Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-06-16

| DestruCtlVe SCOrm.-One OF tne Sc
verest storms ever known to pass over this
county occurred on Friday afternoon last,
the same being accompanied by high wind,
hail and very heavy rainfall.
At Spencerville the storm was exception
ally severe. A colored man named Base
Dorsey was struck in the chest by lightning
and killed on the farm OF Mr.. Charles Gus.
Ter. Burt Black, white man, and Richard
Thomas, colored, his companions, were
both badly shocked by the same bolt, but
recovered.
The three men were engaged by Mr. Gus
Ter to pick strawberries. AS the storm ap
preached they sought shelter from the rain
under "crate shed" in the field. Jeddie
Yerkes, young man who was engaged in
Grating the berries, refused to remain in the
building and drove to the house of Mr..
Onsler, a short distance off.
After the storm had abaled Yerkes heard
some one calling, and he and Mr.. Ousler
drove to the field, finding Dorsey dead,
Thomas lying outside the shed unconscious
and Black badly stunned, but able to make
the faint calls which Yerkes heard. Black
and Thomas are now out of danger, but
the life of Thomas was despaired of for sew.
eral hours. The fact that he fell outside in
the rain no doubt saved his life. Dorsey
was abount 25 years of age.
AT Brookeville a number of trees were
uprooted, and considerable hail fell, doing
little, if any, damage.
AT Rockland, the home Of Henry G. Hal
lowell, tree was blown on the house, dam
aging it considerably.
The storm was accompanied by the heav-
lest downpour of hail ever known in this
county, and an immense amount of damage
was done The area covered by the hail was
about mile in width, and extended over
the entire portion OF the county. The hail
stones were very large, some of them being
the size of hen eggs.
The growing wheat and corn crops were
partially destroyed, and grass was badly
beaten down and much damaged. Many
window panes were smashed and scores of
trees were blown over. The damage done
amounts to thousands of dollars.
At Brighton and Unity severe hailstorm
prevailed. The hailstones measured in some
instances six and one half inches in circum-
ference. Wheat and corn were badly dam
aged in the section where the storm was,
causing a total loss to some and damaging
all crops in its course to great extent. AT
Brighton lightning killed steer for Isaac
Hartshorne, and a number of trees were
struck near many residences.
Our Damascus correspondent gives the
following in regard to the storm in that sec
ton
"a terrible hailstorm passed over this sec
ton of the county on Friday, destroying the
crops and vegetation in its pathway. Its
path was on the north and south side of Da
mascus. Mr.. Neal Bellison lost his crops
and barn, and his horses were so badly in
iured as to be of no value. Among the
farmers who will not harvest any crops, ex
cept possibly some corn, are Harry j. Crit
tenden, E. and Dulaney King, Thompson
| Williams, Jacob Hager, James Cue, Thomas
| Woodtleld, j. A., James E., VIM. f. and
J. j, Duvall. 1t completely destroyed al
fruit, demolished roofs and window pane'
without number, killed chickens, turkeys
and geese, leaving nothing for the farmer
In some places the hail measured six inches
in circumference, but it was mostly the size
of an egg. The lightning killed horse be
longing to Mr.. ID. Waesche and knocked
the owner down.