Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-06-24
Arkansas Hail Storm,

The Topeka Commonwealth publish
es letter from lady who was in the
midst of the recent great hail storm in
Kansas. She says; The night was
SO pleasant that we slept sitting up
till the new conductor woke us after
leaving Nickerson. The morning re-
manned pleasant tillsan ominous cloud
appeared in the southeast extreme
horizon, at Florence, as the train
pushed out. 1t rose higher and ex-
tended northward, like a great dark
wave, entirely celebrating the light Of
the sky over which it spread. AS ii
rose higher and spread wider, it be-
came impregnated with that lurid
green dye that seems to Indicate death
and a fearful storm. At this time
there was scarcely breath Of air,
but the great black, greenish volume
had darkened all the earth around
and almost made use of lamps in
the cars necessary. an earnest prayer
for preservation filled my soul, when
all at once came the conviction,
"Move to the other side" BY this
time the sky on the north presented
fearful appearance, and the wind was
beginning to rise. / obeyed the secret
summons, for as such / accepted it,
and asked the young lady in whose
pleasant company had been to move
on the south side of the car with me.
We sought our new position with
young man who occupied two entire
seats, briefly stating we felt it to be
dangerous on the north side. Just as
we got seated laundering crash and
a lightning flash heralded the bursting
OF the storm. Then followed such q
shower of ice bullets as my eyes never
witnessed before, and / hope never will
again, and Immediately the breaking
of the window occurred by which Ihad
been sitting, covering the seat with
heavy broken glass. Your readers
will not believe the extraordinary size
of the haistones-not like marbles
alone. but from that size, without any
exaggeration. to the enormous size of g
goose egg. In a few minutes every
window on the north side oil
the Car was broken but one, though
the conductor and brakeman, quick as
human hands could work, closed the
ventilators and put down the slat
shutters, which prevented the great
haIlstones from striking the passen.
gers. 1t aid seem, as they fell Sc
heavily on top of our car, that they
would fall through on our heads, and
some did, ] was told, in the sleeper,
whose windows were not protected by
the common Stats, The ground was
literally covered with hailstones, many
of which must have weighed pound
or more, and great damage must have
been done. One OF the most wonder.
full sights was the dropping OF these
great hailstones into the streams near
and over which we passed, causing as
they fell so rapidly and thickly, mount.
anious and wonderful bubbles. This
storm lasted an hour and quarter.
As we came to Usage City the earth for
some distance was deluged, and even
houses were in water, but the hail did
not seem to extend farther east than
Emporia.
Fifty-four windows were smashed to
pieces in our train altogether. The
company provided new cars for the
passengers farther east, for ours were
full of broken glass and water. We
thank God for the preservation of our
lives and hope the faithful engineer
was not hurt.