The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1869-06-07
STORM I'm WMG,ELaNG.
HAIL cas- Isl HAIL.
Loss rrobably oyers1oo,ooo.

LOSS IT Oba Oily over SIOO,O0O.
From the Register we learn that on
Friday evening last, the 2Sth ult,, about
three o'clock, q heavy bank ofoouds was
observed approaching the city from the
northwest, For a few moments before.
the clouds burst, dead calm prevailed
and people were almost grasping for want
of air, and the hush in nature was almost
solemn, Preceding the storm cloud and
hung out before it like n curtain, was
thin gauze-like mist that seemed to be
above the hill tops, but fell as it reached
the river. Asst came down most ter
rife storm of wind and rain burst upon
the city.
In nm almost incredibly short space Of
time the streets were all aAoat, roaring
and raging like cataracts, covering the
ravements and filling the cellars. The
rain fell so fast that it was almost impossi-
bic to sec across the streets. Boards,
wagon bodies, boxes, ladders, in fact
everything that would float, was carried
on the waves Of turbulent waters through
our streets. IT, H..
It had, been raining but few moments
when tho hail came down. At first in
particles as big as pistol balls, gradually
increasing in size and power. Some
piecies fell, we are reliably Informed, that
weighed throe-fouths of a pound, but the
average weight was three ounces.
Z Windows w,re broken everywhere in
the central portion Of the city. These
great Jumps Of ice as big as q mans fist
would strike a window and SILVER every
pane of glass in it. The city looks as if
it had just passed through scige. In
fact there we're not as many broken win
dows in Vicksburg after the surrender
as there were in Wheeling yesterday.
All the windows on the south and east
sides of the streets in that portion Of the
Wheeling between the suspension bridge
and the creek arc broken and in North
Wheeling all on both sides Of the street. !,
The city was filled with rumors Of per-
sons having lost their lives or broken their
limbs. Cats and bruises on the head and
face were frequent. One man put his
hands up to protect his head and the hail
cut his hands so severely he cannot use
them. The train on tho Hempfcld rail.
road which left here at three o'clock vas
stopped when near the glass-hoasc, the
storm rendering tho railroad impossible,
and tho windows Of the cars were all
broken out BY tho hail. On Market street
in front of DR.. Wingerter's, tho hail was
! piled npas high as tho fence. In front
Of the Second Ward Market House it was
piled up two feet six inches highin the
middle Of the street, stopping the passage
Of the street cars completely. On. Main
street, between Monroe and Quincy. it
lay over tho entire surface Of the stree. to
u depth Of perhaps two feet Trees were
dcnnded Of their branches and were
broken off or torn up by the roots, and the
pavemcnts were green with their foliage.
Gardens are ruined. The falling hail
cut off tender plants and shrubs as if done
BY knife. In the country adjacent tho
fruit trees are ruined. On somo Of them
not a branch remains. and Others are
lying ouathe ground. The operators in tho
Western Uuion Telegraph Office we're
obliged to leave the room. The light
ming. conducted on the wires shot across
the room in tongues Of blue flame. max
ing it very shocking for any one to stay
there long Asan evidence Of tho en-
tcrprisc Of our citizens, We may remark
that tho storm was hardly over before
some Of them we're hard at work putting
in new window glass, and before dark it
was the fashion for men to march home
ward with boxes Of glass on their sloul-
ders and rolls of putty in their hands. Tho
storm struck the river just above Mar
tinsvillc. There a like destruction Of
glass, Of fruit trees md shrubbery pre-.
vailed as here. In Bridgeport, too there
is scarcely an unbroken window pane,
while gardens, orchards and vineyards IRE
involved in one general ruin. We heard
last evening that the remainder Of the
roof Of the bridge over Back river had
been carried away, but were too weary to
60 and sec. There was very little hail
over Wheeling Creek, and none at all ID
llichictown, nor did the rain reach Ben
wood in any force. AS we have said, the
course Of the storm was from the north