Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-03-06

to night, shut up the days fair fsce, be fore the
sun had set. II seemed thea, FOR moment, TO
frown in awful silence over the face Of creation;
suddenly the air bee anne most violently agitated;
the winds and the thunder kept an incessant
roar among the bursting clouds Tor al least half
an hour while the earth was drenched with tor
rents of descending rain. The tempest spread
terror aud desolation in its course. The most
sturdy oaks of the forest were cleft, houses
racked and rased TO the ground, and the foun-
da,ions of The earth seemed TO be shakeL In
this CITY several chimnies were blown down, one
log house in the suburbs Frustrated, and frame
building swept from its foundation. In the vi
cinity of this place, we learn, the storm was
more violent than il was here. On farm in a
southern direction, several stacks Of fodder
were torn 10 pieces, The fences all blown down,
and almost a whole forest OF timber levelled to
the ground. We have expected 10 hear Of
something more serious; but as yet we have
heard of no persons receiving any very great
personal injury.
Thus has winter abruptly taken his leave Of
us; bu, doubtless, he who " has his way in the
whirlwind and directs the storm, so ordered il
for the general benefit Of the inhabitants Of the
earth On,his subject it is remarked by Sturm,
CHA, the Monarch OF the world causes even the
tempes,s to contribute TO the good Of his en-
pire! I, is, in reality, by partic ular direction
Of Providence that, towards spring, storms and
tempests usually arise. AT the return Of this
beautiful season, the mild and moist air opens
the earth which had been shut up during the
winter By this change Of temperature, the at
mos2here, which the cold had purified, becomes
again loaded with noxious vapours, and epide
mic disorders; and the pestilence would spec
Oily destroy both man and beast, ifthese agita-
tons of the air, by storms and teinpesls, did
not purify il and restore itssalubrty BY this,
not only the s,agnated vapours are put in mo-
ton, but also vapours Of a different nature are,
by this agitation, so strongly blended together
as to make happy mixture, useful to the health
of man, and to the fertilization Of the earth I"
On the 24lh ult. the tunnel Of the Union Ca
nal, near Harrisburg, was worked entirely
through. This arduous undertaking was at
tended with some danger, and during its pro-
eress doubts were entertained, by many Of The
hes, friends Of the Canal, Of its completion in
such manner as to answer the purposes intend
ed The tunnel is $50 feet in length, abou, Is
feet, OH an average, i'll diameter, and in the CEN
ire Of the hill, immediately above, is 80 feet in
height I, is said that II will be ready for ma
vigation about the last of May, when il is ex-
pecled the whole line Of the Union Canal will
60 into operation. The prospect Of the speedy
termination of this line Of commune alton BIZ
tween the Susquehanna River and Philadel-
phia, has had the effect rapidly to increase the
value Of The Coal Lands on the Swa,ara.-
Upon the occasion Of the completion of the tun'
mel, the workmen and many OF the inhabitants
Of Lebanon formed procession, with music,
aoI .ol IN rhpn G mi n =
were literally distributed Bait finer.