Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-03
nEMaRkABLE HALsTONEs.
Observations Touching Those That
Recently Fell ut Manassas.
dor the Dispatch.)

In response 10 my communication in re-
gard TO the great Manassas hall-storm
of August 10th, which the Dispatch kind
~ published in its issue OF September
e6th, / have received the following most
excellent and interesting letter, contain
Ing further facts and observations, which
Il seems 10 me are worthy Of record
and preservation. / would esteem 1t a
favor therefore, IL the Dispatch would
give them to the public through its
columns. Respectfully,
CHARLES Ii. WINSTON.
Richmond College. Va.
Professor Charles II. Winston:
Dear Sir-With much interest. i have
read your description Of the Manassas
hail-storm," and was very glad TO know
some one had given it more than pass
Ing notice.
As you so kindly invite correspondence
upon the matter, l will give you some
impressions noted at the time.
The storm, when gathering. was OF a
most peculiar appearance, causing me
TO remark: ut looks as II II could do
most everything" The clouds were of
varied color and In layers, including the
copper-hue, denoting hail As the storm
broke, hail fell IN small particles with the
rain. Ny husband was in the attic, and
hearing one strike the roof, he came
quickly down to call attention to It, but
By that time they were falling all around
us.
Besides breaking large window In the
Presbyterian church. no particular dam
age was done this was owing TO the size
and weight; the wind had but little effect.
The storm only extended about two miles
each side Of the town. Five of the
stones filled turnbler 10 OVERLOOKING,
l.
of the ice.
One weighed by a merchant came TO
two and a quarter ounces; one in our
house an ounce and three quarters, some
time after falling. Many were in nearly
perfect stars. aud presented a peculiar
Corrugated surface.
/ send the outline OF one measured By
myself, after some time had elapsed; II
was quite regular. of great firmness, re-
sisting all Impressions OF n good set OF
teeth. (This outline was a tolerably
regular oval or ellipse. three inches by
two and a half Many were still lyifT-
around the grass at sunset
We live some distance from the station.
and can assure you they fell in great
numbers, but not as we have seen the
showers of small size. .st.
Constant inquiry brought out this fact:
no resident OF tho town had ever seen
anything Of this kind. All had seen
varieties OF hailstones. The notice IN
the Dispatch. sent by telegraph. was
published in the next days issue. At
least two Of the Washington papers had
short accounts. but yours is the first
extended notice i have seen bv an eye
witness. and feel under personal oh
legations. Several descriptions sent 10
friends invariably brought the inquiry
co 40
they fell with less force than smaller
stones driven by a tempest, and the /
spaces between We're. as you state. from ,
aght to ten feet. Very respectfully,
FRANCES b. NOURSE.
Manassas. Va. September %. 1897.
In a second letter Mrs. Ncurse re-
plies 10 some qGestiosts or nine Cd as
10 the care takeQ,4zl, wsighings CD as to
the thickness. ele. q the stone whose
Outline she sent = GlFasrro whather the
tuu,bler was filed 10 overfiowing by
I've Of the stones.'t before melting or
afterwards; and 81 astto the exact size
OF the tumber. she sends also an ex-
ceiient drawing OF the tumbler filled with
the i've stones Just as II then appeared.
append extracts from this second letters
also, In the conviction that the facts
thus secured by so competent an OBJ
server make a contribution of real value.
on difficult point OF meteorological
feicncc: Eas.
l. The weight wss taken IN a small
paif OF grocer'a scales. psad for small
Quantities. SPICES. etc
~. The one Outlined By me was quite
rrfulas and. Mas ..ssissisesi, ~ a las, on a.
ss,,,pa PAPER; psynA2 tsymhases after
many others. WILD some Were milky
{le particular one riienslnned f,yaa shs,,,t