Prof. Loomis on the Hail Storm of the first of July, 1853. 39 
In the upper part of the city, however, in the neighborhood of 
the Crystal Palace, the wind blew with destructive violence. 
high brick wall was blown flat to the ground—a block of four 
wooden buildings (not entirely completed) was prostrated—and a 
small wing of the Crystal Palace was blown down. he fall of 
hail was heavy, and considerable glass in the Crystal Palace, and 
the buildings in the vicinity, were broken. 
During the first part of the storm, the lightning was unusually 
severe. Several buildings and treesin New York and Willi 
burgh were struck by the electric fluid, and one or two barns 
were burned to the ground. 
I have succeeded in tracing this storm fora distance of full . 
twenty five miles, and for about two-thirds of this distance have 
followed the track personally on foot. The portion of the track 
which I have myself surveyed, commences about a mile anda 
half southwest of Paterson, N. J., from which point it proceeds 
in a southeast direction—passing over the village of Acquack- 
anonck, together with the cities of N. York and Williamsburg— 
and from this point the storm can be traced with diminished en- 
ergy to Jamaica Bay. Near Paterson, the wind is believed to 
have been more violent than in any other part of the above men- 
tioned track. Where it swept through the forests, many large 
trees, of one to two feet in diameter, were overturned—while 
others were snapped off and twisted like reeds. This remark 
applies to a distance of about three or four miles from the com- 
mencement near Paterson. In the neighborhood of Acquack- 
anonck, a few trees were overturned—but not a large number. 
East of Acquackanonck, the track soon crossed the Hackensack 
meadows where the ground is low and flat, and there were no 
trees to be overturned. Ihave obtained no information of the 
effect of the wind upon the high ridge on the west bank of the 
Hudson river—but the entire length of the track across New 
York was marked by violence, as above stated. This region 
was particularly exposed since it was the highest ground encount- 
ered by the storm in its passage across the island. Having cross- 
ed Hast river, the storm passed centrally over Williamsburgh, 
where it caused more damage than in any other part of its course. 
The steeples of two churches (the first Presbyterian and the 
Dutch) were blown down; the roof of a third church was par- 
it clung to the roofs and was left after the storm in long massive 
windrows. 
The breadth of the track near Paterson is thought not to have 
exceeded half a mile—perhaps was somewhat less than this—and 
