The Mountain Sentinel

The severest hail storm, accompanied by heavy wind, lightning and thunder, passed over this place on Friday evening last, that has visited this section of country within the memory of the oldest inhabitant.

It commenced about three o'clock P. M. and lasted for the space of twenty minutes. It was so heavy that it broke almost every pane of glass in the windows of the houses of our borough that were exposed to the west. Considerable damage was also done to the timber and fences in the surrounding country. We have heard of a number of cattle being killed by the falling of trees.

After the storm was over a boy, whose name we do not recollect, was found dead on a road in the north part of this county. It is supposed he was killed by lightning.

Mr. David J. Davis made a narrow escape while travelling through the woods, by having his horse killed under him by the falling of a tree.

The Portable Saw Mill of George J. Rodgers, near Strongstown was totally destroyed by the falling timber, and a pair of oxen employed at the mill were killed by the same means. It is a matter of astonishment how the hands employed at this mill escaped instant death, so great was the destruction of timber around them.

Although the storm was heavy and very destructive in this section of country, it appears to have been much worse at Pittsburg, as will appear from the following article which we copy from the Pittsburg Post:--

Tremendous Hail Storm.

Between three and four o'clock yesterday afternoon, our city was visited by the severest fall of hail we ever witnessed or read about. It was accompanied with high wind and rain. The streets were literally covered with the "frozen vapor." We noticed stones as large as hen's eggs. and many which fell before the office were much larger. One in particular was crushed in the hail which must have been the size of a goose egg. The destruction of window glass is immense, beyond all calculation; but not less than 1/12th of the panes in the public and private houses of the city were broken.

The storm was severe upon horses and other animals in the streets. We saw them running in every direction from the windows. Buggies, wagons, carts, omnibusses and other vehicles were upset and broken. Several horses were seriously injured in their efforts to escape. We saw one poor animal making desperate efforts to get into the Theatre alley.

We anticipate bad news from the country. All the fruit upon the trees-apples peaches &c., is doubtless destroyed in the district covered by the storm.

Shingles were knocked from the roof of houses; awnings were torn to tatters, signs defaced, and other injuries inflicted upon our citizens which we have no time to describe.

Mr. Fountain, barber, on Liberty street picked up a pigeon from his pavement which had been killed by a "hail shot." which took effect on the top of the head, and scooped out the brain, &c., as neatly as a surgeon could have done the job with instruments. Mr. F. enjoyed a luxury at his tea table in the evening.

No doubt immense numbers of sheep. hogs. fowls. &c.. have been killed.

The Catholic Church, west side, is terribly riddled. Hardly a pane remains whole. The Court House seems to have escaped with little or no glass

The window glass and putty business will be brisk for some weeks. "Putty has riz."

The stones actually went through sheet iron roofs in various houses of the city. This may seem incredible, but we are assured of the truth of the story.

The Wood street merchants, especially those on the East side, suffered severe loss. Many of the monster panes in the show windows were broken.

We have heard of a number of trifling accidents in which men and children were hurt, but none mortally. A driver of milk cart was nearly killed in Wylie street.

They do say that many persons said their prayers for the first time.

Bennett, of "Our House' gathered three bushels of ice, and last night served up a luxury called the "Hail Storm." He has some of the article left for his friends who call to-day.

The Birmingham Omnibus was smashed down in Wood street. The horses ran off. Passengers on the steamers from below say that ten miles down there was no hail.

The roofs of some of the canal and coal boats were crushed in.

Some persons estimate the total damages at $15,000.

There was much excitement in the city last evening in consequence of the storm. People were running in every direction making inquiries as to the probable loss, &c.

A man from Pine creek reports that the storm was very light there. It is thought that it was not so heavy in Allegheny city as on this side.

The Telegraph wires were knocked down, deranged between this city and Greensburg.

A hog was killed on 7th street by a stone striking him on the head.

We heard of many stones which were weighed and measured. One fell near the Monongahela House which our informant says was as large as a man's head. It was broken to pieces-one piece being as large as a goose egg. Several weighed 16 ounces.

It appears the largest stones fell near the river.-Pittsburg Post of Saturday.