USA > Maryland > Montgomery County > Sandy Spring > Annals of Sandy Spring history of a rural community in Maryland, Volume 1 > Part 17
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On Sunday, April 28th, 1878, occurred the most terrific hailstorm ever known in this latitude by the present gen- eration. The morning was lovely and the landscape lay green and smiling until noon ; the sky became overcast soon afterward, and clouds of a singular brassy tint ap- peared in the southwest. In a few moments a dense gray wall moving swiftly from S. W. to N. E. swept over a dis- trict of eight or ten miles in length by from three-quarters of a mile to a mile and a half in breadth. The hail fell for nearly half an hour without an instant's cessation, and during most of that time it was impossible to see one inch beyond the window pane. The noise can only be compar- ed to the roar of Niagara, persons in the same room har- ing to shout in order to be heard. When the storm ceased. what a scene of desolation met the eye ! Wheat tall enough to conceal a post-and-rail fence was mowed down to stubble on a level with the lowest rail (it put up stalks after- ward that produced eight bushels of wheat to the acre); fruit trees heavy laden an hour before, were not only stripped of every apple, peach and pear, but in many cases not a leaf was left; gardens were as bare of green and growing plants as a floor; cattle that had waded in pas- ture in the morning, stood lowing for food until they re- ceived their supper from the barns. The ground was covered for miles to a depth varying from four inches to two feet, and hail was found in sheltered places one and two weeks after the storm. Most fortunately the hail stones were of moderate size.
The loss to the community, which suffered in growing crops and orchards, can scarcely be estimated, going up easily into thousands of dollars. The principal losers amongst those included in this history, were William Lea, William S. Bond, William Kinnaird, John Thomas, Wil-
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liam John Thomas, Dr. F. Thomas, Edward P. Thomas, Charles Stabler, A. G. Thomas, Llewellyn Massey, Walter Brooke and Samuel Thomas. (All these names will be read with increased interest in future years.) Carriage loads of people came from distance of miles to witness the destruction. As the season advanced, the stricken forest put forth a few leaves, which on some oak trees grew to an inordinate size and of singular shape. From elevated points at a distance, the " burnt district," as it was termed, could be distinguished far and wide. Nor must we omit to mention the timely, generous assistance in farm work, given by those who escaped the afflictive visitation- friendly aid not to be specially recorded here.
It must be interesting to compare the hailstorm of 1878 with one that occurred in 1799, also within our neigh- borhood, as recorded in a letter written by Mrs. Chandlee, the grandmother of our young ladies of that name, under date " Black Meadows, 5th month, 26th, 1799." It
appears from the writer's statement, that the storm broke out in the evening of the 24th of May, about six o'clock, " continuing three-quarters of an hour with incessant flashes of lightning and constant peals of thunder. The devastation of timber, loss of grain, clover, outhouses, gardens, &c., is almost past description." She says the trees were nearly stripped of leaves, many having merely the stem left with a brown crust around it, as if scorched by the lightning. The danger to the house was very great ; glass from the windows, and the hail flew over the house in such a manner that there seemed hardly a spot large enough for her babe and herself to find shelter, the roof being part blown off.
This storm, described in the letter as resembling the · hurricanes of the West Indies more than our tempests,
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appears to have exceeded our hailstorm of last year in violence.
Perhaps you have now had a sufficiency in the way of storms; but my attention has been drawn to the descrip- tion of another that occurred in our county, a few extracts from which will serve to furnish an additional comparison offered by these interesting natural phenomena.
The hailstorm referred to (according to the account in the paper of the day), desolated a tract between Rockville and Clarksburg, breaking out on Sunday, the 7th of June. 1818, sixty years before our own. "It approached from the southeast accompanied by a confused rumbling noise, Fortunately it did not drive much, or the mischief must have been much greater, as some of the hail measured fourteen inches in circumference; a large hog was seen to fall dead from receiving one, and the backs of the catt !. were so lacerated as to cause the blood to run down their sides. Generally they were the size of a goose egg, and were of irregular, conical form. Some farmers had their prospects blighted in seeing their towering fields of grain laid prostrate to the earth." (From the Federal Gazete and Baltimore Daily Advertiser.)
