The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-26

IHE STORM SUNDAY AND SOME OF IT8 Eff
FECTs IN AND NEAR THE CTTy.-Early on
Sunday morning there were no indications
OF the very severe wind, rain, and thun-
der-stornl which visited this city about
noon. It came up with the suddenness OF
summers cloud, and although its severity
was soon spent, a high wind prevailed un-
I'll midnight.
The storm proper commenced inst before
- O'clock, while the congregations OF the
several churches were attending divine
worship. The sky became overcast very
suddenly, the wind blew almost hurricane,
and the rain poured In torrents for few
moments. There were several vivid flashes
| OF lightning, followed by sharp peals Of
thunder. -, .yr.5 .s ,....s
In some OF the churches many OF the con-
gregations were considerably disturbed by
the storm. at the Pine-Street Baptist
church the pastor was forced to dismiss his
congregation. The congregation at St.
Johns church, on Church Hill, was also
considerably disturbed.
In the city the effects OF the storm were in
some places quite serious. The roofs OF
two houses on Franklin street between
Twenty-fifth and TWenty-sixtb, owned by
Mr.. Franklin Stearns, and occupied by Mr..
Dunn and Mrs. Rennolds, were lifted COM
pletely of and dropped int the street. Mr..
Dunn was in the house at the time, but the
sudden taking Off OF his roof made so little
noise that he thought it was a piece Of
crockery being broken down stairs, and
went downsto see about it. One OF the
chimneys was also partly Knocked off. Part
OF Mr. j. NJ. Fergusson's fence, on Twenty
fourth and Broad streets, was blown down,
as we'll as the side fence of the lot OF the
Third Presbyterian church. A portion Of
the roof Of one Of the houses on Broad street
near the Chesapeake and Ohio depot was
blown of.
The roof OF the new cattle-sheds at the
Fair Grounds was blown off, and the tele-
graph-wires in that vicinity levelled. A
portion Of the tin root OF Crenshaw's
Changers warehouse was torn of. A por-
ton of two-story brick house in process
of erection at the corner OF Reservoir and
Cary streets, where the wind had full sweep,
was demolished. The weather-yane OF Chill
drey's factory was carried away, as well as
part Of the tin roof OF Cameron's factory.
Some of the fence at this end Of Mayo's
bridge, near the Danville Railroad yard,
was blown down. Part OF the roof OF the
Chesapeake and Ohio sheds, at the wharyes
below the city, was also blown away, while
some OF the signs and trees in the city
shared a similar fate.
It seems that the storm was much more
severe just outside OF the city than in it.
Mr.. Robert Harvey, Sr., was having
framed house put up about mile or so
from Richmond, adjoining the farm OF Mr..
Garland Hanes, and had just gotten the
frame finished OH Saturday. It was COM
morning. The heavy timbers were lifted
off min
stems and buried about the field in every
direction. Mr.. Harvey had fears about
the safety of his building early Sunday
morning, as the wind was then blowing
quite hard, and he with some friends went
out TO look after it. The party made very
narrow escape with their lives, as they were
not many yards from the building when it
fell. and could neither see nor hear for the
dust and wind. Mr.. Harvey says where he
was it blew perfect hurricane; he and
his friends had to hold on to the trees to
keep from being blown away. A large cask
filed with water was taken up by the wind
and hurled across the field like feather
Mr.. Haryey's loss will be over one hun
dred dollars, as a large amount OF his tim
bers are so badly broken That they cannot
be used again in the construction OF his
house.
Yesterday morning the weather was very
cold for the season, the thermometer record
ing 23o at sunrise. Ice formed in buckets
and tubs to the thickness Of half an inch,
an all vegetation shows its effects. Indeed,
much OF it looks as If scalding water had
been poured over it. Advices from the
surrounding country incline to the belief
that most, if not all, Of the fruit which was
in bloom has been killed. Some little in
protected positions seems unhurt. The
wheat fields present a melancholy appear
ance-the blades killed and lying fiat on the
ground. Early flowers have all been more
OF less injured. The rose-bushes, except the
very hardy ones, are injured, and the buds
of the Wistaria, which, in some localities
were ready to bloom, has been killed,
Strawberries, being rather backward for
the season, are not much injured.