Evening journal., 1897-08-24
BAD DAY FOR FARMERS.
Furious Series Of Cloud-bursts
and Waterspouts.
LAID WASTE PEAR ORCHARDS
THE MOST DAMAGING
FEATURE OF THE VIOLENT
STORM INwILAIINGTON-wATER
SPOUT OFF NEW CASTLE.

STORM NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
SPOUT OFF NEW CASTLE.
All Delaware was shaken up yester-
day by violent series of cloud bursts,
water spou.s and thunder claps that
left ruin i'm its wake.
In lower New Castle county and Kent
county the damage was most severe.
Reports from persons coming up the
Delaware railroad to-day show that the
storm first threatened at l O'Clock and
began to rage at 3, continuing until
$50 o'ciock last evening.
Thousands of dollars worth of pears
and peaches were beaten to the ground
and practically destroyed. Such a del
uge accompanied the wild elements
that the railroad tracks below Black
bird were covered with water, and
county road bridges were lifted bodily
and carried away, stopping travel on
several important drlveways for the re.
mainder of the week.
NEARLY KILLED BY LIGHTNING.
In Wilmington the storm consisted
more particularly OF heavy rain a1I
violent lightninS flashes. While Mrs.
George CressOn, of No. S26 Chestnut
street was taking down Clothes in her
yard she was struck by lightning. She
was rendered unconscious, but THE doc
tors say to-day she will recover.
A horse owned by William Hilyard,
of Newport, became frightened by the
thunder yesterday Afternoon and ran
away. He was caught at Fourth and
French streets. The wagon Ito which
the horse was attached was slightly
damaged.
Trees were uprooted or blown down
on the outskirts Of town, and along the
Christiana Slight damage was done slt
the wharves and shipyards.
AGROUND ON DAN BAKER sHOAL.
In a dangerous position the four
masted schooner n. w. Hopkins, of
ThCmaston, Maine. bound from Booth
bay. Maine, for Philadelphia with a
cargo of ice, lies aground in the Della
ware river on Dan Baker shoal. She is
in command of Captain Ilichbon, and
sailed from BoOthbay ON hhe nth IN
stant.
The schooner was in tow OF the tue
| Wear, and was going up the western
channel when she struck bottom about
3 o'clock Sunday afternoon. Sine Il
Wrought to have sheared Otrt Of th'
channel. The vessel lies two feet In
the mud. Several attempts were made
yesterray TO float the schooner, but Eh'
was not moved. Last might three tug,
got their lines fast to the vessel Il
! make another effort TO feat the strand
| ed craft.
FIRE ADDS TO THE RUIN.
At Blackbird the stable of Davil
Stats was struck by lightning and 10
qally destroyed with its contents, in
cluding one horse. The loss is abou
$500, partially covered by insurance.
The barn on the farm near Town
send owned by William Ella, of thi
city. and tenanted by William Naylor
was also struck. The building and ID
contents with 1000 bushels of whea
were destroyed. The loss is unknown
WATER SPOUT IN THE RIVER.
New Castle, Aug. 24-No terror o
uhe elements Is greater to riversid
residents than a water spout. II no
My has all the violence of a cyclone
but accompanying IL is water enough V
drown any ordinary mOrtals.
Years ago there was an Old-faShiOne'
water spout which nearly uproote
I New Castle and came near snutfing on
the lives of Il. l.. Chase, II. w. Fraze
and several other boys who were dow
the river in a boat and had scarcel
time to get down in the reeds.
Yesterday afternoon a violent waite
spout loomed up at the head the bay
where the river coves just below Me-
lCastle. In a few minutes all the worn
men at Morris, Tasker & Co.'S ha
heard The alarm and were rushing on
to watch which way it would advance
Residents in the southern part OF tow
were also thoroughly ALARMED, an
F shut up their houses.
! Fer fifteen minutes the cornucopi
: cloud. black as night, kept spreadin
S downward toward the water. At Oh
r end of that time 1t reached the river
81 bosom and lashed the water into foam
s looking like an immense deluge OF in
falling into the spray. AT length
S flash of lightning pierced through tf
4 cloud, dispalling It in a breath.