The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-09-22
A HEAVY STORM.
Damage to Crops, Buildings, Fences,
Trees, Etc.--sinking Of Three Barges
with $1,000 Barrels of Coal.

prevailed for fortnight previous,
eliminated early this week in one OF
the heaviest storms that has occurred
here for many years. Monday after
noon rain commenced to fall steadily,
accompanied by brisk wind. which
grew in force until it became q gale.
There was scarcely any cessation in
the driving rain until late Tuesday
night, while the gale continued until
Wednesday, causing great damage to
crops, prostrating the cane and corn,
and blowing down trees and fences in
every direction. On every plantation
we have heard flom, the crops are
fiat ON the gound, the cane being
twisted and intermingled to Il degree
that will make the work of cutting
very tedious and difficult. The ex-
tent of damage to this crop will de-
pend almost entirely upon the kind of
weather prevailing from this time un-
til the grinding season opens. If the
present dry, cool weather continues,
followed by a late fall and light
frosts, the percentage of loss in the
yield of sugar will be very. slight,
and, indeed, the cane may be in many
cases improved ; but if we have warm
rains, the PROSTATE cane will sprcut
and become green, and if this should
be succeeded by an early freeze the
crop would be almost wholly ruined,
| as the twisted condition of the stalks
would render windrowing next to i'm
possible.
There can be no question about the
great injury to corn and the pea vine,
the latter being rendered almost
worthless, while the yield of the
former will be reduced to small
fraction of recent expectations. We
have no advices from the seventh
and eighth wards, but the damage to
cotton must have been very great.
No worms had appeared when we
last heard from the section, but con-
tinued wet weather had retarded
picking and injured the open cotton.
Everywhere the eye could turn on
MISUNDERSTANDING skyward-ef-
fects of the storm were visible in
prostrate crops and fences, nprooted
trees or trees with broken limbs. In
Donaldsonville every street presented
some evidence of the fury of the storm,
while very few houses in the town
were sufficiently fright to keep
out the. beating rain. Even the heavy
brick buildings on the river front were
thoroughly saturated and care was re-
quired to prevent damage to goods.
A shed used for storing carts, etc,
situated on the batture below Lessard
street, belonging to Mr.. Bernard
Lemann, WAS blown down, as were
also two small brick columns on the
second story of the new Lemann
building. One of the rear walls of
this structure settled slightly during
the storm, producing small crack,
but it fortunately does not impair the
strength of the wall. A snail cabin
in the rear portion of town, and an
addition which was being built to the
Schonberg stables, were prostrated,
while another cabin in course of cree
ton was displaced from its fonnda-
ton. A majority of the foot bridges
at the street crossings were damaged
or fioated off, and fences were down
in every direction. Business was en-
tirely suspended on Tuesday, and no
one stirred out doors unless impelled
by absolute recessity. The clerks i'll
some of the stores slept on the coun-
tiers Tuesday night. while the editor
and an employee of the Triuae-D Demo
crat luxuriated on the soft side of a
large sign-board, being henimed in
| at the printing Office over thirty six
hours. The new wharf wilhstood the
storm brayely, which is IL significant
indication of the strength of the
structure.
Three of the sixteen flats composing
the coal fleet y ing at Darrow's willow
grove, about two miles above Don.
, aldsonville, went down, and it was
only by the prompt action and untiring
, energy of CAPT. Frank McCloskey and
Mr.. John F. Park, who have charge
of the fleet, that the remaining flat;
were saved. A force of 100 men was