WORST STORM IN YEARS

Heavy Damage to Crops and Property in Schoharie Valley and Along the Mohawk — Railroad Service Tied Up.

The heaviest rain storm in years swept over this section of the state last Sunday at about one o’clock, doing considerable damage to grain and hay and in many places washing away bridges and tearing up highways. At Schenectady hundreds of cellars were flooded, trolley service demoralized on local and suburban lines and property damaged to the extent of several thousand dollars…

An avalanche of earth was washed down on the tracks of the Delaware and Hudson company from the steep embankment on both sides of the tracks between Kelley’s station and Duanesburgh about 2 o’clock in the afternoon, burying them seven feet under a huge heap of dirt, rock, and sand for a distance of 20 feet. As a result train service into Schenectady was at a stand still for several hours. All trains over the D & H were many hours late. About 75 feet of track was washed out between Altamont and Delanson.

No serious damage was done by the storm in and around Altamont, except that a small creek overflowed a portion of Park Street at Sand’s bottling works, ripping up a bridge and tearing away some of the filling in front of the building. The stream also overflowed its banks on Grand Street and did some damage to gardens in that part of the village. It is estimated that nearly five inches of rain fell during the afternoon.

In the Schoharie valley much damage was done to the unharvested crops, mostly oats and hay. At Middleburgh the hop crop suffered considerably, and in many places entire fields were ruined. The barn of Riley Van All was swept from its foundations and two head of cattle were carried away in the flood.

FAIR WINDS UP FRIDAY

Fast Races Marked Closing of County Fair — Aeroplane Damaged in an Attempted Flight Friday afternoon.

The much-talked-of aeroplane flight at the Altamont fair had to be called off again last Friday, when in starting one of the propellers on the machine struck a stone wall and was broken. Friday night the machine was shipped to New York, where it will probably take several days to repair it. The owner is George A. Gray, the official aviator of Camp Whitman.

The races were the main feature at the closing day. The two pony races between Miss Marion Martin and her brother, John Martin, of Albany, were well received.

Fair notes.

The orphans of the Jenkins’ Orphanage, Charleston, S. C., a colored institution, gave a free concert Thursday afternoon and incidentally advertised a Schenectady concern. The youngsters picked up quite a little money and gave a mighty good exhibition.

The Chase and Case motor companies, exhibiting power farm machinery, gave rival exhibitions of plowing by motor and attracted a large crowd and very much interest.

A gang of gypsies which were camped just on the outskirts of the village for several days, endeavored to get into the fair but were “shooed” out of town in short order. The Midway was also cleared of all its objectionable features.