Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-03-17
DemOniac Negro DemonstUa-
ton.
PandemOnium Let Loose mt
Midnight.
Africa Rivaling tho Elements

the two contributed most to the consum-
nation of this end it would be hard to de-
eide. With due respect for the celestial,
however, we are disposed to award the
palm to the terrestrial. The clouds which
thickened portentiously in the sky, as
might drew her sable mantle round,
we're but counterparts Of tho Sc that mus
tered below. The deep peals of thunder
aud shrieks of the gale we're but feeble
accompaniment to the more startling,
wild and half-civilized yells of the clouds
overcharged with lightning whisky from
Loyal Leagues
THE GALE
which swept over the city between the
hours OF ten and twelve clock last night,
was one of the severest and most ter
rife that has ever visited this region. In
almost an instant, the wind which had
been blowing briskly from the west
during the evening. stiffened into hur'
ricane and swept through the streets with
force and fury well calculated to
awaken alarm. Every obstacle to its
progress not firmly secured, gave way
before it, and loose shingles, signs and
the like, were born off like leaves upon
the autumn blast. No actual damage,
however, that we have been able to
ascertain, was done in the city. The
ruins of ON old house on. Second, near
Beal street, recently Quilted by fire, was
blown down and the fragments scattered
for several blocks around. Several trees
in the vicinity of the State Hospital were
taken up by the roots and number of
fences in the same vicinity we're en-
tirely swept away. Two negro shanties
in Fort Pickering were overturned and
their inmates required to seek shelter
from the rain in another quarter. At the
levee it is only to be wondered at that
greater damage was not done to the ship
ping. The Lady Gay and Commercial,
lying in port at the time, had their Chin
neys blown over, those of the former
falling upon Larry Harmstad's wharf
boat, and breaking in the roof. The
Emperor reached the landing this
morning minus her pilot.house
She encountered the gale near Fort
Pillow, and very narrowly escaped
more serious injury than that she re-
ceived. In the country the effects of the
storm were quite damaging in several
localities. We learn that in La
fayette county miles of fence was swept
away, and orchards seriously damaged.
A car standing on the side track of the
Memphis and Charleston railroad at Col
liersville was overturned by the force of
the wind, aud found this morning several
yards away from where it was last even
ing. Much alarm and nervousness seems
to have been occasioned wherever the
storm prevailed, but we have heard of no
one being seriously hurt A gentleman,
passing up Madison street, was struck on
the shoulder by fragment of swinging
sign, which had become detached from
Tomlinson's insurance office, but was
only slightly bruised thereby. That the
gale was general throughout the country,
or of very broad sweep, is evident from
the fact that the telegraph wires were
blown down on all the lines leading to
the city. This fact is also established by
our noon Geographic report in this issue,
and further news will be anxiously looked
for from those quarters where the fury Of
the storm seems to have been spent.
AFRICA LET LOOSE.
But to turn from this wild freak of ma
ture to second chapter of last nights
disturbances. Scarcely had the excite
ment and nervousness accustomed by the
storm subsidized and the peaceable and re-
spectacle portion of the community
again sought their homes and couches,
before another storm which had in the
meantime been brewing among the
clouds assembled in the Greenlaw Opera
House to glori6cate over the recent
Ra IDEAL success in this county, broke
out again, starting pale midnight on
her starry throne" The six or seven
hundred negroes marshaled here by Hun
ter and Lewis, as soon as the rain had
ceased falling, poured into the streets
and started up and down Second street,
discharging pistols and shotguns, and
shrieking and yelling at the top
Of their voices, as il bent on
outdOing indeed the upper elements.
The uproar increased as the rabble pro-
ceeded, and reaching Court Square from
this point, yell was raised, with an ac-
compartment of firearms, which was
heard to the very limits of the
city, and penetrated the peaceful pre-
cincts of every home therein. Women
and children we're startled from their
peaceful slumbers aud grew pale with
fear and dreadful apprehension.
The rumor Of negro riot was started
where could not be learned - and
took the wings Of the wind. The
police hurried from every pre-
cinct to the quarter from which
the inhuman noises seemed to come. A
shudder Of horror, sccOmpsnied,p perhaps,
With q Wild resolve, crept over many.
And not until the real cause Of the dis