I was somewhat surprised to see in the advertising columns, the notice of an auction sale of Alderney cons.
Returning to our neighborhood annals, it is noted that the month of May was a rather remarkable one. The weather changed cold, so that the carly progress of the season was interrupted. Actual frosts produced injury in many places ; but their chief disastrous effects were upon white wheat, which appears to have blossomed at tho! critical period, and was thus cut short to a degr .. . . cient to discourage most farmers from sowing it agali in the following autumn. A green bug (aphis) swarmed in
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, great numbers on the wheat head, producing some alarm, but without doing notable injury. The worst feature affecting the wheat crop was the distressing fall in price.
June came with continuing abundance of moisture, and cool to an extraordinary degree. The apprehensions, which our farmers had been abundant in expressing, as to the prospect of crops, were gradually removed; a full crop, barring white wheat sown in corn stubble, was harvested. An unusually heavy hay crop was cut, which had throughout the year an extremely depressing effect on the market. Abundance prevailed in nearly all the main farm productions, with one sad exception, which was in the case of fruit. Perhaps no worse exhibit is made of that great article of comfort and luxury in any part of these annals.
This month was brightened to a number of our people by an interesting marriage that took place at Bloomfield with numerous festivities. Boarders came from the city, though scarcely in such numbers as usual ; and our young farmers enjoyed all the gay recreation required to relieve the monotony of hard work. The close of the month of June was distinguished by the final breaking up of " Stanmore Boarding School of Girls."
. July is regarded by my statistical correspondent as being "quite uneventful"; although it witnessed the renewal of the game of base ball with renewed zeal. Some queer difficulties arose in the preliminaries, showing that our young men. are already up to the mature poli- ticians. As those latter use party-spirit to accomplish what they profess to make their object, namely, the public good, so in " officering the nines," did the former employ the same unblest means for spoiling their pleasure. Party spirit, alas ! has just about as much to do in good govern-
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ment as in sportive games. None the less was there ex- pended in yonder pasture-lot, agreeably to close mathe- matical calculation of the " Correlation of Forces," an amount of muscular exertions, which being converted into another form of power, might have cut and secured all the harvests of the neighborhood! Whether this is to be considered, in mechanical phrase, a waste of power, is for you to judge. A deliberate conclusion would be-that sport becomes waste of power just when it passes the point where it runs into excess. All must admit that the escape from serious injuries, by bat and ball, was cause for much gratitude and satisfaction.
The 1st day of August was pleasantly commemorated by a celebration at Woodburn, of the 84th birthday of our much-loved and respected friend, Eliza Kirk. Her children, grandchildren, and numerous old friends were around her, and left nothing undone to bring to her affectionate heart the gratification so well merited by her long and useful life.
In August were continued the tours in pursuit of health and pleasure, begun in the preceding month, with more than usual satisfaction to several parties. The Virginia springs and the seashore, away up to the island-mountain of Maine, were the choice spots visited.
By the end of the month, the perfected corn crop com- pletes the almost unprecedented abundance of all the five chief crops of our neighborhood, viz., grass, wheat, cats, corn and potatoes, But welcome abundance is attended with the natural accompaniment of low prices, which takes off considerably from the satisfaction of the pre- ducer. It seems that we can rarely have both blessings at once.
Another blessing must be noted, namely, the prevalence
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of good health among us, while the Southwest is so terribly afflicted with yellow fever. Liberal contribu- tions were made to relieve, so far as in our power, the sufferings of our fellow-countrymen.
September. Apprehensions entertained lest the corn should not harden ; but by the middle of the month it was cut and set up in excellent condition, affording ample time for preparations to sow wheat. A few began that important work in this month. There was a decided dis- position among some to experiment with new fertilizers. Wheat very steady at $1.00. The New Party, got up to make money more easily and expeditionsly and abund- antly, attracts notice in the crowd.
