Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-04
HAIL STORM In WHEELING.
A ForiOus blast = Enormous Hail
stones and n Great Fail Of Water
Great Damage 20 Property.
From the Wheeling Intelligeneer, May %.

stones and n Great Fail Of Water
Great Damage 20 Property.
From the Wheeling Intelligeneer. May %.
About O'clock yesterday after
noon a dark and heavy cloud, APP
parently short distance above the
earth, overcast the sky. This sus
picious looking omen suddenly grew
darker still, and the atmosphere be-
came close and sitting. All at once
terrific blast of wind burst upon
us, and swept every thing before it.
The dust was so thick and binding
that nothing could be seen for few
seconds, but when the large and
heavy drops of rain had laid the
drifting dirt, the scene was one
of terrible yet peculiar sig
nifeance. Not moment was
allowed to merchants for re-
moving the goods which were in
front of their stores, or the house
keepers for closing blinds, doors
or shutters, and these movable, to-
gether with roofs, chimneys, ETC.,
were flying in every direction, as if
an earthquake had shaken the city
from her foundation. Horses at
tached to or disconnected from their
vehicles were madly plunging
through the thoroughfares, endan-
gering life and limb to unfortunate
pedestrians. Before the wind had
ceased, and if lasted but a moment,
the rain had changed to hail, which
ratified against the windows for a
moment, and then perforated the
glass as the Jumps of CONCEALED
water grew in size. The sound
upon the pavements and the roots
was like the rapid firing of mus
kerry, and so great was the force OF
the stones that shutters were
smashed, and even the window
sashes broken and beaten to pieces.
Not only this, but the walls across
the rooms from the windows were
indented and the plastering in some
cases beaten of to the solid masonry.
When the storm was at its highest
fury, the hailstones were of the
size of mans clenched fist, and
solid rs canister balls, which they
very much resembled in appear
ance. They were in most cases
| nearly round, being slightly fiat
tened on two sides like an apple,
with small holes or indentatiOns,
resembling the place where the
stem joins the core, on either side.
In less time than it take to write it,
the streets in the lower portion OF
the city, or that part nearest the
river, were covered TO the depth Of
foot with these wonderful balls
Of ice, and every window facing the
north, from which direction the
storm came, was filed with broken
panes.l lHts -a'ts@
In about twenty minutes it was
possible for a man to venture out
without danger of having his head
broken. The rain was pouring down
in torrents and the streets seemed
like huge cutters or small rivers
bearing away boxes and debris
upon rapidly increasing currents.
Here and there a large tree came
floating by with the stock in trade
of q merchant mingled in its
branches; carts and wagons were
clinging TO lamp posts and con
yenient corners. The depth of the
hail and water on Main street was
over three feet, and the heaps of ice
in places were five feet high. A
the corner of Quincy and Mair
streets the current turned, and ran
toward the river, down Quincy
street. The sewers were of grea
service, but for some time the deptt
| of the water rendered il impossible
| to observe their utility.
| In the country the damage to the
vineyards and orchards is incalcula
BILE. The vineyards of Capt. Craw
ford and the Wheeling and BelmOn
| Wine Association were each dam
aged to the extent of $4,000. Th'
numerous grsnaries in the vicinity
suffered to like extent. The croI
of grapes this year is doubles
three-fourths destroyed, and that 0
| next season materially lessened. i
would be easy to figure the los
in this product alone as high a
$4,000. Oftbe wheat and corn W
A will not attempt an estimate.