Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-06-02
Severe Storms.

Severe StormS.
We believe Shepherdstown was
never as full of electricity as it was
last Thursday afternoon. A thunder
storm that came growing out Of the
west concentrated its energies right
over town, and there was a shocking
display Of electro-pyrotechnics for
quarter of an hour or 80. a stiff
breeze and a heavy shower Of rain
were accessories, but they were little
noted in tn. terrible flashes Of light
ming and the appalling crashes Of
thunder. The air seemed to be nine
tenths electricity, and balls Of FIRE
ran along the wires and invaded the
stores and homes of the people in a
manner never before SEED here. a
binding fash of lightning and an
awful crash of thunder about half-past
four o'clock shook the town, and a
few seconds later a second explosion
caused the greatest fear to seize upon
the people. One Of these strokes hit
the Reformed church steeple, tearing
the shingles from it and SCATTERING it
about the top. 1t also followed the,
electric wires into the church and put
the lights out Of business, but fortu-
nately set nothing afre. At the knit
ting mill the operatives were panic
stricken by the electrical display.
The home of the editor of the REGIS.
TER was invaded by the lightning,
which probably entered by the electric
wires, and an explosion and the antics
of ball of fire greatly terrified the
household. A fire was started in an
upper room, but was extinguished
before it got Roadway A number of
electric lights were burned out and
the telephone exchange was damaged
some. Heavy copper wires Of the
telephone lines were melted. 1t seems
extremely fortunate that so terrific a
storm caused such slight damage.
On Monday there was another big
storm. The thunder and lightning
were not so bad, but the rainfall was
very heavy. One shower followed
another all afternoon, and great
quantity Of rain fall. All the streams
got bank full, and, the town run fail
ing to carry off the water, the usual
food prevailed on Princess and Mill
streets. The gardens on Frog Is
land" were flooded. Benjamin
Hartzell escaped with little loss, but
R. S. NJ. Hofman's truck patch was
submerged and much loss will ensue.
A fine lot of strawberries just begin
ming to ripen were ruined. NJ. P.
Crowds garden was also inundated.
The pilgrims to the Antietam memo
rial day exercises were in hard luck.
The rain poured down all the after
noon, and there was a great difference
between the joyous parties that went
over in the morning, with white dresses
and new spring hats showing bravely
in the sunny air, and the limp, bedrag-
gled creatures who returned dispirit-
eddy in the evening. The rain caused
an abandonment of the exercises at
Antietam, and the visitors spent their
time waiting for chances to get away
between showers.
Tuesday night a third storm visited
this vicinity, and there was another
tremendous rainfall. The showers
kept up nearly all night. The floods
again submerged the lowlands, and
larger torrents flowed down the streets
than on Monday.
1t really seems to be up to our town
council now to take some steps that
will prevent such frequent recurrence
Of the flooding Of the streets and Of
private property in the south and
east part of the town, with the conse'
uuent loss aud annoyance. 1t has
been suggested that il the town run
should be deepened and made wider
at the places where it has become
narrow it would carry fall the water.
If this is not practical, perhaps the
overflow could be diverted into chan
nels that would quickly carry it of
before it should back up on the low
lands. 1t would be the part Of wisdom
for our town authorities to consult
with the private interests affected and
study the question with a view &c
providing a remedy.