The Horticultural Fair was held at the Lyceum, after the intermission of a year. The vegetable exhibit was not remarkable any way except for the diminished figure cut by the pumpkin tribe, but the display of flowers gave shining proof of the increased devotion of our ladies to the charming department of horticulture. The success of the Fair as shown by the large number of visitors, and by its general management, was every way encouraging.
The history of September, 1878, cannot be closed with- out referring to the establishment of " Rockland Boarding School for Girls," which seems from its position and man- agement rather a transfer of "Stanmore" than a wholly new concern ; my assistant adds that "it was hailed with such satisfaction by us young mothers as to deserve special recognition."
October furnished less material than usual in the way of gay and brilliant foliage to deck the parlors with autumn wreaths, but it was good for sowing wheni, dig- ging potatoes, and commencing the husking of corn ; the dryness of the latter disappointed the croakers of the pre-
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vious month, as so often happens. Those useful labors being well finished, who shall blame us for indulging in a little "high sport" (?) when a party of "old men and boys, and loving friends, and youths and maidens gay." met to enjoy the excitement of a "bag fox-chase." Any one desirous of information as to particulars may know where to inquire, but they need not go to the genuine old sportsman, who considers such fox hunting like box pigeon shooting, beneath the chivalry of true sport.
This month was signalized by the establishment of " the Sandy Spring Branch of the Benevolent Aid Society." which made a good start under the presidency of Caroline HI. Miller, and being conducted almost exclusively by ladies, increased until about a hundred names Were enrolled. Meetings were held twice during the month throughout the cold season, and it is believed much good was accomplished.
November was ushered in by the performance of the. great civic duty of voting at a new place, Mechanicsville, the larger part of our neighborhood being thrown into the newly organized eighth district of the county. There came, or were at liberty to come, about to out of tir whole number of voters in the neighborhood census. their political sentiments being expressed nearly thus: 50 re- publicans, 10 democratic, 5 " the new party."
A wide circle of our friends was shocked at hearing of the sudden death on the 5th of this month. of Auna T. Hallowell, widow of the late J. Elgar Hallowell. For a number of years she had lived among us, endeared to the hearts of her relatives and numerous friends by her bo ! traits of character and winning face and m. p.o .. . Though not properly a resident of Sandy Spring for the last sixteen years, she felt so near and dear that we never
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ceased to claim her as one with us. "Her place is kept" in many a warm heart.
In this month were resumed the bi-weekly meetings for Bible reading and other religious exercises, conducted by E. J. Farquhar, at the house of Benjamin II. and Sarah T. Miller. The number who attended with considerable regularity was sufficient to produce the impression that there is among many of us what may be termed " a ground swell" of fresh religious feeling. Every serious thinking person must desire that it may not be smothered, but may find the proper direction that will conduct to peace and the higher life.
In this same month the two societies, the "Debating" and the " Sociable," recommenced the performance of their interesting functions. In regard to the success of the latter, no doubts or insinuations are admissible. The crowded meetings, the high style of literary proceedings, declamatory and written, the power it has twice exhibited to fill this Lyceum hall when it gracefully consents to aid some struggling effort in a good cause, finally its manifest reluctance to adjourn for the season, all these are clear indications of a brilliant success.
In addition to other pleasant things November has also brought round the oysterman to give us countrymen a taste of city luxury-a welcome arrival, but of course it costs.
December. Early in this month occurred a very ngly fracas at the colored people's church. The number of their young men going round with nothing to do is becoming a source of increasing concern, though nothing could be better punishment for one guilty of the grave offence of knifing a rival than a year in the House of Correction, lately awarded by our Court. As "idleness is the great
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mother of mischief," it becomes a matter of serious mo- ment that the employers of labor should look round more diligently, and exert their efforts more efficiently to find work for all persons seeking labor. This is a duty whose neglect will insure future heavy penalty.
On the 15th died John S. Miller, a citizen of Philadel- phia, of whom honorable mention was made a year ago. for a large contribution to repair of public roads. He had reached an advanced age, and accumulated a large property which was divided in an equitable manner among his rela- tives. So considerable was the amount that ought to flow into and swell the current of Sandy Spring business activities that apprehensions were entertained by some of the apprehensive sort, lest mischievous effects might arise from the sudden influx. It is proper to state that no such injurious effects appear thus far to have been produced.
