The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-06-21
Work Of the Storm King.


from Sundays cyclone in that vicinity.
At Mr.. Henry Merry's place, in Berzelis, the
clouds, deep and angry, came from the south
east and precipated n storm OF about two min
utos duration, accompanied by a deadening roar
So complete WAS the rapid work that fields OF
corn, which but few minutes before gave every
promise of q heavy yield, were cut through and
stripped Of their blades cotton plants were de-
nudcd, and many fields requircclosc examination
to show that anything at all had been planted.
Fruit trees laden with green fruit were olown
down or broken off and the fruit scattered-
Fences completely demolished. The destruction
TO the shade and forest trees is immense. MIR.
Mcrry's crop is totally destroyed, and many 9TH
crs are in the same condition; and taking the
season In consideration, the loss must be great
er than from the cyclone Of March, lS'o-fer
farmers have not time now to start over and re-
plant and many have not the means TO do 50 If
they could.
The storm played great havoc in Washington
County. The crops which the day before were
unpreccdcntly good, were in msny cases entire
ly DESTROYED We learn that fields which were
in the tasseing and silkinS state are now as
bare rs they were in mid-winter. Orchards
have been stripped of fruit and foliage. In
some instances the storm destroyed portions of
crops on certain farms, while etARr vporAons
were only partially injured. Hail stones, vary
ing IN size from that of O buckshOt up to goose
egg, were picked up after the storm was over
Some marvellous tales Of inj jury to persons who
wfc caught out in the storm have reached us.
1t is also stated that horses, CATTLE sheep, hogs,
poultry, etc., suffered terribly. Mr. Enoch
Smith measured one hail stone which was nine
inches In circumference. lie assisted in meas
uriRg another which was one-half inch larger
ITO also states that Mr.. W. G. Bryant, OF Rid
dleville, informed him that he measured some
hail stones after the storm passed which meas
ured sixteen and seventeen inches, and were as
large child's heaG.
Mr. J. 7. Cook, near Tennille, estimates his
loss in his corn crop alone Mt ,OOO bushels
About =. NJ of the same day, another cloud
formed, near tho same point where the storm
began in the morning, and moved northeast
across the upper end of the county, unroofng
houses, and in some instances blowing down
small houses and outbuldings. Fences were
blown down and trees were uprostcd and piled
THE erops anS prevent s'
powing. This cloud also poured out hail In
tremendous quantities.
correspondent of the Sandersvillc Courier,
writing from Sun Hill, says:
"The hail storm which passed through this
section yesterday morning, at 7.S0 o'clock, was
about six miles wide the damagi ging portion be-
ing from onc-half to a mile. In many places
the cotton is beat to subblc, and corn stripped
of every blade, and beat down to the ground,
and much of il cut down. Hail stones fell from
the size of birds egg to the size of cocoanut.
and lay on the ground one hour and n half
A correspondent Of the Savannah Ne,cs, writ
ing from Tcnnille, says: "About o'clock yes
tcrday morning Sunday this section was vis-
ted by the most severe and destructive hail and
wind storm that the oldest inhabitants ever saw.
The storm came from the west, and the gates of
heaven were opened, rs it were, deuging the
cartk with floods of rain, hail and wind. The
hail stones large as hen eggs and of
Asysry. CON eeiysSly ahupc, INC sou srouho was
perforated With then, and the fence corners were
piled half leg high with these missiles from the
clouds At this writing no estimation can be
formed Of the damage or its extent 1t seems
to have been only about n mile wide and went
in due easterly direction Corn is broken
down by the winds, and the hail has frazzled the
blades until they resembed the old battle flags
of the army of Northern Virginia. Cotton in
many places is entirely dcnuded Of every leaf,
and only the stem of the plant left. The peach
crop suffered severely by being bruised and
threshcd off by hail and wind. The woods now
are nearly covered with green leaves knocked
OIL"
Another correspondent, writing from Davis
boro, says: Al Mddlcvilc, six miles southwest
of here, we are iAformcd by reliable parties
that many stones"Yel as large rs a mans two
fists, and some parties, who arc regarded as
truthful, assert positively that they saw stones
fall as large peck measure. An acquain-
lance Of ours, and q reliable man, states he
weighed two of the stones five minutes after
they fell, and they weighed one pound eaeh.-
From the best information we can Get, the storm
eStenueu Over an ares 0I scScral iniIeS, anu III
many sections did considerable damage to the
corn and cotton crops.
Sundays hail tornado seems to have crossed
the Savannah River about upon the line of the
Sand Hills and to have struck Edgefeld County
in the same southcrly direction. The devasta-
ton along its path, which was about two miles
wide, complete rs reported in our columns
yesterday upon the Georgia side. At Curry
town, the work of the storm was rapid and ter
rifle. Rev. J. Z. Mcaling, who lives near by,
states that his house was struck about 81 o'clock
Sunday afternoon, the hail driving completely
through the shingles Of the roof, driving off the
weather. boarding, shivering window glasses and
blowing the sashcs from their easements. The
indenaions upon door posts and even fence
rails made by the hail stones were marked, and
trees in the forests, such as were left standing.
were completely denuded of leaves. Hail stones
We're as large rs goose eggs, killing poultry Of
MI Kinds and rendering inscnsible those who were
struck upon the head. Mr.. Mcaling's crop,
about l25 acres of which he had under cultiya-
ton, was completely ruined, and which he sup
posed would make at maturity 100 bushels of
corn and 80 bales of cotton, is practically worth
less.
Mr. Paul II. Hague, who lives at Copsc Hill,
sixteen miles from Augusta, writes as follows
concerning the storm Of last Sunday: 81 wish