Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-09-01
A GREAT STORM.
Orchards lnjured-Corn Laid low-Timber De-
stroyed-lVes Lost in the South.

stroyed-LKes Lost in the South.
The sort of storm that luckily
doesn't often visit these parts passed
over this section Monday night. 1t
originated way down in Florida Sat
urday and struck a Decline for the
north. 1t reached ShepherdStown
Monday evening The wind had been
blowing steadily from the south for a
day or two, and Monday evening the
storm got here with both feet-a reg
uar hurricane. The wind howled and
banged and drove torrents Of rain in
sheets, beginning in earnest about :
o'clock and keeping it up until mid
night Then the rain ceased, but the
gale ;never lessened the whole night
through. 1t was a tight roof that
kept all the water out. Considering
the force Of the storm, this section
has reason to be thankful. The corn
was hurt the most. There is scarcely
field in this neiShborhood where
the corn is not lying flat on the
ground, as if giant roller had passed
over it. This generation has proba-
bly, never seen the like OF it. Where
the corn was not matured it will hurt
it considerably-but that's nothing TO
the way backs will ache when it
comes to gathering the crop. Havoc
was played in the orchards. Fully
three-fourths of the apples, in some
orchards more, were knocked from
the trees. Peach orchards were al
most ruined in some places, not only
the fruit being blown down but the
trees being uprooted. Pry Brothers,
at Kesdysvile, lost nearly 1000 trees.
\ man from near Harper's Ferry in
forms Us that pretty nearly all the
fruit in that section was blown from
the trGss.
Many trees were uprooted. Here
in town several were broken and
blown down. \ lordly oak in Mr..
Dandridges grove was laid low. In
one piece of Capt Lee Moler'o wood
land there were counted twenty-Ons
trees that had been broken of or up
rooted. Timber all through the coun-
ty suffered severely. Several splendid
shade trees were blown down in the
yard at Rockland, the Schley home
stead.
While the storm, it is true, caused
much damage, it also did great good.
The heavy rain was worth much to
the fall pastures and will be beneti
cial to the ground to be prepared for
seeding. 1t will reple@ish the streams
that had gotten very low.
The tents sheltering the flying horse
outfit at the edge Of town were blown
hither and yon, and the occupants
were drenched completely. They had
to find protection in nearby build
ing.
The rain was lucky thing for those
who have business connected with the
river The Potomac had gotten eX-
tremely low. Boatmen who could
usually haul from 1l5 TO 800 tons OF
coal at load could only carry from
10 to 30. Monday the water-power at
the Potomac cement mill gave out
and part of the mill had to shut down.
The rise of a couple of feet on Tues
day enabled the mill to start up again
and the boatmen may once more car
ry profitable loads.
Trains were greatly delayed on the
railroads. The n. & w. passenger
train due here at 3 % Tuesday morn
ing was over five hours late. Wires
were down in every direction and no
messages could be sent. Agent Hart
zell says he never knew the instru-
ments to be as silent as they were
Monday night-there was scarcely
tick. \ freight train got orders to
take the siding at Antietam at G.l5
Monday evening. The wires began
to break, no further orders were re-
ceved, and the train lay there until
: o'clock Tuesday morning. Then
she was tagged to Shepherdstown, a5
the water was nearly out of the en-
CINE.
Along the southern coasts the hur-
ricane was awful. Enormous damage
was done at Savannah, Ga, and forty
or fifty persons lost their lives.
Charleston, S. c., suffered severely,
and it is reported that fifteen livos
were lost. All along the path Of the
storm great damage was done both
on land and on sea.