WHERE IS THERE ANY COMFORT FOR THE FARMER?

The Cortland News, Friday, September 3, 1886.

TOWN CORRESPONDENCE.

PREBLE, September 2, 1886.

   Walter Briggs had the misfortune to have one of his cows shot in the udder by some one that was hunting on Monday.
   J. Gray started last week for Virginia. He launched his boat at Port Watson Bridge on Monday and sailed at one o'clock.

   Charley Gay is leading off on the game question. He took a trip a few days ago and brought in twelve gray squirrels.

   It is strange how the city folks envy the farmers, because of their luxurious position. Let us see about this. A close observer will see the industrious farmer crawl out of bed four hours before daylight, soften his boots with a hammer, and commence his day's work with a lantern in one hand and a bucket in the other. He has from one to a hundred hogs which shove their noses in his face or tip the contents of his buckets on him where it freezes until he looks like a skating rink. When he has escaped from the hog pen, he hunts up six or seven buckets, crawls through a wire fence to milk 21 cows. These animals wait until he has the buckets nearly filled, when they kick it over aiming so that the contents will kalsomine such parts of the clothing as the hogs spared. Now and then they vary the monotony by kicking him instead of the bucket, which makes him feel tired and homesick. When he has fed the hens and watered the cattle and hunted three hours for a twenty cent pig, and chopped some apple tree wood for the house, and carried forty buckets of water to the house, and shoveled a road through ten feet of snow--by this time breakfast is ready, and while eating, the clock strikes ten. This is gone through with twice a day for a year. Where is there any comfort for the farmer? I ask my city friend.

TRUXTON, September 2, 1886.

   There are great signs of a new bridge over a branch of the Tioughnioga river on Maiden Lane, also repairs have been made to the highway at the east end of the street which has been in such a condition for a long time, that persons who were obliged to ride over it were in danger of dislocating their joints, and it seemed strange to relate that the spirit of enterprise should be confined wholly to one end of the street and that Cook Arnold should have the best road, which certainly does great credit to the above mentioned gentleman.

EAST HOMER, September 2, 1886.

   The M. E. Sunday School picnic was held at the input of Greggs Gulf on Friday, the 27th ult., and a very enjoyable time was had by those who attended. There was the usual routine of singing, speechifying and eating "goodies." The Rev. Mr. Harris, W. R. Woodward and Dr. Hinman were among the members called upon for remarks, who responded briefly in a few well chosen words suitable to the occasion, interspersed with singing by the choir after which all responded readily and without excuse to the call for dinner, and judging from appearances, was highly relished. The thanks of the entire assembly numbering nearly eighty persons, were given with a will to William Story, who kindly and without charge, gave them the use of these romantic and rustic grounds for the picnic. Many enjoyed a ramble up the gulf paying a visit to the "Devils Den" and "three basins" and two or three of the boys succeeded in capturing a "speckled beauty." We had better go again was the judgment of all.

   The Harford correspondent of the NEWS attempted, briefly to answer my inquiry respecting the "influence of the moon upon us and ours" in your issue of the 20th inst., for which, Mr. H't., please accept my thanks, but, even this brief attempt is far from being satisfactory to me. I must be very dull or very incredulous, or perhaps exacting in requiring more evidence to invite my faith to take in simple assertion upon either side of this question. What has an "unlucky Friday" to do with the moon anyway? Or the superstition of people upon any other question? I would like to know all about the moon if one can tell! I want to plant my seeds next spring just at the right time, in or out of the moon. The Preble correspondent gives me no encouragement by his remarks in the same issue, he says, "There is no philosophical reason." That sweeps the board with one stroke! I am now suspended between a superstitious idea as to the moon's influence upon us and ours, and an assertion. Who will deliver me from this confused confusion?

"Read your answers in the stars,

You'll find no conundrums there."—ED.

Charleston earthquake, courtesy South Carolina State Museum.

THE SHAKING EARTH.

South and Eastern Portions of the United States Visited by Earthquakes.

   Earthquake shocks of considerable severity were felt over a considerable portion of the United States Tuesday night, extending from New York to Mobile, Ala., and as far west as Detroit. Mich. By far the greatest damage was done at Charleston, S. C. where houses were shaken down, telegraphic communication interrupted and a great many lives lost.

   CHARLSTON, S. C. Sept. 1.--An earthquake such has never before been known in this city swept over Charleston last night shortly after 10 p. m., causing more loss and injury to property, and far more loss of life than the cyclone of a year before. The city is wrecked, the streets are encumbered with masses of fallen bricks and tangled telegraph and telephone wires, and up to an early hour it was impossible to pass from one part of the city to another. The first shock was by far the most severe. Most of the people with their families passed the night in the streets, which even this morning are crowded with people afraid to re-enter their homes. More than sixty persons were killed and wounded, chiefly colored. Among the whites killed and fatally hurt are M. J. Lynch, Dr. R. Alexander Hammond and Ainsly Robeson. Fire broke out in different parts of the city immediately after the earthquake, and some are still burning, but there is no danger of their spreading. There is no way of leaving the city at present.

   At 8:25 a. m. to-day another [shock] wave swept over the city, coming as the other did from the Southeast, and, going in a Northeast direction. By that time the people who had been out in the parks and open places all night had, many of them, ventured into their houses to get clothing and food. The approach of the earthquake was heralded by the usual rumbling sound resembling distant thunder. Then [as] it gradually approached the earth quivered and heaved, and in three seconds had passed, the sound dying out in the distance. This is the only wave felt since 2:30 this morning. It was not destructive, all the destruction having been done at 10:35 last night.

   The city is a complete wreck. St. Michael's and St. Phillip's churches, two of the most heroic churches in the city, are in ruins. So is the Hibernian hall, the police station and many other public buildings. Fully two-thirds of the residences in the city are unhabitable [sic], wrecked either totally or partly. It is impossible at this time to give a correct estimate of the casualties. It is expected that between fifty and 100 persons have been killed and several hundred wounded. At the time of the shock fire broke out in five different places in the city. About 20 houses were destroyed by fire. Scarcely 100 houses in the city are occupied at this time, the people being encamped in the open places. All the stores are closed, and it is feared that there will be a scarcity of provisions, not from want of provisions, but because no one can be got to reach the stores to sell them.

   The city is wrapped in gloom, and business is suspended. People generally remain in the streets in tents and under improvised shelters and will camp out tonight, fearing another shock. The gas works are injured, and probably the city will be without light to-night. St. Michael's church was shattered, and the steeple will come down; likewise the steeple of St. Phillips. The steeple of the Unitarian church has fallen. The portico of the city hall and the main station house are demolished. There is much injury to mansions and [to] the East and South battery. The portico of the Ravenal mansion is down. Hardly a house in the city escaped injury, and many are so shaken and cracked that a hard blow would bring them to the ground. The shock was severe at Summerville and Mt. Pleasant and Sullivan's Island, but no loss of life is reported there. Fissures in the earth are noticed from which fine sand apparently from a great depth exudes a sulphurous smell.

Reference:

1886 Charleston earthquake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1886_Charleston_earthquake