The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-07-11
The ereat storm Of July 4th.


tending over very large section Of country,
was everywhere within its scope felt with ter.
rife force. By mail aud telegraph we have
the following particulars:
The storm Of Saturday evening was very sc.
yerely felt AT Beltsyille, Prince Georges co.
Md. and its vicinity, where il exhibited all
the force and violence of tornado. The
oldest inhabitants Of the locality say they
never experienced anything equal to IL The
very earth seemed to tremble beneath the
pathway OF the mighty storm, whilst houses
rocked and swayed as if they we're about to be
torn from their foundations. The first blast
OF the storm was from northeastery direc-
ton, followed Immediately by terrific gush
of wind from the north and west, the violence
Of which seems TO have been most terrific.
In the midst Of the storm, above the loud roar
of the wind, could be heard the crashing of
timbers, whilst through the thick atmosphere,
partly obseured by rain and hail and clouds Of
dust, could be seen fragments Of fences and
great branches Of trees and other wrecked
matter driving along before the furious gale.
In a few moments more there came loud
crash, and in less time than it takes to relate
IT, what was a few minutes before one Of the
most beautiful rural churches in the State, st.
Johns Episcopal Church, was complete
wreck. First the storm tore off the high
peaked roof and the pretty spire of the belfry,
carrying the timbers aud lighter material
nearly one hundred yards into the turnpike
road, whilst the heavy bell which hung in the
steeple was also carried fully one hundred
feet. This was Immediately followed BY the
dwelling Of the side walls of the church, Il
greater portion of which fell inward upon the
main floor, crushing all the pews and other
tttlngs OF the beautiful structure. The front
wall, over which the steople had stood, was
also carried away, down to n level with the
gallery, and here the organ shared the general
ruin, and was completely crushed beneath the
weight of bricks and mortar and beams The
chancel, with its handsome stained glass win.
dow, was the only part of the building that
withstood the shock, and il still remains,
though in damaged condition. The loss
falls very heavily upon the congregation, who
had just succeeded in about struggling through
the burden Of debt entailed upon them by the
erection OF this building some six years ago.
The church, with its organ and bell, cost
about $4,000, and the congregation had
hoped ON the Sunday following to have raised
the last instalment of the debt, $3.50, when
they suddenly found themselves Overtaken by
this second and overwhelming calamity. The
present rector of the church, Rev. William
Philips had only within the last three months
taken charge OF the parish, and residing some
distance from Beltsville, knew nothing of the
disaster until Sunday morning, when he came
rs usual to minister at the church, only to
find the undistinguishable heap of ruins, sur.
rounded by the sorrowing and stricken mem
beers OF the congregation and many sympathiz.
ing residents OF the village and neighborhOod.
Whilst the full force OF the storm seems TO
have centred about the church, the ruin was
not by any means confined to this point
Through belt of country fully one mile or
more in width, over which the track of the
storm lay, as far as heard from, on toward
Washington, fences were leyclled, trees up
rooted or shattered, cornfelds FRUSTRATED or
completely stripped, telegraph poles thrown
down, and many sheds and outbuildings over
turned.
In Beltsville, Md. the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, in charge of Rev. Mr.. Hadda
way, was slightly injured, a small portion Of
the end wall being blown in. The premises
around the residence of Mr.. L. Jones suffered
considerably. His growing crops were ruined,
and small outbuilding was lifted up bodily
and thrown over post. The Episcopal
Church stood about two hundred yards from
the Washington Branch of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, and the storm was very severe
" felt along this portion of the line of the
road. The sawmlll OF Mr.. John Simms, near
the station. was almost entirely demolished.
The roof was lifted up and the wreck fell
down upon aud crushed the machinery be
meath. Mr. Simms also suffered considerably
m the destruction OF fences and trees. His
fine orchard, situated almost opposite the
church, suffered very disastrously. The wheel.
| wright and blacksmith shops Of the village
were also badly shattered. When the storm
iirst burst there was smart fall Of hail, but
tins was quickly followed by deluge OF rain,
which IN few moments hlled all the streams
and water courses, and in many places the
land was badly washed. Fortunately the APP
proach OF the storm had driven the inhabi-
tants to seek shelter, and thus no one seems
to have been injured by the falling ruins Of
the church or the uprooting and prostraton
Of the numerous trees, the destruction of
fences, &c.
The neighborhood Of Darnestown, Mont
gomery county, Nd, suffered severely from
the storm. Trees were torn up by the roots,
barns blown down, roofs lifted from dwelling
houses, and grain fields strewn with the newly
cut grain. Some farms, with crops of 100
acres OF wheat, have not shock left standing.
In some cases 1t was carried to the adjoining
held. Among the sufferers Is Mr.. j. L. kel-
ly, whose whole crop of grain is fiat on the
ground. The greatest damage seemed to be
Immediately on the banks Of Seneca creek,
where Mrs. Slaaymaker had her barn 10 stone
building) RACED TO the grounds burying two
carriages and lot of farming implements.
The whole is an entire loss. The dwelling on
the adjoining farm, owned by Rev. Charles
Nourse, very hne building, had the roof
torn OH and carried quite a distance. At
midnight terrific hail storm visited the same
sectioni smashing IN the windows and doing
great damage to the growing crops.
The steamers Georgeanna and Lady of the
Lake left their wharyes at Washington on
Saturday morning, each crowded with passcn-
gers for the different landings. Many of the
exeursionists went TO the terminus OF the trip
Point Lookout, or the, Potomac riyer-to
witness the camping out i'll tents Of the Sixth
Maryland militia. The storm extended all
the way down TO Chesapeake Bay. The
Georgeanna was struck by the gale while at
tempting to make a landing at Marshai's be.
low Piney Point, and after several Intellectual
attempts finally succeeded in getting her cable
lines made fast To the wharf, BY this time
| the wind had so increased that the strong four