Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-07-20
HAGERSTOWN HIT
BY STORM LEAVING
GREAT DESOLAT|0N
Roofs Torn Off and Fires Start
ed In Dozen Places.
LIGHT PLANTS SHUT
DOWN; TOWN DARK

with Netghbors--FIetds And Roads
In Washington County Washed Out
Lightning, Too, Causes Much
Damage.
Hagerstown, July 1S.-A cyclone
struck Hagerstown Wednesday even
ing at o'clock, unroofed factory
buildings and dwellings, uprooted
trees, tore down hundreds OF wires and
killed three horses that came in con-
tact with the charged wires.
Several families whose homes were
unroofed. were practically homeless
and were cared for by neighbors.
Two black, funnel shaped clouds,
one coming from the north and the
other from the southeast, met directly
over the Dancer Lumber Company's
factory. The tin roof of the factory
was lifted and carried in part to West
Baltimore street and part over the
houses opposite the factory and depos-
tied in the back yards. tearing down
hundreds of telephone. telegraph, cleo
trio light and trolley wires, which
started fires in a dozen places.
Horses Killed. Drivers Hurt
An alarm was sent in and as the
Antietam Fire Company was respond
ing the two horses, valued at $500,
drawing the hose wagon. ran into a
mass of charged wires and were kill
ed instantly. Howard Bomberger the
driver, was severely shocked and
thrown from the wagon against a
house. Geo. SHREDDER, Samuel Brandt
and David SHREDDER. who were on the
wagon were slightly shocked.
Shortly before that time Amos Alex
ander, driver for Howard Bros, feed
merchants was driving into the yard
when part of roof carried down a
lot of wires upon the horse, killing 1t
instantly and shocking the driver.
The tin roof was torn off of the three
story brick dwelling of Judel H. Ger
Der, a merchant on South Potomac
street, and carried half a block Part
of it fell in the back yard of Mrs. Jas.
Smith and fragments of glass struck
her. Gerber's house was deluged from
garrett to cellar and all the contents
ruined
A roof and several broken poles fell
in the rear of the double house occu-
pied by Mrs. r. e. Brown and Harry
Foltz, West Baltimore street, and did
considerable damage.
A roof fell on the dwelling of Mrs.
Ellen Fisher tenanted by William Den
mis- and crushed in the roof of that
house.
Flying timbers were hurled against
the front part of Mrs Frederick G..
Burgers house, which was badly dam
aged. Mrs. Burgers head and arm
were bruised by pieces of flying debris.
Pole Hurled Against House
A large pole was broken and hurled
against Mrs Charles X. Hartle's house
smashing in the front and part of the
roof.
Part of the roof on ]. o. Kretzer's
house was torn off.
A large apple tree was blown down
i'm Rev. w. Scott Richards yard. The
tree was carried over into Daniel w.
Richards yard and broke down a
number of other trees.
The chimney on Abel Millers dwell
ing, Summit avenue, was blown off. II
crashed through the roof and the cell
ing on the top floor. Mrs. Miller faint
ed.
Entire Plant inundated
The damage to Dancers lumber fac
tory is heavy. After the roof went off
the entire plant became inundated,
which poured down in sheets, Several
costly machines were damaged by fall
ing pipes. Charles Delauder a work
man was struck by flying timbers and
injured The factory was full of work
men, all of whom rushed into the
street after the roof blew off. An iron
pipe was hurled into the greenhouse
of Henry A. Bester & Son.
For an hour the rain poured down in
torrents. The streets resembled small
creeks and many cellars were flooded.
The city was in darkness part of the
evening because the municipal electric
plant and the Hagerstown street rail
way powerhouses were shut down. 1t
was considered dangerous to turn on
the current while so many wires were
down and tangled.
Swept BY Wind And Hail
Two heavy storms swept over much
of Washington county. Fields and
roads were badly washed and the wind
blew the corn fiat on the ground. In
many places hailstones as large as
shellbarks fell knocking apples and
peaches from the trees and cutting the