The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-11-28
WIND, RAIN, HAIL AND SNOW.
Great Destruction OF property.

places amounted to a hurricane. We append
/ condensed reports:
The new Metzerott Music Hall, in course
of construction on 18th street, n. W., just
below F street, Washington, D. c., was
blown down. The streets of the city were
practically deserted at the time of the acct
/ dent, and the first intimation that the public
| had that there as any immediate results of
| the great storm was when the fire alarm was
rung and the engines and hook and ladders
| and patrol wagons went tearing up toward
the corner of 18th and f streets. Several
| persons were caught by the falling walls;
| one was killed and some were seriously in
/ iured, while others were only bruised.
The flag on the White House was cut in
half as clean as if done by shears.
Winder's building, on 18th street, opposite
the War Department, was partially unroofed
and the upper floors deluged with water.
| During the progress of the storm lightning
struck the large gas reservoir at the corner OF
18th and G streets. Long tongues of flames
from rents in the top of the structure rose
high in the air. The tall supporting columns
of cast iron surrounding the the tank snapped
into a dozen fragments. The first break in
the thick iron casing prevented an explosion,
which might have been very disastrous. As
it was, the gas simply blazed at the openings,
as if they were huge burners, and in this way
100000 feet of gas spent itself in illuminating
the day.
The scene at the fire soon after the explo-
sion was one of desolation, and the huge ca
sing of the reservoir was twisted in all man
ner of shapes, and from three ragged holes
in the top the gas still came out in streams,
burning with bright light.
IN PENNSYLVANIA.
At Harrisburg many stores, public build
| apI ,.astIaprac t1prnnfa1 and the
drenching rain soaked everything. Large
plate glass windows were blown in, fences
leveled and metal roofs rolled up and carried
several blocks away.
| From Harrisburg down to Hagerstown the
path of the storm is shown by wrecks of
barns, orchards, outbuildings, fences, &c.
Reports from Williamsport, Altoona, Lam
caster, Lock Haven, Norristown, Chester and
Wilkesbarre give details of great destruction.
In the Lebanon Valley very few farms es-
capped, while telegraph and telephone poles
are Frustrated.
In York county very little damage was
done except in Hanover and vicinity. At
| Hanover there was a cyclone by which the
| Ketterer wagon works were destroyed. The
details are as follows: Howard D. Carbaugh,
who resided near Schwartzs school house,
about two miles from town, was killed he
leaves a wife and two children. His body
was found under the elevator and was crushed
into a shapeless mass.
The injured are Joseph Knapp, arm torn
| off; William Lansinger, Jacob Rusher, Will
liam Weist, David Althoff, Robert Althof,
Adam Rebling, Joseph Renault, Jr., each
sustained severe cuts, Commissions and frac-
lures of either arms or legs.
The wrecked building is situated upon the
lands of the West End improvement Com
pany; was built of brick, and was so by 200
feet in size and three stories in height. Mr..
Ketterer manufactured heavy express and
dray wagons and put his factory in operation
on August 1st 1t was the most important
mauufactory of Hanover and was pointed out
with pride by the citizens. Thirty people
were employed in it.
At one o'clock an intensely black cloud
was seen sweeping rapidly along the southern
horizon, and in Il few minutes the wild wind
blew a hurricane. Chimneys were toppled
over, trees uprooted, fences blown down and
the air filled with flying bricks and debris.
In the midst of the storm the steam whistle
of the wagon works could be heard sounding
signals, and soon after number of men came
running from that direction with torn clothing
and blood streaming from wounds.
The greatest excitement prevailed and ev-
erybody who could go at once repaired to the
scene of the disaster.
The wreck of the building was complete.
Cries for help could be heard from all parts
of the Debris and the bleeding and manged
victims presented horrible sight as they
were taken from the wreck by corps of vol
unteers.
William Gemmill, the engineer, proved
himself hero, and to his GOODNESS and
bravery is due the fact that at least score oil
lives were saved from an awful death. While
the storm was raging he noticed that the main
wall of the building was slowly parting from
the engine house, and at once ran to the su.
perintendent's Office to give the alarm. But
before he reached there the frightful crash
came and the building collapsed. Surnsing
that the ruins might take fire he rushed back
to the engine and started the fire pump at the
peril of his life. Grasping the hose he crawled
under the swaying and already smoking tim
beers and deluged them with water. He also
blew the whistle for half an hour, tying down
the valve.
Severed car loads of finished wagons which
were standing ON a switch close by, awaiting
shipment to New York city, were demolished
Mr. Ketterers loss will be very heavy and
he was not insured against a cyclone He
had about $4,000 worth of work under way.
The wind played havoc ON the farm of Lat
inner Hoke, near McSherrystown. OF the
buildings on the place the dwelling is the only
one that remains intact. All the others were
either demolished or badly dismantled. Two
of Mr.. Hoke's straw stacks were picked W
and borne off on the winds and not a straw il
left to show where they stood. Mr.. Hokt
says there was not a panel of post and raj
fence left standing on his farm.
At McSherrystown frame building il
course of erection was blown flat to the
ground The roof was blown off the large
barn on the Chapel farm, near McSherrys
town. The barn on the Small farm was also
damaged by the wind and the roof torn off
At East Berlin the railroad engine house
was blown over, and at Hendricks station,
miles west of Hanover, the station building
was picked up and hurled some distance into
a woods. At the same point large number
of immense trees in Mrs. Hendricks woods
were completely twisted off.
MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA.
In Baltimore and vicinity the storm wa.
severe, but no serious damage is reported be
yond the unroofng Of some outhouses, dam
age to telegraph and telephone lines, pros
tration of shade, fruit and ornamental trees
In Charles ounty damage amounting tC
over 100000 is reported in the destruction
of dwellings, barns, fences, orchards and
timber.
The storm spread desolation and distress
throughout Montgomery county. Never ii
) its history was so much damage done by
storm. 1t appeared with greatest effect il
: the northwestern part of the county. Mineral
Springs was almost destroyed and Laytons
; vile, Goshen, Unity and Rockville were al
hurt to great extent. Barns and houses
trees and fences were mixed and tumbleC
together Rachel Boyle, colored, was killed
and two small colored children hurt in tn,
} house of Martin Lewis, near Laytonsville.
Mondays storm in Hagerstown broke ,
{ number of glasses, blew down some of tn,
fence and cattle stalls at the fair ground ant
a wall in l.. l.. Mentzer's house, but no on,
was hurt, and the damage was not serious.
; The storm of Monday, while quite severe
did little or no damage in st. Mary's county
: The damage by the storm in Frostburg i
estimated at over 5000
Frederick county was also in the track o
the storm. At Jefferson a gable end of the
Reformed Church was blown in, the roo
lifted off and blown upon Miss Mary Dare,
house adjoining, and the fine pipe organ il