Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-05-31
IN PENNsYLVANlA
m. ssruclsou 81 CrOPs- Devastas1oM
~ LUKeRMe O0uUsy.

~ kOEe9me OoUosy.
From the Pittsburgh Commercial, May 25
A letter from Scranton says: "a
terrific storm passed over this region
Yesterday afternoon, and worked con-
Siderable destruction to the crops
along the mountains north OF this
city. At about 2 o'clock, the gather
ing tempest was seen coming up from
the north, accompanied by an .occa-
sional peal of thunder, until an i'm
mensc black cloud hung over the
mountains, spreading like pail over
the farming villages known as Notch,
Arlington, Scott, and several other
places. AS the afternoon advanced
the clouds grew denser and tho tr,un-
der increased, accompanied b-.- vivid
flashes of lightning, until the noun
tains fairly shook under the storm.
At about 4 O'Clock the people living
in the villages already mentioned
were startled by a roaring sound
which seemed TO issue from the clouds.
and was fairly deatening in its effects.
This strange sound rushed like a
whirlwind oyey q mountain gorge
known as the Notch, and lasted for
nearly half an hour. 1t reverheated
along the rayines, and was easily
heard in this city, although five miles
distant. 1t seemed like the noise
produced by an immense snowsiide,
and after hayering for some time
over the Notch, descended, striking
with terrific force along the bed OF
the stream which runs through that
locality, tearing away foot bridges
and smashing the trees in its path
Fortunately, the portion Of the coun-
try where it struck was free from
houses, or the effect could not fail tc
be disastrous if it descended half a
mile further north. This mimic wa.
terspout had scarcely spent its force
ere sweeping and destructive hail
storm descended all along the upper
portion of the Lackawana valley, ex
tending quite close to this city anG
dcmolishing the windows of seyera
fine dwellings in the First Ward, in.
Guiding about $50 panes of beautiful
stained glass in the Providence Cath
olic Church. At punmore, about two
miles distant, window panes wer,
broken by the peltiRg ail,leaves were
torn from the trees, branches wer.
broken and flowers We're entirely de
stroyed. At Arlington and Scot
t0wnship the storm was terrible
The huge hail-stones came tear
ing down with awful force a.
IT projected from cannon
mouth, tearing up the crops and lay
ing the fruit trees, which but shop
a%p Ss1S1e g SaSe WHIT S,s e %sf
shattered throughout the villages a
though they were being shelled b,
some invading foe, aud for upward o
an hour the people were completed,
panic stricken. 1t seemed to them a
though the end of the world ha,
come, The heilstones strcwn alon!
the valley seemed more like the whit
pebbles Of chalk beach than frozel
rain: The fercest portion Of tn
stArM embraced, as laf as l can lear,
!, At present an area of some twent.
miles square Of farming country
The farmers over whose laNls il tray
| eled are entirely aespoNdent. It ha
bilghlea their crops, barred thei
fruit trees, and banished every bios
som and green leaf from their fagMs
The region At present represents til,
appearance af mldwinter scene
In the center and to the South of thi
citra drenching rain-storm fell. Will
vivid sheets of lightning hut nn hail
Hepavta coming tl from districts s /. fA |!
Cd greater devastation yet, and 1t i
quite possible that some lives wer
lost among the mountains"