Daily Republican., 1889-10-02
BIG HAILSTUNES.
GLoBuLEs TWO iIcHEs IN
DIAMETER.
A Break In the Cohocksink Sewer and
Two Men Supposed to he Drowned
The Storm at Philadelphia and
Wiliiamsport-

rival Oh OctODer was maTkeu yesterday
by hail storm, which, while lasting but
q few minutes, did considerable damage
to awnings, window glass, umbrellas.
ITO, throughout the city. With the ex-
ception of brief show ers, which fell at In
tervals, the day was fair, and until
shortly after five O'Clock .storm clouds
were not visible to any alarming extent.
About half past o'clock In the after
noon dense black cloud came from the
western heavens, crossed tho city, and,
without warning, almost hailstones
ranging all the way up to Two inches In
diameter fell with stinging emphasis
upon pedestrians, with whrm the streets
were Just then filled.
Tue storm was accompanied by electri.
eel phenomena. lightning, few thunder
claps, etc. Umbre las were hurriedly
raised, only, In many casea to be pierced
by the falling bailst0nes. The latter also
went through awnings, In some places
like bullets. sWindows, especially those
OF hot-houses, were reported broken in
in several sections.
A horse driven by Anthony Todd, OF
24i4 North Front ttreet. became fright
ened at the violence Of the Storm and ran
into car No. 81 Of the Second and Third
streets Passenger Railway Company, at
Third street and Girard avenue, breaking
a large pane Of glass in the car and shat
tering the wagon shaft.
Drivers with skittish horses had diff
cult time with the animals aud number
OF runaways were reported.
A number Of spsrrows which had taken
shelter In the trees In the vicinity OF the
Clearheld and Belgrade streets station
were killed by the hailstones, ~ were
nf ha tai nf x..1..~
make the ivy on the Baldwin mansion,
on Chestnut street, above Eleventh, theIr
trystiLg place.
The hailstorm caused another break In
the Cohocksink sewer, at Third aud
Thompson streets.
A large force of workmen bad been
engaged night and day repairing the
break. The fune had been replaced by
larger and much stronger ono, and the
banks shored up with heavy plankipg.
Shortly after the hall began filling last
evening, Foreman Mullin called the men
up from the work, as the rush OF water
through the sewer became very heavy. A
large crowd Of people had gathered on
the crossing at Thompson street, attract
ed thither by the noise Of the water ruah-
ing through the sewer.
About 10 minutes past o o'clock par
ties stand ng On the pavement, secinR
the earth beneath the crossiuK giving
way. gave the warning. A few mo-
ments later tue crossing caved in up to
within few feet OF the car tracks on
Third street.
Two men were seen to fall into the
sewer, throw up their hands and sink out
of sight. VIM. \. Keppler, whe II en-
ployed by his father, q furniture manu-
facturer, at 12l North Second street, was
on his way home with his cousin, WIN.
c. Keppler, Of 1914 North Eighth street,
| and, seeing the crowd at the sewer, went
over aud stood on the crossing, When
| the warning came Wm. O. Keppler
| turned and ran with the crowd. After
the cave-in he searched for his cousin,
but failed to fnd him. Lizzie Brown,
who resides at 1884 Charlotte street;
Thomas Mckee, of Charlotte street,
above Thompson, and Charles Wesler,
of Germantown avenue, above .Jeiferson
street, stated last evening that they saw
two persons, both OF whom had dinner
baskets In their hands, faH Into the
sewer and sink out OF sitflt. Miss
| Brown described one of the men as hav-
| ing black mustaohe aud wearing dark
clothes; the other, she said, she could
not describe, but thought he was a
young man.
A hal stone is6 inches In diameter was
cut open aud described by chemist
thus: "It tasted saltish, amelled sulphur
ous, and had slightly acid heat.
WnLIAMsPoRT, Oct. 1.-The heaviest
thunder storm of tho season passed. over
this city this afternoon. The lightning
was very violent, and several places were
struck. ST.. Johns Church was dam
aged, the lightning knocking several
holes IN the roof and overthi owing one oil
tho chimneys. The pupils in a crowded
school house across the way came neal
being panic-strlcken.