Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-06
pestruct,vo Hail storm


county were visited by one of the most
destructive hail storms ever known in
this section. Its track is marked by
desolation, and the green felds and
fresh meadows aud productive gardens
through which the storm king roughly
rode, now show by their blighted appear
ance how completely was the work OF
devastation. Its course was in a circle
south OF town, from west TO east, or, per
hnps more properly speaking, from east
10 west, extending through portions OF
Fayette, Woodford and Franklin coun-
ties. Between six and seven o'clock in
the evening it hailed in and around New
town, numerically peltiug all who were
unlucky enough to be caught In 1t, and
doing some damage to vegetation. AT
this place. later in the evening, about
eight o clock, we had some hail, though
not enough to do any material damage:
We picked up in front Of our Office hail
stones as large as pigeon eggs, but these
dwindled into insignificapce in size,
when compared with others aiterward
brought into town. From ten till twelve
o'clock the storm ragged most furiously
through the portions of country that
suffered from it. Its course in some
places was several miles in breadth,
in others not so many yards. Many
fields of corn, hemp, wheat and rye were
completely cut down, while adjoining
fields on the same farms escaped unhurt.
There are so many sufferers thatit would
be impossible to mention all, or to give
the extent Of the damage to each one.
What we may mention as TO the size OF
the hailstones, the quantities in which
they fell, and the damage done thereby,
may seem marvellous to many of our dis
tant readers, but our statements are not
exaggerated in the slightest degree.
Wherever the storm took its course, trees
were stripped of their foliage, and left as
bare as in mid-winter-in mary instances
the bark being cut completely away
thrifty fields of hemp were cut down as
with the reaper's hook, or uhmercitully
buried in the ground; corn was slit into
ribbons, and fresh, thrifty gardens left q
mass of dead and dying vegetation. In
some places it is impossible to tell what
crops were planted. The fearful roaring
that set in about eight o'clock, and
which was kept up with greater or less
distinctness until far in the night, chang
ing its course from east to west, and back
again, told that terrible storm was
raging not far away, creating no little ap-
prehension among our citizens, not
knowing at what time it might break in
all its fury upon us. Heavens ar
tillery Numbered forth peal after
peal in quick succession, and the
forked lightning .madly played in
every direction. 1t was a relief when
the hoarse mntterings of the storm died
away, and the particulars as to where it
had ragged and what damage it had done
were awaited with anxious interest the
following morning But the anxiety was
not long kept in suspense, as one farmer
after another came into town to tell of
his misfortunes and TO learn to what ex-
tent others had suffered. The familiar
question, "Who will be the Democratic
nominee for President p gave way to
the more important one "What damage
did you sustain from the storm p and
speculalations rs to the results OF the
convention were abandoned for the
time. As stated above, we cannot emu
merate all the sufferers, nor the extent to
which they suffered, so general was the
destruction of crops where the storm
ragged, and so partial was il in the distrl-
button of its terrible effects.
We are informed by gentlemen in
whose statements we can implicitly rely,
that in the neighborhood of Donerail
hail stones fell as large as their fists.
On Saturday at noon "a day and half
after they fall), we 0aw more than peck
of them, brought from that section, as
large as walnuts. Later on Saturday
many persons who came down theLexing.
ton pike brought in vast quantities, fully
as large, representing it as still piled up
in many places on the road side two feet
in thickness, and this after an exposure
of two days to hot sun. On Friday
morning it laid three feet deep in many
fields. Many gentlemen tell us they
could have filled their ice-houses with
the hail from their yards. Young ducks,
chickens, geese and pigs were found
dead in every direction. Thomas Smarr
had about thirty sucking pigs killed; M.
Polk, in the suburbs Of town, had five
killed. The gardens in the upper part of
town were badly cut, while those IN the
lower portion we're untouched. Will f..
Emerson had FIVE hogs, weighing from
100 to 100 pounds, kiiled-probably by
lightning-on his farm on the Paris pike
In some sections the land was badly
washed.
Cane Run aud other small streams
suddenly overhowed their banks, and
almost as suddenly receded, leaving good
sized fish on the ground, to be taken at
pleasure. 1t has been many years since
a hail storm so destructive in its effects
has visited this section, if indeed such
an one was ever experienced, and we
trust 1t will be many years before anoih.es..
like it is seen and Co.. .c... ne have similar
reports to what we have written from
portions Of Franklin and Woodford
counties.