|
Fort Smith Weekly New Era
Apr 11, 1877
On Saturday evening last, at half past five o’clock, after a beautiful bright warm day, the sky suddenly clouded up darkly in the west
and north and a roaring sound was heard in that direction up the broad valley of the Arkansas. Ere long the clouds burst and a storm
of hail set in such as had not been seen for twenty years. It was on the 8th of April, 1854, when a hailstorm smashed every window in
town and did great damage. On Saturday, the 7th last, the catastrophe was repeated, but with much greater damage, though the storm was
not as severe, perhaps, as that of “54. The hail commenced falling slowly at first, but gradually it increased in quantity and size,
until in about ten minutes it rattled down at an awful rate, the stones varying in size from that of a small marble to a hen’s egg and
some even larger. At first the storm came from the Northwest, but in about fifteen minutes it veered around and came from the Southeast
in about twenty minutes the ground was covered to the depth of several inches, when the hail changed gradually into violent rain. At half
past six all was ov3r and people showed themselves again in the streets. We took a stroll up Garrison Avenue to see what damage was done.
Among those who suffered the most from defective roofs were John Goss, general merchandise, Bonneville block, loss $1000. S. G.
Corrington, adjoining boots and shoes, $200. J. W. Scott, R. F. Dickens general merchandise, loss not known.
The sky lights of B. Z. Gannaway’s Art Gallery and that of R. G. Bulgin where completely destroyed and the interior damages.
The hot houses of Mrs. J. R. Kannady and Mrs. Reutzel were demolished by the heavy icicles and dire havoc made among the
fragrant flowers and shrubs in the establishments of Walter Miley, E. C. Brogan and M. Brogan, the rain flooded everything.
But very few and only the best constructed buildings withstood the flood. Luckily the hail came in a slanting direction so that the loss in window lights was but trifling.
|