Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-21
Storm in Richmond.
A telegram frou Richmond, dated last

A telegram trou Ricbmond, dated last oight,
saws: This has been next to tue hottest day
of the season, the thermometer ranging from
100 to lO3 10 the shade. Between aud 3
O'clock very heavy thunder, lightning and
rain storm prevailed accompanied by consln-
cradle fall of hail, the mercury falling abou;
go in hail hour The wind which accom-.
:,anied the storm was also very severe a Dum
scr of houses were uuroofcd and otherwls,
damaged. Many shade trees i'll the city wer"
nulimbed aud stripped of their foliage. Sea
brooks tobacco warehouse, used durlOg the
war az a grueral receiving hospital. had the
southern section entirely demolished, SHEDS
being lifted bodily and carried into the street.
\ large quantity Of tobacco stored in the war;
house was damaged by the rain. The loss can
oot DOW be estimated. Three persons wer'
seriously IL ured at the warehouse. The eD
ire upper sore OF Jos Dlckerson 4 Co. $ sad
dlery establishment was carried away, atd Two
persons injured and other work men narrowly
escaping The walls of the Third Presbyterian
Church we're reported in dangerous condition
from the storm. Several tobacco factories also
sustained serious damage from being uhrooied
aud having the stock exposed to the ralr.
Lightning struck in a number OF places, but
a&thiog serious is reported. The storm seems
to have been entirely local 10 severity, ss
kilograms from several ueighboring points rs
port nc gus OF It..
The Enquirer says: The storm was. It Is
safe to say, the most terrific that has visited
Richmond within the recollection Of the oldest
Living citizeu. The mornng had been lnl ense-
" warm, the thermometer standing at clock
At 1902 degrees. About half past 3 light clouds
fba or and q n
east, and tow .rds half past the sky Was geo.
orally overcast. A half hour later there was a
sharp shower. accompanied by distant thunder.
and alb ut bait pas S the storm broke in all its
fury. 1t seemed as if the TWO clouds had met
i'm Immediately over the lower part OF the city,
aud each had summoned all the terrors of the
elements iu battle for the mastery. Sharp,
fiery flashes Of torked lightning traversed the
heavens 10 every conceivable direction, and fol-
lowed one upon the other at intervals almost
iuconceiyatly short, playiog fantastic tricks
with the telegraph wires aud llghIloR up ev cry
thing with lu1id, binding, appalling glare;
one peal Of thunder followed upon another Ia
rapid succession, the noise varying from dull,
heavy detonaton, chat seemed to shake the
very bulldogs, to quick, piercing crashes like
rapid discharge OF musketry. The wind blew
a perfect cycloue, twts!i0gs signs and awnings
from their fastepiugs and dashiog them about
like feathers, and the rain fell in torrents, that
at times rendered it almost impossible to see
across the street. 10 the Enquirer Office the
lightning entered several times upon the auto
matte Ii0e with sharp crack like pistol.sho
and it Was impossible to keep the doors and
windows opeu without having everything blown
from the desks. For over an hour and halt
this Continued, every ulI being followed by d
more terrific burst, and at times the hail fell az
large as partridge egg The storm seemed &c
oonhue itself principally 10 the outset 10 the
Valley, that is, the neis hborhood of the Oi.a
Market where the clouds hung low 10 dark
oppressive masses and the hail fell thlckest.
Looking down Main street, it appeared at
times as if the lightning would burst from q
reservoir of fire directly over that locality, ano
plunge immediately down upon the building;
10 iuDumerable zig gag jets. While none coud
fail to he impressed and awed by the daDger
there was 40 absorbing fascination 10 the terri
Bile grandeur OF the scene. At the Westerf
Union telegraph Office we we're told 10y the
manager that the storm was the most fearful
he had ever witnessed. A number of wire;
| we're melted, and the operating room had tt
be vacated At one time the nols" was like
the rapid discharge Of q number of pistols, aud
| the flashes were perfectly binding.
At this writing the damage cannot be es!l
| mated, but reports are coming III from all part
of the city of destruction OF property.