Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-06-28
FEARFUL HAIL. AND WIND.STORM.
GREATDEsTRUCTIO OF PROPERTY.
HOUSES OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES UPROOT-
ED-FENCES SWEPT AWAY-WHEAT.
OATS AND CORN DESTROYED
BARNS UNROOFED. &C. &C. &C.


One of the most fearful storms Of wind and
hail ever known in the Valley swept over the
of Port Republic on last Saturday
evening. destroying everything in its track. 1t
started near Mr.. John F. Lewis on the Shenan-
doah River and swept up the river as far an
Mr.. James A. Patterson's on South River
Blue Ridge through Browns Gap. The track Of
the storm was about mile and half Wide.
AT Mr.. HENRY B. HARNsBERGER's,
about q mile South of Port Republic, the de-
struction was fearful. His wheat that was cut
and shocked was scattered abroad and that still
standing, about 40 acres. was greatly injured
his corn was utterly ruined and his garden il
as If 1t never had been; the grape vines and
currant bushes were literally cut to peices, the
trees in the yard blown down and all Of his
fencing destroyed. His wagon-shed was also
blown down. smashing his buggy which was
under it. He says the hail stones fell thicker
than he ever saw them and amidst their rattle,
with the loud roar Of the wind, he heard
nothing Of the terrific thunder that accom-
panied the storm.
HOUSE BLOWN OVER.
The frame house of Mr.. Taylor Wagner. near
Mr.. Harnsberger's. which was weather board
ed, and faced with plank on the inside, was
careened over and Is q complete wreck. Mrs.
Wagner. with her two little children, was in
the house at the time and feeling 1t yielding to
the violence of the storm, ran out into the
beating hail with her children in her arms.
They were severely bruised by the thick fall
ing stones and it is feared that the little child
two years old will not survive.
REMARKABLE INCIDENT
Of the storm showing the violence Of the wind
was the driving Of an inch plank ten inches
wide through weather-boarded house. This
was q new house recently built by Mr.. Harms
berger and the pile Of plank from which the
one was blown was only thirty feet Distant
The plank struck the house end wise, penetrat-
ed through the Misunderstanding and plaster
ing demolished a table In the room and strik-
Ing against the mantle loosened it from the
brick chimney back oft.
THE ROOF OF THE DEPOT
building of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad at
Port Republic was blown off, and falling upon
a frame building crushed it down. A number
Of barns and other buildings in the vicinity Of
Port Republic were unroofed and otherw lse
Injured.
AT MR.. FRANK BROOKE'S,
who lives on the old John Miller property, the
storm was equally severe. sixty-acre field of
oats was SO utterly destroyed that it looks as If
there had never been any oats in it. We have
also heard that his dwelling-house was badly
injured, but this has not been confirmed.
Mr.. FOUNTAIN KEMPER
had his wheat cut and shocked, but 1t was
scattered far and near, and his loss will be con-
siderable from the shattering out Of the grain.
So far we have learned no further particulars
of this destructive storm; but for the distance
Of four miles in length and a mile and hall
wide, everything vegetable has been destroyed
and the fencing all blown down. The destruc-
ton Of timber in the track of the storm, when
it crossed the Blue Ridge. is said to be fearful.
and Mr.. Harnsberger estimates that half Of his
pine timber has been ruined.
It is further reported that the fury Of the
storm had not abated after it crossed the Blue
Ridge, and that great damage has also been
done in Albemarle.
HEAVY RAINS.
There were heavy rains in other portions OF
the county on the same evening, causing much
loss of property. Near Burke's Mill the rain
fell in torrents, and about 200 bushels of wheat
of Mr.. Thomas Burke's and about 500 bushels
of Mr.. Samuel Byers's was overfiowed and bad
ly injured. Much meadow land along the
smaller streams in the vicinity was also over
flowed, and much fencing washed away, caus-
ing great damage.
Near Mt. Scion the rain was also very heavy,
and Mr.. Crist Daggy lost a large quantity OF
wheat already cut which was washed away.
Mr.. Zimmerman and Capt. j. H. Todd also
lost severely having their cut hay swept of,
and that still standing injured by being over
flowed.