if clip
ped with scissors, squash and pumpkin
ivine leaves were riddled, making then
look like some fine leaf plant The to
bacco crop in Cromwell and Portland is
pretty much used up, the leaves
looking like sieves. The corn crop
too is injured by the wind and hail.
In a number of houses in the city OF
Middletown large quantities of glass
were cracked, and, in some cases broken
oct, Trees and fences were blown down
while awning posts were not spared.
| The storm did not extend over mile
South of the city, while those living on
| High street and little west, did not get
any at all 1t was almost dangerous to
life and limb to brave the storm, it came
with such force, stripping off the leaves
and limbs of trees so as to leave the
walks covered with them. How far north
it extended is not yet known
/ 1t has been ascertained that the dam
age done to the corn and tobacco crop
in Portland'will amount to at least $780,
600, while in Cromwell the crop is al
most a total loss. In Middletown the
gardens look as though they had had a
hard frost, and vegetation is mostly used
up. The damage done in that section
could ncs be covered short of $500, 600
REBEL BARBARITY pa systematic
effort has been made by certain class of
writers to fiy upon the Southern people
the stigma of wantonly starving and ill
treating the prisoners in their hands
Wirz was tried and hung by court mar
tial determined to convict on the trump
edup testimony prepared to subserve
this partisan purpose. The passions en-
gendered by the war have somewhat sub
sided, and court-martial held in North
Carolina recently, where witnesses could
be readily procured for both sides, tried
Major Gee on u similar charge of barbar-
,ty at the sallssstiiSn sssting disclosure SURE 6 6as r.
cently been made in telegram from
Washington, rs follows
Secretary Stanton reports that the num-
Der of prisoners held in the South during the
war was 2G.940. [260.9i0 p and Of rebel prison
crs held at the North there were 200.00O. The
number of Union prisoners that died Is o.
$40, and 26.3!G Hehoi prisoners died.
If our supposition is correct, that the
number of Federal prisoners confined at
the South was 2GO,94O, the statement of
the mortality on each side, presents a
refutation of the high wrought stories Of
barbarity more striking than could be
presented in hundred volumes. We are
told that out Of the Southern prisoners
26,346 died, and of the Northerners at
the South, 22,576 died. SO there were
1850 more deaths in Northern than in
Southern PRISONS The rate of mOrtali-
ty is even more surprising, for it seems
that l3l per cent Of the prisoners held in
the North died, while but 81 per cent. Of
those confined at the South died In 9th
er words, there were, proportionately,
more than one Mird more deaths IN North
ern Man in Southern prisons. No words
can add force to these astounding revela-
TONS For ourselves, we have too much
regard for the American name, to wish to
fix upon either section charges Of need
less cruelty to prisoncrs-New Haven
{ Conn. Register.