Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-02-05
A DAKOTA HAIL-STORM.
Correspondence Of the Fhiladclphia Timcsl

We were just lnlShlng supper one even
ing, when, to some ones observation that it
was getting dark mighty fast, our chief
looking up dropped knife and fork and
yelled: Thunder! boys, it's going to rain.
Hurry up get the things inside the tent"
Get the mischief! for pitter patter-whiz-
bang! and one Of the worst hail-storms that
ever swept the plains was upon us, driving
us ala round dozen in numher-into q
little eight-by ten tent Three minutes after
the first drop fell it would have cost = man
his life to have gone any distance from
shelter. for the ice was coming down IN
blocks six inches in circumference and IN
perfect sheets. Our covered wagon started
of on trip across the country-proving
itself literally q prairie schooner-and
brought up in the river beyond, and, despite
the effort Of dozen stalwart men, our tent
came nearly after All around inside the
men were either Gil their knees holding
down the canvass, or hanging on to the
,idgc-polc with might and main, while the
hail pclted the root, sides and ends of our
tent with such force that no one could stand
against the canvas, ard through the holloWs
which the stones knocked i'll our supposed
tightly stretched tent the water poured III
volumes The mules Of our outfit tore loose
from their piclets and rushing wildly about
sought shelter along the high banks of the
river. One wise old ass, called Balaam,
backed up against the lee side Of our tent,
and assisted not a little in keeping it from
blowing over. One particular mule-the
mcanest brute that ever wore long ears
too stubborn to run, stood kicking through
out the storm, which lasted about twenty
minutes.
We We're about mile away from the
nearest point OF Shclter--a village OF rough
clap board houses, which had been run up
in q day or so with the first talk of building
a road So, after the storm, for this village
we started. Wet to the skin we waded across
the Intervening plain many places over shose
in ice and water, and colder and colder as
we splushcd through the water and ice. Ar
riying AT the only hotel in the town we
found the usual western hospitality. 10
our demand for Il fire by which to dry our
clothing the landlord replied that Wo should
have one Just as soon as he could hunt up
the necessary fuel. In the course of an hour
the fire was started and around it we clus-
tered turning II dozen pairs of shoeless icet
up to the warmth, and by alternating fore
and sft, :" drying the outside and Wetting the
inside. we finally succeeded in restoring cir
culation.
A heavy rain now set ill., and how 1t can
rain out here on the praires Oar landlord
and bis son stood in the hall sweeping back
the water as it flooded in under the door
a practical illustration of King Canute and
the flood and about rs successful. Beu'tlme
arrived and a dozen stiff boys, shoe
less, coatless, as we'll rs less several other
articles Of attire, which need not be
mentioned, all of which were left behind TO
dry by the only fire the bolel offered, marched
out through the wet hall and climed & ladder
to the loft Here we wrestled mauiuily
with the bugs till near morning, when II BE-
gan blowing such terrific gale that dozen
fellows came to sitting posture TO debate
the question Of hunting the cellar. One OF
the regular boarders awakened by the din
settled the question by calling out: You
Internal fools; there's not cellar III town;
law down and sleep; it's better to be on top
than under any day" We lay down.
In the morning our landlord brought up
our shoes, clothes, ETC., in bushei basket
ana cmptied them out on the floor TO be
scrambled for. On going out the worst
scene OF devastation it has ever been the 10.
of the writer to see met his eye. The day
before large fields of grain, ripe for the
sickle, could be seen, stretching away III all
directions, OF which not a stalk remained
standing; garden growth of all kinds utterly
destroyed; hardly pane of glass was lett
in The village; the foliage of the trees was
SO cut and manged that the limbs looked
bare as in winter time. a belt eight miles
in width and twice as many in length was
entirely cleared OF vegetation.