Litchfield enquirer., 1837-04-06
FOR THE ENQUIRER. THE ICE STORM.

March 2lst. Tuesday evening 1t commenced rain ing and freezing; the wind easterly. Wednesday morning the earth and trees covered with sleet Wednesday we looked for thaw when the ice would dsengage from the trees; but instead of thaw, it continued to freeze and rain through the day Much of the time the rain fell fast. and but small part o the water congealed. The forests and fruit trees in the meantime had become monuments of ice. The scene was awfully grand: many time have view ed with mingled awe and delight the unrivalled splen dor of the cphemeral though giant growth of vegetable ice; and often have read in most legble characters the overulng hand of n kind Providence in staying the ravages of an ice storm Often have wondered and admired, whom the trees were burdened to their utmost strength, and when now and then defective branch, that grew in an unfavorable position broke from it's parent stock and came crashing to the earth; often at such time have admired the good ness and forbearance of the Deity staying either the rain or the frost. Time immemorial has passed a. way, and never until the pressn, has the destroying angel been allowed to wield the sword of vengeance But alas nor tongue norpen describe the change that was to take place in few short hours Wednes. day evening came; the trees had already began to yield beneath their accumulated burden branch af. ter branch gave way-the woods resounded with the continual crash of falling timber: already the effect was runous and wide. Night closed the scene the rain continued, and it continued to freeze the wind blew stiff breeze, and the cracking of timber was heard necessarily. Desolation reigned around! and self-trustng. puny men were idle spectators in the great drama. Thursday morning came ; tho storm continued. and nought but one widespread desola- ton reigned around: scarcely tree survived the ~m !.
 Those inestimable fruttrees which had the and sOi of years. lay crushed beneath mass of ice the shade trees that were set for beauty and for use were marTed and spoiled, and with them all our forest trees; the sapng youth. the hope outure years had broke bent beneath the stroke never more to rise the lofty pine, that rose in majesty above surrounding wood shorn ofits crown; the beauty of the wood was gone without regard to age oE name the ches- nut, walnut, and the ancient oak the growth of cen tures. either broken in twain or stood branch less statues amid the wreck of nature.
 The trunks of countless thousands of our trees of foot through and under are broken; some turned up by the roos and if any proved tough to break, they bent and kissed the ground. Al-a our trees are injured; our appezees are nearly all destroyed; those which most escaped were the unpruned trees of thickest top; on them the ice formed in solid mass, and one limb supported another; but these exceptions are rare Most of our larger forest trees nearly
 stripped of their branches. and will probably coon de-
 cay; but the most serious injury done to cur forests is
 on our young timber; it is % much broken as to be of but little value to siAnd-in word. our fruit and timber trees arc Tined.
 I've seen the thunderbolt .. . single stroke leve
 the sturdy osk oT lofty pine I've sssn the fierce tor
 nado's trail, where the breath of the Almighty had
 swept m fury by: I've the cracking flame of al
 devouring fire I've seen the torrent tumblng iron
 the hills, making it's way with ruin: and have seen
 and remember well the famed September gale; bu
 never have beheld scene like this. Dollars. tha
 word that sounds 50 mighty in misers ears, is alto
 gether inadequate to compute the loss. The injury
 done by ire that swept our fair metropolis year az
 now Tetrieved but regain the loss caused by thi single storm. must be the wogk of ages. And if th
 storm has extended far and wide, as we have ever,
 Teeson to fear has, there is counting of the loss ] MltOUs Conn HARanS.