The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1855-12-26
Singular Phenomena.

the southwest part of Williams township.
known as Cedar Lake, was observed TO rise
suddenly several feet above its banks, at
time, too, when there had been but little
rain, and there are no important streams
leading into it; thus il occasioned consinera- |
BILE talk at the time, and no little inconSG- |
nience to the persons who own land border
ing on the lake.
The waters reached the house Of Andrew
Peters and nearly submerged his gar
den. and be was obliged to move many oi
his out-houses to keep them out Of the wa
| ter. The rise was so sudden that sheep,
hogs and cattle were nearly overfowed by
the progress of the water Mr.. Peters, who
was at home when the rise occurred, went
down to the edge Of the lake as the waters
came toward him, and being on a fiat piece
of ground was flooded to the tops of his
| boots before he was able to reach an emf
nence sufficient to clear him from the water.
! The whole altitude Of the rise was about
seven and half feet above low water mark.
/ The water remained almost stationary until
the first OF August. when for few days it
was observed to fall gradually, and upon the
tw elfh Of the same month the waters had
reached their original Ievi, and the first day
of September they had fallen ten feet below
low water mark, exposing hundreds of a.
cres that had neve been seen above the sur
face OF the water. At that point the lake
now remains, having maintained stationa-
ry position for nearly three months.
The most singular feature of this pheno-
mena has just developed itself, and may
give to scientific men n solution to the mys
terry. While Mr.. Charlea Matthews, sur
veyor from Holden, was engaged in run
ming out the farm of Mr.. En6eld, on the
North sile Of The Like, lie discovered that
either himself or the former surveyor had
made an enormous blunder. Lines over
Tapped, and he could mol tell who was in
| error He called upon Mr.. Henry Warren,
f our county surveyor and related TO him
his difficulty, when they together repaired
with their instruments, and commenced a.
monuments on the south side of the lake
a and ended at the west of Mr.. EnGeld's tarn
finding discrepancy sim lar to, that dis
# coverad by Mr.. Matthews. Mr.. w, upo,
n making the best calculation he could, finds
= that the lake, FIVE miles from the east end
= has not Only lessened its volume of water
n but Its banks have actually been drawn to-
:. gether over thirty y,seven rods. At the ex
, treme east end of the lake there is NJ per
a ceptibIe difference. Mr. W. has made care
full surveys Of five miles on either side O
# the lake, and finds this co preston uniform
running out a few rods from the easter
o end. The lake is one and three gths of
IS mile in width, at the point be commence
is his survey, (iye miles from the easter
y end, while at the middle it is nearly fou
miles wide, and is few rods over seven
teen miles in length, forming the shape c
:. an eipsis. If the proportionate compress;
l. ion of the lake continues to the centre,it wi
}. at that point exceed sixty rods.
1t We are fully satisfied with Mr.. War
a. rch's skill in his profession, and are Wilin
it to rely upon his judgement; still the deve
ry opments just made, warrants us in desrin
g more thorough investigation of the sui
iect and unrayel the foundation Of the my
h terry. Many of the well read portion of o,
IS community are of the opinion that &
ot earthquake is the snle cause. although 7
e shock was felt at the time of the suddt
!, rise, yet gentle and rapid closing togetl
n er Of the earth might have occurred will
a out being observed; but the only trouble
in our minds 10 reconcile the wild theory, i
i: that no peculiar marks have been observe
IN outside the lake, for had this compressiC
v taken nlace as is the opinion of nearly 6
in ofour citizens, it would seem that son
c. marks would be visible on the land outSit
nix the lake. To demonstrate our idea, SUI
&C. pose you were to dig out strip of cart
he say rod in length, of an eliptical forl
ire bark at the middle, say two feet in widt
* then imagine that to close up, Or push
cir together, you cannot conceive how it can
ta- done without making soms visible signs
- such change along the edge, and some
ge tance therefrom. The two opposite lines
in the elpsis would be essened, and the
1as must be an upheaval of earth to correspo
he herewith. Whether This entire uphea,
tie is beneath the water, and therefore unse
Ter we cannot say, but the astonishing co
lys preston troubles our unscentiffc brain.
bis Since writing the above, we understa
Of that preparations are about to be ma
" to have thorough investigation
hit the matter. Professor Sllman who is
BAT 81. Louis, has been written to on the 81
~ iect, and it is thought he will take the sout
en- ern route home and make our village ca
TO which may result in profit to himse a
for to community at large - Knox Co. Cou
he er.
of
nd OF The best way to treat slsnder is
So let it alone, aud say nothing about Il.
H. ,nLn., f,d - ..iont oou,o-A