The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-17
Severe Storm of Hail., Rain and Wind.
Trees and Telegraph Poles Blown
Down-Several Houses Damaged.

NOOIIcS pOIlutlCc VI ne AleSSeHSST.D
Goldsboro, N. c., May Is.
Our city was visited at $50 o'clock
yesterday afternoon for the fourth time
within a week with hail, accompanied
by a heavy rain and a wind storm of
cyclonic proportions hat carried de-
struction in it's path. Just a moment
before the storm a dea calm prevailed
in the city.
The brunt of.the storm seems to have
been confined to the city limits, touch
ing points between Elm street to the
south n Boundary street to the north.
Twisting up east Center street, the old
sweet gum tree that for $50 years has
done service at the inSterSection of east
Center n Chestnut streets, was broken
at it's butt and hurled with such force
against the tall office pole of the West
ern Union Telegraph Company, as to
break it in two and send it's massive
head, wire strung, across the railroad
tracks holding up the approaching
southern railway passenger train till
the track could be cleared.
OF this sweet gum tree, in 1869 there
was sent broadcast a report to the eff
feet that underneath it's branches the
late julius A. Bonitz printed one issue
of The Messenger, The Messenger
building, along with several others hav-
ing been destroyed by a disastrous fire.
1t may be cruel to correct the story,
but candor compelS me to say that in
speaking of this tree this morning to
Mr.. w. H. Collins he told me the state
ment was untrue; that The Messenger
extra was printed from the street OPP
posite the Arlington hotel corner in
east Center street, from a small hand
press saved from the burning building,
the press being operated by Mr.. Collins
himself.
But to the storm again. Continuing
it's path through the city, other poles
~un-roofed n one 2-story frame build
ing leveled to the ground. A large Elm
tree was blown across a kitchen of Mr..
A. U. Kornegay in east Walnut street,
the building being considerably dam
aged. The roof Of the dwelling of Mrs.
Hannah Dewey was partially torn off.
A small section of the roof of the Colds
boro fable factory building was blown
OF besides numerous trees broken and
uprooted here and there throughout the
city On the streets near the express
office a heavy truck stood only to be
gathered by h wind and carried up
Center street for a block and with
tremendous force dashed against an
electric light pole.
Amid the storm the lightning flashed
and h thunder roared and few, if my.
of our citizens ventured on the streets.
The telegraph office was so badly
gotten out of shape by the falling of
the office pole that Manager Sizer open
ed up an office on the green slope oppo-
site the Arlington using the railroad
iron a. a ground wire, where his office
remained till he was driven into a
portch by the rain. All through the
night Mr.. Sizer and a crew, sent by
special train from Wilmington, work.
ed, endeavoring to get the office and
wires in shape for business hours to-
day. The force have done we'll, but
they are yet at work.
The damage from hail is not thought
to be a serious one, yet h pea and
bean fields and the strawberries show
the effect of the pelting they received.
From the country we have not heard,
but it is thought h brunt of the
storm was spent here in h city, save
a section lying to the southeast, where
the clouds were black and the flash Of
lightning almost continuous for some
time.
AS a result of the lightning's play at
the power house the city was in total
darkness throughout the night.
The shipment of pea and berries
continues heavy. Mt. Olive alone today
will ship some 5000 crates of berries;
besides, Goldsboro and other points
are making large shipments. The
prices on peas today range from so
cents to $1.00 in the northern markets.
Hon. B. F. Grady, "the Sage Of
Hawkhurst," is in the city today. MI.
Grady is now in his 10th year, but is
hale and hearty and as vigorous as the
average man Of SO years.