Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-04-01
DESTRUCTIVE STORMS.

Further details OF the deStructlOn. OF
the depot at Gate City, in which
the express, telegraph and ticket Of
fees, were struck by lightning and burn
ed, have been received. The loss is
heavy, as the depot contained a great
many goods. The waters are higher at
Gate City than they have been before
since 1862. The railroad bridges at
Mendoza and Moccasin Gap were wash
ed down several inches, and the bridge
at Taylor's Mill was completely washed
away. The loss by washes and high
water cannot be estimated. Ploughed
land is literally washed away, and
farms are in ruins.
Further news of the loss of life by
high water in the vicinity of Bristol,
Tenn, have been received. A water
spout in Turkey Cove, Va, drowned
four children, and three other persons
were rescued from the food. In Rus
sell county, Va, Charles Holt and
child and John Jenkins and two child
rem were drowned.
The news from Clay and Owsley
counties KY, Monday is to the effect
that cloudburst swept that part OF the
State drowning the wife and child of
Wade Marder, who lived on the banks
of Sexton Creek, in Clay county,
and destroying all property in its path.
The bed of the creek is gorge-like in
narrowness, and the torrent of water
which swept down upon farmhouses
and their tenants seemed to be fifteen
feet high. When Marder reached the
hillside above his house he saw the
flood lift it from its foundation and
carry it down the raging creek. he
caug ht sight OF his wife grasping part
of door lust as his house was enguefed
and has been unable to recover the
bodies.
The town of White Haven, Pa, sit
uated along the Lehigh Valley Rail
road, twenty-five miles from Wilkes
barre, was thrown into state OF ex-
element yesterday when it became
known that Dam No. 1, located oppo-
site the place, had burst. Hundred Of
people focked to the banks of the river
| to see the high water as it carried the
! massive logs down the stream. The
Lehigh river raised about seven feet
! within few hours and for time it
was thought that the massive bridge
crossing the stream would be swept
away, but it escaped injury with the ex'
ception of some slight damage done to
the piers. The town, which is illumi
mated by the use OF water power, was in
darkness last night. The damage by
the flood will reach $4,000.
Minnesota experienced the worst
storm in its history yesterday and last
night. In sixteen hours it got every
kind OF weather in the category except
torrid wave. At 5 o'clock in the
| morning a spring shower was falling.
At 6 O'Clock it began showing and at
10 o'clock it was showing so fast that
one could not see ten feet in front
and blowing gale. No such
snow fakes were ever seen in that
section; some of them actually meas
uring over two inches across. This
wind blew at furious rate for couple
of hours, when it began again to snow.
Shortly after 6 o'clock flashes of light
| ming shot athwart the clouds, followed
by peals of thunder. This lombard
ment kept up for over an hour, when
it began to turn cold and snow again.
Reports from many points in the county
| indicate that the storm was even worse
there than here.
kilograms from all over the north
ern and northwestern part of Ne
braska tell of a storm, reaching the
proportions of blizzard, which
ragged there all yesterday. If it continues any
length of time, the loss Of stock on the ranges
will be heavy. At O'Neill and Neigh, the
| wind blew with the violence of hurricane,
accompanied by snow. 1t is regarded as the
worst storm since January -, 1888, when
cattle were frozen to death by the hundreds
and many people lost their lives.
The worst storm in years is raging in South
Dakota. The wind is blowing sixty five miles
an hour and the telegraph service is nearly
Frustrated. At 8 o'clock last night the mer-
curry was 80 degrees above zero.
Eight inches of snow fell in Colorado yes
terday.
Floods in the streams of central and west