The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-05-18

One of the Most Violent Rain and
Hail Storms Ever Witnessed
i'm this Section.

One Side of the Galvanized IrOr
COrnice of the Dome of the
Court House Blown Off.
The Damage Throughout the Cit,
Reported Very Slight-AlOng
the Line of the Railroads.
Shortly after noon yesterday thi.
Hty was visited by one of the most
violent rain and hail storms ever wit
messed in this section, but fortunately
the damage was very light, and in
comparison with what might have
been expected from such a terrific
gale very few casualties are reported.
The storm in its commencement
was accompanied by vivid flashes OF
lightning and terrific peals ofthunder,
which, however, ceased as the fall OF
rain became heavier, and the streets,
especially those in in the lower por-
lions of the city began to assume the
appearance of rushing rivers. The
wind blew steady gale from the
west, and there was quite large fall
of hail for a few moments. The
storm seemed to have in it
MANY OF THE ELEMENTS OF A
CYCLONE,
having a tendency to dive under every
loose opening and twist things around
in promiscuous shape. Those
who are In constant terror of
the terrible cyclone turned pale
and while they endeavored not to ap-
pear frightened, with one accord be-
gan to seek what they deemed the
safest places In such emergencies.
The gale spent its fury inside of thirty
minutes, and the waters subsidized al
most as rapidly as they came in the
business portion of the city. For
brief period Ohio street looked as
though it might be navigable for
small craft at least, and the waters
came up to the very threshold of
many business houses. Had the heavy
rainfall continued but a few minutes
longer, the floors of quite number of
stores would have been submerged.
After the storm had spent its fury and
those who in their terror had sought
refuge in cellars and other places of
either real or imaginary safety,
came forth, there at once
began to be circulated all man.
ner of wild rumors regarding the
damage done. One of these was to
the effect that portion of the
COURT HOUSE HAD BLOWN DOWN,
and, as it was just after the
dinner hour quite large crowd gath
cred near the building to ascertain the
extent of the damage. The handsome
structure seemed 10 be intact, but
finally it was discovered that there
was quite a large opening in the |
dome, the galvanized iron cornice ON
the north side having been ripped off |
and thrown over on the roof. Quite
a food of water poured in through the
opening, but no serious damage was
done. The west side of the dome was
also bulged out, and some asserted
that it had been twisted from its foun-
dalton, but an examination proved
this not to be the case. The damage
was very slight, and will probably not
exceed $500, being fully covered by
insurance in the agency of A. P. Es-
penschied. There were a great many
theories advanced as to the manner in
which the hurrican, cyclone or what
ever it was, operated, some claiming
that window had been left epen, thus
giving the gale easy entrance
This, however, was found not to be
the case. Others thought that the
accident was the work of lightning,
while as usual the chronic croaker
could be found who declared that the !
court house was a shaky structure
any way and imagined that they could
zee the dome lettering while the storm
was in progress. All this proved to
be the merest nonsense, as from the !
general appearance of the dome it did !
not seem that the ruin there was
wrought by the subtle agency of cleo I
richly, and as to the court house
icing shaky, that is the merest of
imagination, as more solid and en-
Turing structure is seldom erected. {
The reporter listened with respectful i
attention to the wise suggestions of
,eople who must talk, hut after all
'ould find no tangible basis on which
o create theory regarding the dam I
.ge and how it was caused other than
he very simple one that it was the E
york of the storm. IL
OTHER DAMAGE.