Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1890-05-03
THE HARVEST OF THE STORM.
Sundays FusiIade of Ice Makes House
Owners Glum.

Owners GIum.
The heaviest hail storm on record
passed over Baltimore on Sunday
evening last. Many thousands Of
windows in the city were broken, the
damage being chiefly in the western
exposure. The pelting hail terrified
the horses in the streets, and in many
instances their drivers left them. The
street car system was at a stand still,
and the entire city was wild with ext
element.
The. happy, contented expression
usually worn by the average proper
ty owner as the first of the months
approaches. gave way on Monday to
sad, careworn look, as he surveyed
the fronts of his houses and made a
mental calculation as to the size Df
the hole it would be necessary to
make in his collections for rent to
fix up the holes in his houses. The
glass men felt just about as happy rs
the property felt respondent,
for orders for window glass poured
into their stores from the time they
opened until they closed. The man
ufacturers were kept busy, too, sup
plying the jobbers, but their trouble
was mainly in getting the glass out
of stock and cutting odd sizes.
There was very little cutting done,
however, for as a general thing those
desiring odd inch and fractional inch
sizes had to file their orders to be
filed after the disposal of orders for
regular sizes. There is enough glass
in the city to replace in a single day
every window broken by Sundays
phenomenal hailstorm, but it would
be impossible to get it out Of the
storerooms in this time, even if gla-
ziers enough could be found to put
it in place.
Great as is the demand there will
be no increase in the price of the
glass itself. for the dealers and manu-.
facturers do not feel disposed to take
advantage of the house.owners mis-
fortune, and are perfectly satisfied
with the big increase in their sales at
the regular prices. Competition
from the outside would act as check
against an increase OF prices. No
overtime will be made at the glass
factories, as has been stated. Baker
Brothers & Co., said that such
thing was not possible. The manu-
facturers are running now on full
time, and can only make glass when
the blast is ready. They could not
well increase their output without
charging their plant.
The demand for glass is expected
to keep up for the next two weeks,
though it may continue for month.
1t will take nearly that time to re-
place all the broken glass, with all
the painters and GLACIERS, numbering
1900, working hard at glazing alone.
Hot houses throughout the city
have all been nearly wrecked, and
the loss in this direction will amount
to a heavy figure.
According TO reports made at the
Mayors Office the glass in about
1000 city lamps was broken. An
appeal for extra compensation was
made by one of the contractors who
keeps the lamps in repair. The
Mayor referred the applicant to the
city councilman of his ward, Mr..
Kemp, to have resolution passed
for his relief.
There is q humorous side as well
as a serious one connected with the
gigantic smash, and the effect pro-
Quoted by old hats, coats, pillows
and newspapers stuffed into the holes
mnde by the hail-stones is ludicrous.
This effect is heightened when an
an ancient silk hatplugs up the hole
in the window in costly brownstone
front on Charles street, or when an
old newspaper fills an aching void
in some artistic stained glass church
window.