The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-05-07
From the 81. Louis Republican, april 90.
The Halt in 81. [Oitts.

For twenty minutes, minutes which
seemed heightened into hours, these mis-
siles, varying from quarter of an inch to
an inch and a quarter iii diameter, fell as
thickly as snow flakes; and .driycn by the
angry blast, struck with the force of oul-
lets.
They were of a jagged, irregular shape,
resembling that which molten lead as
sumes when thrown out to COOL the cen
tire being of a white, opao ne substance,
and covered with pure, transparent ice,
twisted by the fingers of the frost into II
thousand fantastic forms. One of them
picked up on Carondelet avenue weighed
% ounces. Of the Quantity some idea
may be gained by a single incident. Bal
| ley & Co.'S Circus was performing on the
Lindell lot, and the proprietors fearing the
tent might be demolished, let down in the
centre sat that is assumed the shape of
huge funnel. When the storm was over
no less than fifty bushels of hail were re-
moved The force with which it came
may be judged from the fact that q negro
on Third street was knocked down by
three of the stones striking him on the
head at once individuals unable to gain
a shelter were severely wounded, and there
are runners that one or two persons in the
northern part Of the city were killed out
right.
Every building with western exposure,
unprotected by blinds or shutters was COM
pletely riddled as if by fusilade of mus
kerry at point blank range. A well-known
glazier estimates that not less than $40, 900
worth of work in his line will be required
to repair damages in the city proper, and
we believe he is rather under than over the
mark.
There is not q street in the city on which
there was not one or more runaways.-
Every policeman reporting at the station
houses saw runaways, and indeed nearly
every person who was on the street, or
lookout, witnessed the frantic, action ofthe
unchecked teams. One officer, who was
at the Pacific Railroad Depot, on Seventh
Street, saw six runaways at zone time, in
Guiding four-horse team.
1t is said a person, who had been out
hunting near the Six Mile House, returned
with 55 snipe, which had been killed by
the hail. We hope the snipe are not as
tough as the story.
We have reliable information that col
ored peoples funeral procession, which
was going up Pine street, was sadly dis.
turbed by the storm. When near the corner
of Seventeenth street the haAstones COM
menced to pelt the horses, and one after
another the teams ran away, including that
drawing the hearse, which became utterly
unmanageable. The driver was thrown off
the corpse thrown out, and all the mourn
ers carried away from the object of their
grief. Sometime after the STORM person
who had formed one of the party was seen
in the neighborhood where the storm struck
the funeral looking for the coffin. The
funeral, we understood, was postponed.
One of the most alarming incidents Of
the evening was witnessed on the ferry
boat which was conveying the passengers
who arrived by the Indianapolis and st.
Louis train from East st. Louis. There
were FIVE or six omnibuses, two or three
hacks and some wagons on the boat at the
time, and the former had pretty fair load.
The boat had just left the landing and
was steering round, when the hail came
down with such heavy force that partial
stampede occurred. One of the horses of an
omnibus commenced struggling to get
loose, and got jammed against one of the
Planters Hotel carriages. The omnibuses
were moving forward, or endeavoring to
do SO, and the wagons were moving in an
opposite direction, but on the same side of
the boat There was general struggle
among the horses, and intense excitement
prevailed among the passengers, who got
out of the vehicles in whatever way and as
quickly as they could. Fortunately, very
J few injuries were sustained. The captain
of the ferry boat put the vessel back, but
the passengers did not go ashore. AS soon
as the violence of the storm had passed,
the boat had its head turned to st. Louis
and the passengers arrived at St. Louis
without any further unpleasant accident.
Several of the deck hands Of the boat re-
cciyed cuts AMI bruises