The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-08-05
BnSToN. August |.

IN length, and OF near the same width, and
an inch in thickness. He informed us that
when they first fell, there were many much
larger, and that he measured one 4 Is
inches in length, and that some were
ounces in weight. They fell with such
force that when on hard ground, they were
broken in pieces. They continued to fall
for ten or fifteen minutes. All the glass on
the windward side of buildings for an ex-
tent of two miles. in width was broken.
Much injury was done to fruit trees,
corn, and garden vegetables, many of
which were entirely destroyed. In the
Elio: Factory at Newton, Upper Falls, with
the shops in the Factory yard, 800 lights of
glass were broken, and nearly as much
more in the tenements belonging to the
Factory. The buildings of the Newton
Factories, and other buildings in the village,
suffered in the same proportion. In the
Rev. Mr.. Grafion's meeting house 500 lights
of glass were broken. The stones fell with
such force on the roof of the counting room
of the factory as to break the states. so as
to make it difficult to repair it. Shingles
in some instances were broken, and the
building much bruised. While the hail
was falling, the rain fell in torrents, accom-
panied with heavy thunder. A tree was
struck with lightning on Newton Common,
and another in the Factory village, and
barn was burnt in Watertown. A COW was
killed by lightning in Newton.
The shower in this town, on Thurs
day was more violent than we have had for
many years. Since January, 1918, the time
when the meteorological journa! was be-
gun, which has been published weekly in
this paper, there has been none to compare
with it. That which has come the nearest
to 1t was in July, 1918, when $50 inches of
rain fell in single shower in the night
We had second shower Thursday eve
ming, which lasted more than an hour, dur
ing which the rain fell to the depth of I,52
inches which added to what fell in the af-
ternoon made 4,63 inches, and all in the
space of little more than hours. This is
more than has fallen before at this place in
any one week since January, 1918. 1t he
gan to rain again yesterday morning and
continued very mildly, for about three hours.
The amount which then fell was only O,I2
inches.
At distance of about twenty miles south,
towards Bridgewater and Taunton, there
was no rain whatever, on Thursday or
Thursday night.
coachman in the employ of DR.. Cod
man of this city was instantly killed by the
lightning, at Nahant. His name we have
not learnt. A stable at Cambridge was
set on fire, but the flames were extinguish-
ed without much damage. A ship on the
stocks at Charlestown was struck, but not
materially damaged.
GRADUAL ABOLITION OF SLAVERY. The
Memorial from Augusta county, Virginia.
(which has before been noticed in the Spv.
remarks, that this subject ia of such impor-
tance that if nothing be done respecting il.
the other labors of the Convention wilt be
Comparatively mig atnry Slavery 10 a groat-
er evil than all the other evils of Virginia
IN the aggregate. AS naked question of
( political wisdom and safety, apart from re-
hgion and humanity, it is momentous SUBJ
Ject. While public morals and general pros
perity are deplorably injured by it, the labor
derived from slaves is vastly less productive
than that of freemen. A larger space is
therefore required to furnish subsistence TO
a given number, while the employment of
blacks, by a natural consequence. lessons
( the industry of the whites, besides actually
( thrusting them out of employ. Hence the
! population of Virginia averages seventeen
to the square mile, while that of New Eng
land is sixty. The possession and manage
ment OF slaves are source of endless vex-
alton and misery within the house, and of
waste and ruin on the farm. The youth of
the country grow up with contempt of in
dustry, as low and servile thing, and
ettemlnacy, vice and worthlessness follow
IN the train. Poverty is overspreadinp the
state, and together with the sparseness of
the population, prevents the institution of
schools and paralyzes all plans of improve
ment. The retrogression of Virginia is an
acknowledged point, and these are the
causes of it pointed out by the Memorial.
They are vigorously increasing in marni-
tude, the outlets for the slave population
are fast closing, and, mean time, the white
| people are removing in great numbers. The
| Memorialsts forbear to push the subject into
detail, but add their importunate nrovern
for some constitutional provision against an
evil which threatens all that is dear and
! valuable to people.
| PROMETHEANs. Royal letters patent
have been granted to Mr.. S. Jones of Lon
don, for a new model of producing instanta
neous light without the aid of a bottle or
any apparatus it consists simply of a piece
of paper twisted spirally; the thickest end
of which, on being compressed with the
bottom of box, or any hard substance.
will produce brilliant and instant flame
which will continue to burn about two min
utes, sufficient time to seal letter without
the use of candle. The ADVANTAGES these
| (Prometheans, he calls Them have over all
others invented are, they are more simple.
economical and useful unlike the fire box
es now in use, neither time, climate, nor at
mosPheree can affect them. To the cigar
smoker they must be invaluable, as he may
carry forty or fifty in his waiscoat pocket,
being, perfectly free from danger. No
traveller should he without them in cases
OF casualties at inns, &c. This is thing
long wanted.-LOndOn paper.
A TIInIrIcII ID q