The Press., 1888-07-19
A Severe Storm.

A0u0Sk0y gun, WHICH ueSCHOyS SuApS Ut SE6ab distance. He is also an agriculturist and sci enlist. CoR.
 A Severe SG0rmo
 DAMAGE BY WIND TO BUILDINGS, ORCHARDS
 AND TIMBER.
 The storm of last week Wednesday night, quite alarming to people in Staf- ford, was a more serious matter to resi- dents of the tier of towns lying to the north. The almost constant glare of the lightning did not awaken the fear that it would have done, had not the continual sullen roaring of the thunder been pitched upon so low key as to indicate that the center of the storm line was not passing over us, but the high wind and the CO., pious rain fall caused many entire house. holds to leave their beds in fear, and to even those of strong nerves came general feeling of relief when the senses realized that the fury of the elements was abating.
 A correspondent writes graphic ac- count of the devastation at Brimfield, Mass. ::
 Between II and 12 o'clock terrific thunder storm passed over the south part of the town, accompanied with a.high wind with but little rain. The wind had been blowing a gale all the fore part of the even- ing from the south west, then shifting into the cloud which gathered in the north west, increased in force until the cloud passed over. Then there was Hull for. a few minutes, as if to gather strength for the terrible struggle which ensued. As nearly as can be ascertained the starting point seemed to be near the residence of Richard Arnold, on the road leading from Wales to Palmer, near the Wales line, two miles or more south west of Brimfeld Will lage, where shade and fruit trees were an easterly direction over the hill, not do- ing much damage until the farm of Henry Shaw was reached, on the the road from Wales to Brimfeld. There it seemed to gather its forces for mighty struggle. A piece of heavy timber near Mir. Shaw's res idence was made terrible havoc of. Large oaks and chestnuts were broken off or turned up by the roots, as if they were only saplings, also many of his fruit trees were broken off or uprooted. His corn and grain fields and unmown grass were flat tened down as if a land roller had been over them, and apparently nearly ruined {; his buildings were not injured, save few boards and shingles from the barn, al- though the shingles were started on the house and bricks blown from the chimney. and MT. Shaw said that he expected the house would either be unroofed or blown down. He also says that $500 will not cover the damage to him.
 It then passed up the hill little to the north east striking piece of timber on land of M. Fl. Corbin, blowing down and twisting off large chestnuts, oaks, walnut and pine, passing along the entire length of the lot and doing much damage beside prostrating much fence. A rail from the fence was taken up, carried some rod or more, and one end stuck into 8 stump. Next it passed over the hill through his pasture in south easterly direction, pros trating fences and large oak trees that have withstood the blasts of probably more than seventy-6ve years, and coming to the place of Charles Corbin Qormerly known as the Lee place1 broke large limbs from an elm tree in front of the house, blowing down a shed attached to the barn and uprooting many fruit trees. Then turning in north easterly course struck his timber lot. mak ing havoc of large oak, walnut and chest nut trees on his and an adjoining lot owned by Warren Agard. The outer circle pass ing through the south part of the farm of Geo. Adams, breaking off and blowing down fruit and forest trees and damaging hls crops. Then going down the hill it seem. ed to gather renewed strength for des- perate and terrific struggle. Striking the orchard near and little south of the resi- dence of Lucius and Geo. Agard it broke off and tore up by the roots some thirty or more apple trees from eight to eighteen inches in diameter, blowing them across the road for some distance. It blew in some of the windows and rocked the house. (which is brick cne), thoroughly fright ening the inmates.s It tore off the barn loors, demolished the barn-yard fence, and passing on in southeasterly course pros- Erated some fifteen or twenty more fruit trees. ruined a corn field, scattered and carried of 8 ton or more of hay that was in he cock, demolished the horse rake that was under one of the trees, and pursued it's course through the farm of Warren Agard, twisting of and tearing up by the roots many fruit and other trees, ,and break ng down one large elm near the southeast ,orner of his house, the top filling consid- srable part of the front yard.
 It prostrated fruit and other trees on the 1 arms of Charles Crawford and Will Web per, but did no great damage until the l timber lot of Warren Agard was reached, lear the road leading from Holland to l 3rim6eld, where nearly all the large tim l (0Gs COLS4Cb4DS O4 E4hOD OGA1 O4GCe4OO o10 maple, was prostrated. Large pines, 9 feet | n diameter, were snapped of like twigs l he debris filling the road for many rods ,iled together in places more than ten feet ligh, taking six men nearly all of the next lay to clear the road for travel. After dew stating this lot it crossed the road, and nly few rods further on entered the tim 'er lot of Lucius Agard, which was mostly aluable pine, snapping of trees one to two eet through, as short and with apparent ase as pipe stem is broken, prostrating he entire lot, the roots of some of the pros rate trees standing eight or ten feet in the ir. Five hundred dollars will not cover he loss to Lucius and Geo. Agard, and the amaze to Warren Agard is several hun red dollars. After leaving these lots it ook zig gag course, blowing down trees 3 it's path, breaking of trees and bursting the doors to the barn of Horace Willis.