Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-09-03
DESTRUCTIVE STORMS.
Great Damage Done by Rain,
Hail and Lightning.
Portions Of New York and Penn
sylvania Suffer Heavily.

Great damage has been done in portions Of
New York and Pennsylvania by heavy storms
Of wind, rain, hail and lightning. Details are
given in various dispatches as follows:
From Batavia, N. Y, comes the following
account: A destructive hailstorm, whose area
was confined in width TO about one mile, and
which extended across the town from the
southwest to the northeast, prevailed for
half an hour between l and 2 o'clock
this morning The sky was tiery red, and
beneath huge black clouds were driven by
tie wind. There was considerable thunder
and lightning, and a heavy rain fell Old
people say that more hailstones fell than
ever before in this locality. The storm
came from the South, and on the south
sides of buildings hailstones were found
this morning in ridges SIX to eight
inches deep, and where the rain had
washed them into low places bushels Of the
stones were found. Where the storm was
heaviest the stones covered many rods Of
ground to an average depth of three inches
Hailstones that had frozen together, forming
great chunks of ice, were exhibited. Some
of the chunks were nearly two feet long and
eight inches square, and many of the stones
were as big around as a silver quarter.
Panes Of glass were broken in sew
eral houses, cornstalks were actually
cut down, plums were knocked from the
trees, and the skins Of apples and pears were
cut as with knife. Gardens were ruined.
and Towering plants looked as If they had
been riddled with bullets Grapevines were
stripped of foliage and fruit, and unsecured
grain, not wholly dry from recent rains, was
injured beyond recovery. The damage will
amount to thousands Of dollars. One house
was struck by lightning, but not much in
jured.
A Sharon Springs On. W dispatch says:
One of the most fearful transforms ever ex-
perienced in this section occurred last night.
Near Richmondville and Sharon Hill
cloud burst. Many buildings were removed
from their foundations, while others were
toppled because the water washed out
the cellar walls. The mountain streams
were swollen far over their banks,
sweeping everything down the valley, in
cluding considerable live stock and bridges
The loss of bridges in Schoharie county is
estimated at ,O00 David H. Smiths
store was damaged $1,000 II. s. Lewis's
barn was destroyed, his loss being $1,000.
A B. Stevens machine shop was
damaged $1,000 The loss to
crops, especially hops, is placed az $40, 900.
The clouds coming together and bursting
made a report like an earthquake, and many
believe an earthquake shock occurred stimuli
taneously with the break. No church was
held in the county last night The train on
the Middleburg and Schoharie Valley rail
road was unable to run to-day because of
WashOut near the Bauck farm The wash
I
city hop pickers were in the county during
the storm, and they left for home this
morning.
Oswego On. " dispatch: A severe hail
storm visited the southern part of Oswego
county and the northern part Of Onondaga
county yesterday afternoon. The damage
is estimated at over 100000.
A telegram from Elmira, IN. Y, says: A
severe hailstorm visited the village of Corn
/ ing, between and O'Clock last night Hail
stones as large as marbles fell and large
quantity of tobacco was damaged.
Much damage was done to the crops and
roads near Albany by the storm, which was
one of the heaviest of the season. In Albany
III inches of rain fell in the twenty-four
hours.
A Newcastle PENN dispatch says: During
severe storm in this city last evening light
ming struck the house OF Timothy Mack. A
chimney was torn down, portion of the
weather boarding knocked off, and the
plastering torn off each of the five rooms.
Joe Carver, seventeen years old, who was
sitting at the door of the house, was knocked
down by the shock and received injuries that
will result fatally. Mr.. Mack was 50 badly
shocked that he cannot srecoves, while his
wife and John O'Brien were less severely in
jured.
Mr. and Mrs William Miller. of Lindley's
Mills, Penn, were struck by lightning and
instantly killed They were seated upon the
porch of their residence. "A little daughter
beside them was injured.