Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-07-07
DESTRUCTION BY HAIL

Thousands Of acres of crops in the
eastern part Of the county were devas-
tated by a terrific hail storm that burst
over that section last night between
and o'clock.
Because of the interruption Of tele-
phone connections, 1t has been imprac-
ticable to get definite information as to
the full extent Of the storm; but a
reasonably accurate statement is to the
effect that the starting point was be-
yond Dallas, in CASTOR county, n. c.
The path of the storm was from three
to five miles in width, and it extended
;, down to a point between Tirzah and
Newport and from there on to Rock
Hill.
Messrs. r. B., T. H., Joseph and r. S.
Riddle, and people for nearly two miles
west of them are in the path of the
storm, and also Mr.. R. j. Davis and
others over toward Catawba river and
from there on down southwark through
the county between TirZah church and
Rock Hill.
A representative Of The Enquirer
who was in Rock HILL last night when
the storm came up says that a heavy
black cloud that seemed to envelop the
entire territory, was preceded by
crashing thunder and sharp flashes Of
lightning, along with wind that amount
ed to something like a hurricane. Then
Of =
Ting of hail This was a little before
9 o'clock. He went into the train, and
every other sound was drowned by the
rattling Of the hailstones on the roof Of
the car. The train left Rock Hill dur
ing the height Of the storm. Outside
was complete darkness, broken only by
flashes Of lightning which came in
quick succession, and which lit up the
outside sufficiently to disclose the
downpour. At EbeneZer the lightning
flashes disclosed landscape that look
ed like a sea Of ice, and the engine lit
orally plowed it's way through the hall
stones, which are still in evidence to-
day.
Reports have cone to The Enquirer
that the farms Of Messrs M. A. Nc
Farland. S. T. and VIM. Ferguson, to
fered seriously. They were in the path
ate cloud, the damage from which eX-
tended over a strip half mile wide
and about three miles long.
There was q good rain about Sharon;
but inquiry over the telephone this
morning was that there had been no
reports there from damage by hail
anywhere in the vicinity.
After the above was put in type, Mr..
Albert Riddle of Zeno, came into The
Enquirer office from his home and in
addition to those already mentioned,
gave us the following off-hand list Of
people whom he understood to have
sustained heavy damage:
r. f. Brandon, DR.. T. N. Dulin. VIII
Jenkins, Eugene Sifford, w. R J. Stan
ton, DR.. L. l.. Campbell, Brainerd Cur
renee, r. f. l.. Ferguson, ]. D. Bran
don. Wade Pursley, Reece Patrick, Jo-
seph Brandon. n. d. Glenn, w. H.
Glenn. Frank Harrison.
While Mr.. Riddle Is reasonably GER
tain that all the territory in a strip on
down and beyond Newport. must have
suffered. he has no definite informa-
ton beyond that stated. He says he
saw many hailstones that were fully
an inch in diameter, and in numer-
Gus places the hail was drlfted INTO
piles from which it could be gathered
by the bucket full.
Cotton is beaten down until there Is
little or no sign of the stalks beyond
stripped stems, and corn is cut down
and beaten into the ground in a way
that gives no hope of recovery.
Hon. l. r. Williams probate judge,
was among those who went down from
Yorkville to Ebenezer this morning to
look over the situation. He says the
devastation is simply appalling. The
damage extends from TirZah church on
a short distance east of Rock Hill. the
weight of the storm being about from
w. j. Millers to Ebenezer church,
something over a mile. His understand
ing was that the crops were ruined
throughout the wide belt extending
beyond the North Carolina line; as far
as Gastonia; but how far to the south
he was unable to learn. He saw drifts
Of hail that were easily knee deep. and
people said that many Of the drifts
were from three to four feet deep. One
negro said that he had seen drifts as
deep as a horse. Among the people
who are damaged are T. B. Glenn. w.
]. Miller Eugene Garrison, Messrs. j.
W. Simril, John F. Williams, Ed Steele
and all the people living in Ebenezer.