The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-17
HAIL STONES.
The Heaviest Hail 6t0rm In the MemOr
Of the oldest ynhabitant.


Yesterday evening. at about o'clock heavy
and ominous clouds assembled. frowning In
mid air. and after short and sullen greetings,
made still more dismal BY rude and rapid
flashes OF lightning. decided upon bursting over
the city. And oh. what fall was there. my
countrymenI' At first a few struggling but
immense and ponderous drops OF rain came
slowly falling. like the initial ehots OF a skir
mishing party. quickly followed by more rapid
gatherings. which eliminated In deluge OF
rain. Suddenly the drops OF rain grew denssr-
more materialized. SO to speak-and assumed
the shape of drops of hail, some of the size of
ordinary marbles, others as large as pigeon
eggs.
Quickly and thickly fell the improvsed
stones OF Heaven. Gathering on roofs and pave
ments with a rattle as OF musketry In battle.
tearing down the leaves twigs and even. In
some instances, branches Of trees. and playing
general havoc all around. Unlike ordinary
hail however. which Is transparent and hard
as ice, this atmospherical phenomenon was
white az snow being composed. as 1t were.
simply Of kernel OF bright solid Ice surround
ed with q thick layer Of hardened snow. The
fall was SO thick and rapid that In few min
utes the neutral ground on Esplanade. Olai-
borne, Rampant, Canal and other streets, pre-
scented the queer spectacle, In this season OF the
year and In this climate, Of ground covered
with snow. This. however. melted away very
soon, and deluge of rain succeeded the fail Of
hail
curious fact is that this storm of hail has
been travelling East and West around the ooun-
try, the dispatches announcing that 1t had brok-
en- over Pensacola and In the parishes Of St.
John the Baptist and st. James.
1dnn$ ,hahi fan fr a. w
before has a storm Of such a character visited
the eli Y. and, from the amount OF damage done
EVERY phosoarapher's skylight was perfor-
ated BY the hailstpnse. and the damage is 30
great that an accurate estimate cannot be given
Liiienthals. sorby's. Anderson's, Wash
burns, Moses and other galleries were In
lured. but to what extent II is not known.
Seventeen OF these solid shot penetrated the
Picavune's skylight. allowing the water to enter
We understand that the salvage corps. with
their tarpaulins. were kept busy up TO late
hour last night covering up goods to protect
them from further damage.
ON THE COMMONS.
Up on st. Charles street the scene at the COM
81 the was ra ba 81 aa
began to fall the cattle belonging to the dairy
men, excited By the pain. stampeded and ran
heller SHELTER across the fields, and were only
halted BY the fences.
THE MARKET GARDENERS
suffered severely. their young corn. lettuce and
tenderer vegetables being damaged considera.
bly, Hot houses came in for their share. and
few panes of glHss were left In their roofs.
Near the Fair Grounds several suffered heay-
lily.
THE CANE.
according to the statements OF several plan
tiers, could not be harmed much. as 1t 10 q
sturdy plant and II beaten down would soon
gain another growth. -M.5MM-...
ON THE STREETS.
particularly Canal street. the people seemed
TO be somewhat excited over the haiistorm.
Under the verandahs Of the stores there were
gathered crowds who watched with a curiosity
that was akin to superstition the fall OF the
stones, Several of the livery carriage horses
ran away, luckily escaping, however, damaging
their vehicles.
Persons who happened to be In
THE STREET CARS
during the height of the storm. represent that
the noise from the Notwithstanding stones as
| they fell upon the roof was not only decidedly
exciting, but at the same time somewhat alarm
| ing to persons of q nervous temperament II
| was more like the rattle Of musketry than any
4 thing else and 1t. with the accompanying caps
Of thunder like the roar Of heavy cannon or
| the sharp vicious bang Of the Parrot gun
| brought back to those car passengers who had
been out in the war" recollections Of other
days and other scenes.