Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-06-21
IMMENSE HAILSToNES.
Chunks of Ice Six Inches Thick Come
Down During Kansas Storms.

Chunks of Ice Six Inches Thick Come
Down During Kansas Storms.
In the office of the chief of the
weather bureau is a piece Of glass one
inch thick and one foot square. 1t Is
used as a paper weight, but this is not
the purpose for which it was originally
intended. A slip Of paper pasted on
the under side of the glass relates that
it was at one time part Of a skylight In
an office building in Topeka, Kan. The
skylight was six feet long and two
feet wide, the glass being one inch
thick.
The story of how the glass became
the possession Of the United States
weather bureau is interesting, and
demonstrates the severity attending
some Of the summer storms. On June
"a, 1897, a thunderstorm broke over
the city of Topeka. 1t rained for
awhile, and then came the hailstones.
The weather observer at that place put
a wooden bucket over his head, and
with knife frequently stepped in hot
water succeeded in obtaining some OF
the stones. They were from three to
six inches thick and about three inches
long. More strictly speaking, they were
small-sized chunks Of ice. One Of
these hailstones striking a person on
the unprotected head would have caus-
ed a fracture of the skull or more seri-
Gus injury. One Of the stones hit the
skylight and shattered 1t. 1t Is one Of
the pieces that Is now used as a paper
weight by the chief of the weather bu-
reau.
It Is estimated that during the sum-
mer months, particularly July and Au-
gust, several hundred damaging thun-
derstorms occur throughout the United
States. They are more severe In the
the country escapes. They are fire.
uuently attended by hailstones, and
much damage and loss of life accom-
pany them. 1t is related at the weather
bureau that some of the hailstorms are
so severe that If one stone should strike
a person on the hand the bone would
be shattered.
With the exception Of the storm at
Topeka, one at Florence Island, N. "
Is recorded as being the most severe
of any to the knowledge Of the weather
officials. Here the stones first formed
like icicles the size and shape of a
lead pencil, about three eighths of an
inch in length. Others were as large
as walnuts.
The freaks Of the storms and winds
are many and varied and but little
attention is paid to them at the wealth
er bureau, except to note the velocity
Of the wind or the damage sustained.
Now and then there Is storm deserv-
ing more than passing notice. Such
case came up a short time ago at TIL
ler's Ferry, S. C. During a thunder
storm hundreds of little fish fell to the
earth. They were catfish, perch and
trout. When the storm had abated
it was found that the fish were alive
and swimming in the pools between the
cotton rows in the field.
1T is well-known that in such storms
sticks and stones, fish or frogs are Of
ten dropped to the EARTH" said
weather bureau official, but the way
they get into the clouds is a matter of
some dispute. However, there Is no
reasonable doubt that the foreign sub
stances are carried into the air by Sc
we're windstorms, such as cyclones or
tornadoes, and when they become too
heavy they fall to the earth. They
may be carried distance Of from rs
to 100 miles, and when conditions are
right for a storm they descend with the
rain."-Wilmingto correspondence Of
Baltimore Herald.