The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-02-05
TERRIBLE STORM II
The Country Almost Devastated |
Great Loss to shipping, etc.

The heavy rain nf Tuesday last terminated
in polar cyclone about o clock on Wednes.
day morning, the velocity Of the wiad vary
ing from 80 to 100 miles per hour. The course
of the storm was from the northwest and ex
tended from Omaha to New Brunswick, the
thermometer ranging from 80 to 25o below
zero. Il began in the west on Monday, by a
severe snow storm, accompanied with high
winds Railroads were blocked and telegraph
wires blown down. We give general sum.
mary of the damages as far as reported =
In Baltimore, Maryland, $50 houses were un.
rooted and damaged sigus, awnings, street
lamps, telegraph poles, &c, were blown about
in all directions windows we're smashed, and
many citizens thought that the city was visited
by an earthquake. The loss is estimated at
about 100000. Vessels broke loose from
their moorings; and those that arrived in
port, report that it was the severcst storm
ever known in the Chesapeake. In Draid
Hill Park the prostraiion of u fine trees, IN.
Guiding one hickory 10 feet in circumference,
8 oaks each IA feet around the base, and 9th.
ers ranging from to II IT, in circumference;
was the result Of the storm. Nineteen of the
trees were torn up by the roots.
At Annapolis, Nd, the storm was very Sc.
we're, with little damage to property, though
VI.
The storm was very severe at Mechanics.
town, Frederick county, Md. The Clarion
says Houses, trees, fences, and many other
articles were carried before the storm as chat.
The storm lasted two or three hours with I'M.
told damage to property in different sections
Of our town. The principal buildings dam
aged were 81. Johns Evangelical lutheran
Church, Gilds 4 Co.'S. building on Main st.,
the late Mr.. Stokes house on same street,
and Jacob Yonson's house at the lower end
Of town. The entire roof of the church, raft.
ers and all, were stripped off and the shingles
and debris scattered in oil objections. The
chimney and portion Of the wall fell in.
breaking through the ceiling. damaging the
pulpit, lamps, &C., inside of the church, very
much. The houses IN the vicinity of George
W. Stocksdale's warehouse were considerably
shaken, the tops of chimneys blown down,
but no serious damage sustained. Loss to
the church $500 or $500. The entire roof of
Mr.. GiIds line residence was cleaned off aud
the tin deposited in Il neighbours yard. His
loss is supposed to beabOut Sl35. Mr.. Stokes
property on Main street, was likewise dam.
aged to great extent the whole west end
being torn out. Mr.. Chas, f. Cassells large
brick residence, adjoining the Lutheran church
was badly shocked and SCARED by the debris
from the church which fell over it. Fruit
trees of all kinds were uprooted aud fine
young orchards totally destroyed. One Of
our reliable farmers declares that when he
went to bed on Tuesday night his straw stack
was all safe and sound, and when he got up
next morning, the straw was scattered all
over the United States.
Dispatches from Frederick, Nd, say =
The storm was one of the most terrible and
destructive ever experienced in this section of
the country. For several hours il ragged with
a relentless and undated fury, and created
the greatest CONSERVATION in almost every
household. The largest and most substantial
buildings were made to tremble by its fierce
blasts. Quite a number of houses, stables,
&c, in the city were unroofed and otherwise
damaged, and debris scattered in the streets
and gardens. The steeple of the Episcopal
Church, 1876 feet high, was blown down. and
in falling crushed portion of the roof of the
Central National Bank building, occupied by
Col. G. X. Dennis, the president of the bank.
and his family, as residence. Fortunately
no one was injured. The loss to both is be.
tween $4,000 and $1,000. The State Deaf
and Dumb Institution had a number of win
dow glasses broken and the roof slightly in
jured. Some considerable damage was done
to the hospital. In the county a great deal
Of loss is reported. At Jefferson, u church
steeple was blown down. Numerous houses
were also damaged at this and other towns,
and number of fine stables and barns in the
country were partially demolished. Among
the latter were those of Nelson b. Ramsburr.
Rev. A. L. Wallis and Thomas Anderson.
The destruction of fencing, &C., is very great.
At various places the roads were blockaded
by large trees which had been torn up by the
roots, Reports being meagre, no idea can
yet be given ofthe total loss in city and county.
Daring the storm part of the tin roof Of
the Episcopal parsonage, at Rockville, Nd,
was blown off, bricks were blown from the
tops of chlmneys, trees torn up by the roots,
and a general sma shup of window panes oc.
casioned.
The Hanover, Pa, Spectator says The
immense tin roof on the Diller House, was
completely blown of and demolished, the
fragments being distributed along the street;
a number OF the ornamental chimneys on this
building were also demolished, and the light.
ming rods twisted and bent ont Of shape.
Throughout the town more or less damage
was reported on all side to roofing and fenc.
ing. At the farm of Mr.. Geo. W. Sell, on
Plum creek, mile West of town, large
turkey was blown from its roost on tree
some distance from the house, and hurled
with terrific force through one of the windows
of the house, demolishing the sash and glass.
TELEGRAPH AND RAILROAD LINES.
The destruction to the telegraph lines lead
ing to Baltimore was general, and was espec.
tally heavy on the Washington Branch of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad The Western
Union line lost twenty wires between Balti-
more and Washington. Great numbers of
the telegraph poles were thrown down and
many of them broken off, insulators were
wrenched off, limbs from trees, and in some
instances whole trees were thrown across
them, making n general wreck among the
wires.
Between Baltimore and New York, nearly
all of the twenty.one wires of the Western
Union line were down, but communication
was not entirely destroyed, The destruction
to the poles was very great, and confusion
reigned for some hours during the fore part of
the day, but by midnight all the important
wires were up and in working order.
All the wires of the Atlantic and Pacific
line leading into the city were badly damaged
ard demoralized, and business was greatly
retarded. Wednesday night connections were
generally established.
The wires ON the Northern Central, Balti-
more and Potomac, and Western Maryland
railroads suffered greatly, but communication
was generally re-established the same night
The loss to the telegraph lines was very heavy.
No serious damage was reported to the rail.
roads. On the Baltimore and Ohio there
were some distractions from fallen telegraph
poles, At Bladensburg tree was blown
across the track. Trains arrived and departed