The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-05-31
FFon, Our Extra Of Saturday.
THE HAIL STORM.
Additional Particulars
Reports from the Surround
ing Country.
The Damage to the Fruit
and Grain Crop.
Devastation and Destruc-
ton Rife.
Total Damage Estimated
at Over 100000.

at Over 100000.
Our edition this morning, though con-
tanning full report of the storm in the
city, was necessarily deficient in intor-
nation regarding the extent of the in
jury sustained in the;rural districts Of
the vicinity, and for the benefit of our
subscribers and patrons, this extra OF
the INTEL1IGENoBR is issued. Up to
an early hour this morning after the
INTELLIdEECER had gone to press incl
dents and accounts of accidents kept
pouring in upon us. Our space was
limited and they could not be published.
This morning the demand for the In
TELL1aENCER was SO great, that we were
obliged to print two extra editions
Some idea can therefore be gained of
the interest which is attached to this
wonderful exhibition of Natures pow
or.
THEORY OF Yesterdays STORM.
According to the statements of our
country friends, two entirely separate
and distinct clouds were observed pre-
vious to the falling OF any drops. So
suddenly did each one gather and rise,
and so marked were their dimensions
that no doubt can exist as to this fact.
The course of the first was down Indian
Wheeling Creek, from point directly
West of the city,-of the second down
the Ohio River Valley, to a point over
North Wheeling, where both Joined
forces and proceeded together on their
work of devastation. The cloud coming
from the North was somewhat the
larger, and seemed to attract the other
like the needle to the magnet. From
the point where they Joined together
the course was even more distinctly
marked. Sweeping along toward the
East, it passed over about three fourths
of the city, the southernmost suburb
only escaping. The most thickly popu'
lated parts were therefore the most se-
verely visited. The violence was not
abated for distance OF several miles in
its onward progress, but almost instan-
taneously it ceased rs it began.
THE OPENING BLAST.
Preceding each cloud, tremendous
volume of wind swept along like the
simeon of the desert. So suddenly and
unexpectedly did it burst upon us that
all preparation was out OF the question.
At the distance of half mile, trees
were seen topping, bending, breaking,
and a moaning sound was heard rapid
ly growing louder, when the air where
we stood was still and peaceful. In an
instant 1t howled upon US. Roofs,
trees, chimneys. carts, boxes, men and
horses flew before it. Waving branches
heavily ladened with young fruit
and verdure were stripped; leaving
but the naked boughs as evidence of
its strength. The air at this time was
so filled with dust and dirt that nothing
could be seen beyond few yards.
A heavy shower of rain somewhat set
tied the drifting dirt so that when the
hail commenced the effect of the stones
as they fell was perfectly apparent.
The rain lasted scarcely minute, but
so dense was its fall that current was
Immediately formed in the streets and
alleys; indeed with the flood which
poured down from the more elevated
parts of the city, in the lower streets
the water was over foot deep.
SIZE AND APPEARANCE OF THE STONES.
AS we have before stated the rain
lasted but a minute or two at the most,
before the stones commenced to fall.
At first they were not much larger
Col
upon the pavements resembled the
firing of musketry; as they fell they
increased in size till they became as
large as hens eggs and as solid as
rocks. Incredible as it may seem, some
specimens we're found as large as q
mans fist and aOeighing over half
pound. Their force can better be i'm
agined than described. In shape they
were spheroidical. and in appearance
resembling apples having two sides
fattened, in one of which
was an indentation. Very few
Jagged specimens were found, the
surface being mostly smooth. In
some cases two Jumps were Joined.
The scene in the city we described in
this mornings edition, the following
statement as we gathered it from the
lips of Mr.. NJ. L. Hill, describes
THE SCENE IN THE COUNTRY.
live on farm about seven miles
North of Wheeling, in the neighbour
hood of Clinton Post Office. Yes.er-
day afternoon about 3 O'Clock I
with some Of my "hands" was engaged
in hanging "a gate at distance
of two hundred yards from my barn,
when my attention was called to a
dark looking cloud in the northern
horizon. We Immediately made for
shelter and barely succeeded in obtain
ing it before the wind and rain swept
by. The flood of water coming down
over the burrows OF plowed land on the
mountain side resembled cascades,
which seen as they only could be by
the lightning's flashes, presented brill
liant though terrible appearance.
Fences were uprooted and lofty locusts
eighty feet high were torn from
their foundations. This was the
point where the storm first began
to take effect. a.. mile North