Christmas was pronounced to have been more than usually quiet, especially around the stores, whose proprie. tors manifested great and disinterested regard for the peace and safety of the community, by withdrawing from sale all fire-crackers, torpedoes, and such nuisances peen- liar to the season.
Another reform, well worth recording, may be claimed for the holiday; there was less drinking among those who have been in the practice of indulging in that way. It is due to the truth of history to state that this improve ment was attributed by certain disbelievers in progress, to the fact that the continued low prices of produce, especially of hay, had left people too poor to indulge in dissipation ; if it was so, it was a blessed poverty; but the idea hai little or no foundation. Considerable ice wa- mivel away in Christmas week.
January, 1879. This, the 10th month of our year, was
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distinguished for a spell of very cold weather. The ther- mometer sinking on an average through the neighbor- hood, only to minus 3º and 5°, was but a partial test of the severity of the cold. " The wind makes the weather," is an old saying, which was true this time. The frost-king managed to penetrate cellars and potato caves, with dis- astrous effects. On the other hand, ice houses, not being large enough to hold all the ice desired, new ones were made above ground. From notes made in this month I observe it stated that "society revives in full feather"; frequent parties restore the social character of our young folks, which was accused of a falling off in the carly part of the winter
Another revival, truly worthy of the name, came on in its turn. The Lyceum, our pride of former years, monu- ment of our earliest efforts to raise the standard of intel- lectual improvement, had threatened to become a monu- ment indeed. Several preceding pages of this history complain in mournful words of the lukewarmness which had crept over our better aspirations. Our officers had done their duty in making efforts to provide high-class entertainment. The people would not come; they ap- peared to grow weary; cloyed with such substantial aliment of mind, and wanting something of lighter sort. A new plan was used, or rather an old one revived. Tickets were sold in advance by interesting little children. The effort was a success ; for who could refuse the cherub applicants? Lectures were started again, and went on. On the 16th, Hon. Alonzo Bell favored us with one of the healthy sort, worth listening to. for it was bracing to the soul. Every person was pleased, and namy observed " This is indeed an old-time Lyceum audience"; for the room was filled. Other successful lectures followed.
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Capt. Tyson, a man of words as well as deeds, but of deeds surpassing his words, displayed to a crowded audi- ence at the next meeting in February, a graphic picture of that fascinating Arctic scenery, with the still more moving qualities of true manhood in mastering its dangers and terrible sufferings, in a way to fasten the attention of old and young, sedate and gay; also the best order was observed. Interest the people; they will listen.
It was observed throughout this exceptionally severe winter (as we must continue to regard it), that the health of our people was remarkably good as long as the severe cold lasted ; so soon as there came a partial thaw, catarrhs and neuralgia began to be very prevalent, with tendency to pneumonia. But with the one exception of James Stone, there was no severe case. Taking the year through. the general health was fairly good. The preservation of all the numerous tender children is indeed remarkable. and, as my venerable sister justly writes, a cause of devout thankfulness. But we have to note an unusual number of accidents; six having occurred. The sufferers were Robert R. Moore, from the stage running away; Charles F. Kirk, from the horns of a horrible bull; E. P. Thomas, from gravitation ; Charles H. Burke, a broken bone; Llewellyn Massey-and a dreadful wound by a gun in his own hand, that caused the death of Frank Sullivan ; and the fall, at a later date, of Rebecca Thomas, not severe, but slow of cure.
The Convention of Farmers' Clubs, held at the usual time in January, was well attended, and served to bring out the various qualities of the respective triln, Th. amicable competition thus exhibited appeared to afford amusement without any serious opposition. More im- portant measures were started by a resolution unani-
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mously adopted, looking to a reform in the management of county affairs; a rolling stone which appears to be gathering moss.
It is supposed to be the province of historians to record the joys, sorrows. and misfortunes of others, not their own. Now it is the singular office of two out of three who con- tribute to these annals, to tell of disastrous events affect- ing their own case.
