Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-05-24
NEAR-CL.OUDBURST
DOES MUCH DAMAGE
IN CITY AND COUNTY
First Heavy Storm OF Summer
Comes With SuddenneSS.

with an electrical storm of consid-
cradle severity. the first summer
storm of the year fell upon this sec
ton yesterday and left in its wake
a heavy damage In the form of
washeS fields in the country where
tho drainage was not adequate to
carry Off the nownpour, flooded
roads. flooded cellars in the city due
To defective drainage on buildings
and also due in some cases to insult.
fieient street drainage, trees uproot.
ed or snapped off by the wind and
other minor damage. In addition
tho storm brought with 1t q littlo
hail which fell less than a minute
altogether and which, it is believed,
did not do much damage. \ drop in
the temperature followed the hail
and the thermometer fell from its
summer registration of 80 degrees
yesterday afternoon to 81 degrees
early this morning.
The suddenness and severity OF
the storm We're marked, coming at
the end of day of sweltering heat.
Warnings OF the storm were noted
late in the afternoon with darkening
clouds: and those who find pleasure
in witnessing the approach of
storm in its majestic proportions
found the spectacle yesterday after
noon one of beauty The delugo
opened with vehemence ut the very
start, driving every one to cover and
soaking every one and everything
which could not scurry to protection.
The actual damage done by the
storm Is hard to determine but II
will amount to a considerable fig.
IRE. consisting mainly of repairs to
broken and twisted buildings. re.
planting OF crops and reconstruction
of drainage systems.
Trees were torn in a number of
places The big tree in front of the
home of S. b. Dorm, West King
street, was snapped off four feet
above the ground and In falling
eastward stradded with two prongs
the auto delivery truck of lloyd
/ Brothers, meat merchants, smashing
the top and one part of the wind
shield and slightly bending the fen.
der but otherwise not hurting 1t. A
big limb on tree in the rear OF the
postoffice was also twisted off.
Damage In Maryland.
Hagerstown, Nd. May "a. - A
small cyclone struck Washington
county Monday afternoon, doing
eonsidera BILE damage along the West
ern pike, several miles .weet from
! lIagerstown. A greenhued funnel
/ shaped cloud swept in from the
northwest and uprooted large fruit
and forest trees and scattered
fences. Large hailstones fell Trees.
telephone and telegraph poles were
blown down along the State. road
| The lightning was very severe. -
Old Church Ruined.
AT Keedysville, Sharpsburg and
vicinity hail as large as walnuts
fell, doing considerable damage to
the crops The Baltimore and Ohio
station at Augusta was unroofed, MS
were a number OF barns and out
buildings The historic Dunkard
church, on Antietam battlefield, used
during the Civil War as a hospital.
was destroyed. After being unroof-
ed the stone walls crumbled and all
that Is left Of the structure is q
mass OF ruins. The church at Ba.
kersville was unrOofed and badly
wrecked.
At Harpers Ferry. NMn
Harpers Ferry, W. Va, May a..
A storm broke over the town Mon
day afternoon IN which considerable
hail fell as large as a hen egg. At
Knoxville the greatest damage was
Susj aimed Windows we're smashed,
Stats and rubberoid roofs were brok-
en- and torn and the trees stripped
o. their leaves .4sassssss'
Wire service this morning was
reported in better shape than had
been anticipated in view of the se-
verify OF the storm All trunk lines
were in service and only isolated
telephones were out The local
Western Union office was held up
for a time this morning because OF
prostration OF its wires.
ROsemOnt Park was badly washed
by the storm. some wires were torn
loose by the wind. some Of the big
globes broken. the paths swept by
water and the buildings water
drencbed The management reports
rd This morning. however, that ev.
ofethng would be in shape by TO-
night.
Charges Concrete.
During the storm an unusual thing
transpired at Lord and Lords, West
Burke street In some fashion an
electric wire running through a con.
duit came in contact with block Of
concrete in the sidewalk and anyone
stepping ON the spot inyoluntarily
danced a jip. It was first discovered
when a dog ran on the block. The
animals -four feet were Instantly
knocked from under him and no was
the most surprised canine n the
world The SPOT was guarded and
soon rendered immune by power
plant workmen.
HedgesviIlc Unaffected.
Reports from Hedgesylle are 70
the effect that the storm missed that
locality. There was a rather sharp
RAIN but no hail or Indication Of
storm.
Hits Power Co.
The rain and wind did not do so
very much dam 10 the wires of
iha Potonsr Power Co, but The
lightning made ap for any omission
on the par VI he other elements