The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-05-03
?nTSBURG HAIL STRUCK
Pennsylvania City Meets With Start
ling Phenomenon.
Fric5 Hothouss Ruined md Other Con.
servatories Badly Damaged
by Storm.

Pittsburg, Pa.-Ushering in a terrible
hailstorm. a sickly yellow glow v
spread the sky shortly after 1 o'clock
in the afternoon, and in a few seconds
giant stones were falling so thick and
fast that everybody in the streets fed
to shelter and horses were running
away all over the city. The ominous
glare struck terror to thousands, who
assumed it portended a fearful disas-
ter. and when the dull saffron was
laced with lightnings that blinded the
strongest gaze for the time, followed
by thunder crashes suggestive Of the
crack Of doom. the whole community
was thrown into panic.
With the roar of the meeting clouds
came the frightful rattle Of hailstones
big as baseballs and hard enough to in
fiict damage running into the hundreds
Of thousands. 1t was the most start
ling phenomenon seen anywhere in
these parts in many a year. g.
Screams from women pierced the
din, and shouts from men mingled with
them as the hurrying thousands dashed
to and fro in search of safety. Hun
dreds were hit by the rough stones,
many severe bruises being inflicted on
heads, shoulders and arms. The faces
Of dozens Of persons were cut by the
jagged edges of the descending mis-
Siles, scores Of hats were broken!
through, garments were torn, and the
few umbrellas raised in the hope Of
protection were ripped to ribbons and
twisted skeletons almost instantly.
EXcitable men and emotional women
feared destruction menaced the city.
The hailstorm was so unprecedented
that the unthinking seemed unable to-
regard it as a mere physical manifesto
ton. Impassioned appeals for mercy,
were voiced by groups with uplifted
hands, and here and there religious en-
thusiasts gave free rein to their i'm
pulses. "'
Policemen: cried to the crazed multi
tudes to get under cover. Firemen
fastened from the engine and truck
houses to help women to shelter. Chill
dren were scooped in strong arms and
carried with breathless speed to dwell
ings and stores. The danger from
frightened horses increased momentar,
lily, for one runaway made, several
more, and the maddened animals had
collisions, not only with one anotherl
but with human fugitives as they, too,
raced up and down the streets seeking
security from harm.
All the stones were p%rodigious in
comparison with any seen here in the
memory of man. Those that fell or
the roof of the Weather Bureau were
found by Local Observer Frank Ridge
way to be from two to two and a
quarter inches in diameter. No one
reported seeing q stone smaller, than a.
pigeons egg. Many of the bigger crys.
tails were SO heavy they smashed ON
impact with the payements.
A blow on an unprotected head from
one of those undoubtedly would have
caused conclusion Of the brain if not
immediate death. Yet no injury se<
we're enough to send the recipient to a
hospital was reported to the police.
although it is possible the reports Of
private physicians may later show such
cases. a 49,.
So widespread was the damage
throughout Pittsburg and Allegheny
City that the full damage could NOT
be estimated at first. It is known 1t
| will run we'll into six figures. Thus
far, the greatest known loss Is that In
the magnificent. conservatory OF n. U.
Prick, which was thrown open for the
Easter display of flowers.
Not a single pane Of glass in all the
big greenhouses was left intact. Rare
plants were crushed or cut to slivers,
vines were torn down and dollhouse
flowers destroyed. Mr.. Tricks loss
is placed at $4,000, and it was as
serted by many persons that is too !oW
an estimate. ist
A. f. Peacock's private conservatory
lust in readiness for it's Eastertide
opening, received damage Of $4,000.
Every pane in the Phipps conservatory
in Schemley Park was smashed, and 1t
will take $4,000 to cover the loss there.
More than $1,000 of damage was done
to the Allegheny Park Conservatory.
Nor were the greenhouses the only
structures to be battered by the hail.
All the photograph galleries were dam
aged so badly their proprietors will
find it difficult to resume business tor:
several days. !
One sensational incident Of the storm
was the desperate dash of a horse.
with a broken buggy dragging behind
it, through the big glass window of
Jeremy's restaurant, where scores had
taken refuge. The animal was gashed
badly in its plunge through the pane,
and, Infatuated by pain and fright, 1t
charged down the aisle. scattering the
refugees right and left. Shrieks and
cries accompanied the race of the horse
Up and down the restaurant, but the
injured animal was led to the side
walk and no one in the place WAS hurt.