A fire broke out in January, which threatened to de- stroy the dwelling of Edward P. and Mary B. Thomas ; it was checked in time. On the last day of February the barn of Wm. H. Farquhar with all its contents was wholly destroyed. The building had stood for 60 to 70 years; within half an hour it was reduced to smoke and ashes. No reasonable doubt exists that the source of the mischief was the smoking-pipe of the hired man. No comment is needed to enforce the lesson: Beware of pipes! An attendant feature of this very serious calamity well deserves a more extended notice than I feel able to give it ; before the flames of the hay, straw, and fodder were extin- quished, two loads were seen coming up the road from a neighbor's barn or stack, sent to supply the remaining stock with necessary subsistence. One horse, the most valuable, was consumed in the fire; another neighbor took in the dry cows "to keep in his barn till the grass should come." The day following many loads of fodder were deposited in such quantities as to elicit the remark of a relative, that she had never seen corn grow so fast as it did that day in Unele William's barnyard.
It would take more room on these pages than I have to spare, to recite the evidences of neighborly kindness which were drawn out by the calamity. And it would be ungrate- ful and unjust were I not to add, that the kindnessos were
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by no means limited by the bounds of neighborhood. When the new building now being constructed, shall rise on the ruins of the old, its figure from roof to foundation-stone shall be while it stands, at least for me and my children, an enduring monument of the brotherly kindness shown by the members of "Olney Grange," as well as by the nearer neighbors of Sandy Spring.
The record of the year touching matters of business is not very different from the country generally, only rather less depressed. The Savings Institution still continues to show an increase of deposits, though of smaller amount, with a stronger basis than a year ago. A test of the neighborhood life is shown by the operations of the Post- Office. Samuel Bond, Assistant Postmaster, has kindly forwarded the following report :
During the twelve months ending April 1st, 1879, were cancelled $793 of postage stamps, which being reduced to single letter postage, would make 26,433 letters sent from the office, but of course there were circulars, cards, &c., included. During the same period were sold here 7085 postal cards, against 3400 sold in 1874, the year they were introduced. Of money orders issued during the year amounting to $2845, sent away-$1287 sent here- excess sent out $1558, against a difference in same direc- tion of $1727 in 1871.
As another feature showing progress in our neighbor- hood, my Junior Assistant very properly suggests that notice should be taken of the great increase in the num- ber of cows, which she estimates as being four times as numerous as they were ten years ago. Also the print opening in the forests affording views more extended. besides the substantial benefits from an increase of arable soil. Then there is now going on a planting of hedges :
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numerous bav-windows and conservatories are added to dwellings, while the paint brush is more used than of yore; all of which are tokens of improved civilization. Mention is also made of the pleasant incident of a " house-warming entertainment," presided over by Mary P. Thomas, which afforded sympathetic gratification to all the old friends who rejoiced that the parents had come into such agree- able quarters in their declining years. At the very close of the year we were indebted to the contractor for estab- lishing a new mail. That " herald of a noisy world " now comes twice a day; when I was Postmaster it used to come twice a week.
The closing pages of this year's history have room for only one more line-the most important of all.
Within the limits now defined as constituting "our neighborhood," the statistical return is: marriages 2; births 14 (9 boys and 5 girls) ; deaths 1.
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CHAPTER XVII.
. FROM FOURTH MONTH, TTH, 1879, TO FOURTH MONTH, 5TH, 1880. The largest tree - Changes in men - The spirit remains - A year of action - New buildings - April an important month - Barn raising - Pleasant Quarterly Meeting - Help to sick harvesters - Early sound of the steam whistle, for threshing -New games, the Archery - A new Bible class - Numerous premiums at Rockville Fair - The Great Cyclone - Remarks on Monthly Meeting - Reflections - Sanitary facts - Dr. Hartshorne's hook - Mild winter - A house warming - The ladies' success at the Everum - The Dickens Calendar - Amanda Deyn - Revising the Discipline-Two new Societies -- The- Farmers' Club conclude to use the moonshine.
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