Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-15
TRAIN IN A CLoUD-BURsT.
The Thrilling Experience or Passep
gers ON the Reading Railroad.

a heaOlNR speCldl says. OHc VI tuc
most terrific cloud.bursts ever seen in
this portion Of Pennsylvania broke
about the ears of the workers in the
harvest fields in Upper Berks aud Low
er Schuykill, between the hours Of 3
and this afternoon, uprooting trees,
unroofng barns and sheds, and carrying
destruction to the standing crops in the
visited territory. The heat prior to the
storm had been intense. Not breeze
was felt, nor was there any sign Of an
approaching storm until few minute,
before the rain fell in literal torrents.
But in the next fifteen minutes the
"oldest settler" saw unprecedented
sights in cases where he did not seek
shelter in darkened rooms or cellars, or
bolt the barn doors between him and
the driving storm.
IN A CLOUD-BURST.
The cloud-burst proper occurred on
the line Of the Philadelphia and Read
ing railroad Just between New Ring
gold and Hamburg. Passengers on the
through express from Williamsport to
Philadelphia saw the first evidences OF
atmospheric disturbance about five
miles above Port Clinton. A single
binding flash of lightning in the
southeastern sky was followed by
the sound Of rolling thunder.
Then the rain fell, not in drops.
but in literal torrents. Train hands
passed through the cars closing the
windows, while the lady passengers
drew away from them liz actual fright.
The ventilators in the tops of the cars
had TO be closed also. Every moment
seemed to add to the violence of the
storm as we'll as to the alarm of the
passengers. Before ten minutes had
passed the apprehension was no longer
confined to the female passengers, but
had extended to the men, many of
whom shook their heads gravely as the
train rocked with the violence of the
wind.
1t was fearful storm. Against it
the speed of the engine viSibly slack
ened every moment. In ten minutes
after the first rain-drops had fallen the
ordinary streams which flow under the
railway track at various places were
swelled into rushing torrents that filled
their beds to oyerfowipg and sought
channels on the railway and the roads.
A stop was made at Port Clinton, aud
the adyisability Of waiting for cessa-
tion of the rain was discussed, but Con-
drctor Messimer gave the signal to
start, and the train began to move
again.
RUNNING THROUGH A STREAM OF
WATER.
Before a quarter-mile had been
passed the train stopped, and it was as
certained that the water had in some
way affected the working of the air
brakes. This was remeded and an
other start was made, but the descend
ing rain fell in such streams that the
engineer could not see. Three times
between Hamburg and Port Gin
ton stops were made, the last
two because of wash.outs on
the road. At one place the inner
track was covered by stream IL or Is
feet wide and from to 2 feet deep.
The train was itself pulling slowly
through three inches Of water on the
other track, the storm having subsidized
by this time. About mile above Ham,
burg the biggest break was discovered,
and half the passengers alighted to
watch the trsin-handsrepair the damage.
Many walked to Hamburg, as the rain
by that time had ceased.
The scene along the line of the road
battles description. Entire fields Of
corn had been beaten down by the fury
of the gale and lay in tangled confusion
on the ground. Branches had been
broken from the trees land the ground
beneath was covered with unripe fruit.
Here and there heaps Of driftwood
lay piled up across the railroad-track
and these had TO lie removed before
the train could 60 on. Barn-doors were
unhinged, sheds uDroofed, and at least
half dozen corn-cribs overturned.
Several gardens were entirely sub
merged, their contents having previous
ly been swept away. Below Hamburg
the damage was very much less, though
the swollen streams had burst their
bounds OF several places and wrought
considerable destruction.