Smyrna times., 1918-06-19
DESTRUCTION IN AND NEAR
DOVER BY HAIL STORM
VISITED DOVER LAST WEDNES-
DAY, THE WORST IN YEARS
High Wind, Rain, and Hail Tears up
Trees, Puts Lighting Plant to
Sleep and Damages Fruit

TllSu "iHOJ ndlHs anu TAU ears up
Trees. Puts Lighting Plant to
Sleep and Damages Fruit
A rain. wind and hail storm of al
most cyclone proportions passed over
Dover between 3 and a o'clock We'd
nesday afternoon. In many ways it
resembled the famous Addicks storm
of May 1, 1896, but in the opinion of
many, was more destructive.
The storm, which came from the
Southwest, had every appearance of
the customary thunder storm but it
proved to be mostly rain and hail that
was driven with great force by high
wind, uprooting trees, swapping off
limbs of trees and cutting foliage and
vegetation of every kind into shreds.
Traffic on nearly every street was
blocked by limbs of trees and broken
wires. The handsome large trees on
State street seemed to suffer most.
In some cases the tops were wrenched
off of perfectly sound trees. At the
home of William L. Pritchett
monster tree was uprooted and carried
several feet to the east where it
lodged against the house.
Hundreds of window panes were
broken by the hail stones, which came
from the west, hardly Dover home
escaping and some found from three
to six panes broken out and the glass
shattered about the room. The hail
stones, some being as large as camphor
balls, were driven with great force
and remained on the ground for two
or three hours, resembling the fringe
or remains of late snow storm.
The town electric light plant was
completely disabled by broken tree
limbs falling on and breaking wires.
The town was in total darkness and
several plants, including the news
papers, were put out Of business by
failure to get current for power.
The opening of Chautauqua was
transferred to the Opera House, where
light was obtained from automobile
storage batteries loaned by the Dover
Garage. The afternoon and first ses-
sion of Chautauqua was abandoned at
the tent owing to the storm.
The several large grape vineyards
around Dover suffered greatly, After
the vast amount of expense in spray
ing, tieing, ETC., the loss is great to
several growers. Wheat fields are
badly cut and blown down, as also is
the corn crop. Many acres of tomato
plants are destroyed, but these will be
reset.
Two silos on the Judge Hastings
farm near town were blown down.
The apple and peach crops of Thos.
Cook on the RidgelX farm, and W. L.
Mitfiin farm, just west of Dover, were
badly damaged. The we'll developed
early apples were broken from the
trees and lay on the orchard grounds.
The fine wheat fields of w. III.
Wallace and John M. Roe near Dover
were badly damaged.
During the storm lightning struck
the house of Charles Sherwood near
Kenton, and fired the same. The
dwelling and contents were consumed
in short time. Very little house.
hold goods being saved.
Vegetable gardens throughout the
town that were so nromiainp were
almost wiped ont. The lima bear
crop suffered the most.
Flower beds also suffered greatly,
all of the young plants and those
growing from bulbs this season were
cut to shreds by the hail or broken BY
the wind.
The storm seemed to be local, being
confined to a strip not over two mile:
in width and passing east to and out
the Delaware Bay.