The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-07-06
STORMS RUIN CROPS.
Great Damage by Hail In the
Sohuylkill Valley.
FRUIT STRIPPED OFF LIKE LEAVES
Vineyards nj Reading Completely De-
stroyed, There Being Nothing Left but
the vine-A Storm for which the cold
est Inhabitant" Has No Parallel.

Vineyards ne Reading Compteteiy De-
stroyed. There Being Nothing Left but
the vine-A Storm for which the cold
est Inhabitant" Has No Parallel.
READING, July 8-This city was visited
by hailstorm yesterday afternoon which
for destructiveness eclipsed all previous
storms of the kind since 1866. The storm
Originated about three miles west Of Read
ling, and covered width Of about four
miles Shortly before O'Clock black
cloud appeared In the western horizon and
moved eastward rapidly. Twenty minutes
later the streets OF the city were covered
with hail and water, and the toy sewers
became choked, being entirely too small
to carry off even one-tenth of the water.
Grain, corn, oats, flower gardens, grapes
and other fruits were stripped off like
leaves The vineyards on Mount Penn
lare completely ruined and the owners do
mot expect to obtain more than per cent.
of the crop. Many of these vineyards COW
erred acres, and there is nothing left but
the vine.
The stones were the size Of hickory nuts,
and fell so rapidly that pedestrians in this
city were driven from tho sidewalks.
Street car horses became unmanageable
compelled to stop the cars and seek shelter
because Of the hail striking them on the
hands. In the southern and northeastern
part of the city many cellars were flooded,
land 10 some instances the water rushed
through buildings, running carpets. etc,
The downpour was terrible, and nothing
of the kind has ever been experienced in
the recollection Of the Oldest inhabitants.
At Royersford trains were delayed
twenty minutes by the tracks being
flooded. A passenger train got into the
storm at Phenixville and remained in II
until it was near Pottstown. The storm is
described as terrific and the hail pelting
the roofs Of the cars caused quite panic
sIamong the passengers. The storm was &C
companied by thunder and lightning.
: South Of Reading, especially along the
Schuylkill valley, the destruction to crops
ives very great. The wheat, rye and oats
' crops not yet cut have been leveled to the
ground and many of the fields wer'
flooded
At Birdsboro hail fell to the depth o.
three inches, and in some places was pilet
Iup to depth of nearly foot.
It Is believed that the damage In tn,
ISchuylkill valley will reach many thou
a sands of dollars The glass of the ho
i houses In this city and In the track Of the
, storm were shattered and thousands O
young plants ruined. The beautiful
8 Ifowers and plants which were Just set GU
eIby the Reading company at the Reading
, station were cut to pieces The Reading
!. forge, on North Eighth street, was flooded
!, to depth of four feet, and the fires hat
to be drawn and the works shut down.
CAMDEN, N. j., July GA severe cleo
;. trio storm, accompanied by hail, passes
over Camden last evening. Trees were up
n rooted and in the northern part of the cit
!. many houses were unroofed. The light
: ming struck the cityelectric light plant an,
v destroyed the two dynamos which suppl
I. the incandescent light to residences in tn
4 city. A large planning mill at Rosendals
I, Stockton township, was struck and de
stroyed. The growing crops Throughout
the county were badly damaged by tn
Il hail.
KINGSTON, N. Y, July Gone Of tn
severest electrical storms ever known /
this section passed over this place las
evening. 1t lasted for more than an houl
3 When the storm had finished there was
Il sound like muffied explosion. House
Il shook and people rushed to the street,
fearing the buildings were tumblin
down. 1t was the general opinion thu
the town had been shaken by an eartl
quake.