The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-06-25

great storm that occurred in the southern
part of this state.
II was my misfortune to be at Monroe at
the time il occurred. All day Sunday the
atmosphere there was very close and OPP
pressive. The sun shone with great fer
vor and intensity. The closeness of
the atmosphere and the heat made
the day one long to be remembered.
Near night it began to cloud up, and
soon the horizon was overcast with dense
black clouds, out of which could be seen
the nimble lightning darting in fantastic
shapes from one cloud cap to another, and
the low muttering thunder could be heard
coming from the direction in which The
tongues of lightning were wildly playing.
BY ten o'clock in the ~eveningthe whole sky
was overspread with a dense nimbus cloud,
and the lightning had increased until
the flashes we're momemtary and very vivid,
and danced in all part of the heavens,
while the believing thunder seemed to be
all around us. About this time the rain
began TO descend first in heavy drops, then
in greater volume and force until finally il
seemed as though the iood-gates of heav-
en- had all been opened and the water came
down in perfect torrents, ~ if some
mighty hand had taken up a
lake and poured il in vengeance upon the
land. BY half-past twelve o'clock more
water had fallen in the vicinity of Monroe
than had ever before been seen at one
time upon the ground by the oldest inhabi-
tant Of the county. The mvine running
through the south part Of the town had as.
summed the character and appearance of O
great river, rolling turbulently over every
thing along its course; and, as IL were, with
one mighty sweep IL dashed almost every.
thing away that stood in its course.
II swept away fences, chicken-coops
out-buildings, wagons, animals, &c,
and rs if in mockery of the power of man,
tossed barns, houses stone and wooder
bridges, piles of timber, lumber, &c. from
their resting places and carried them dowr
stream until they found lodging place.
against banks Of earth or lodges of rocks
and seemingly not content with that thu
water rushed into Easements anC
cellars along tho ravine, in
some places 10 the depth of fv,
feet, driving people out Of their beds, and &
few out of their houses entirely, and carried
away several walls Of solid masonry. The
trestle work on the railroad this side o.
Monroe was badly damaged, and a portion
of it taken out, and / heard that on IN,
fats near Brodheod n section Of track foui
miles in length was swept away, and til,
lIuth blNhtH III hlhAN blhtA llhNtHs IL,
lightning struck a chimney belonging TO
Mr.. Wolcott, in Monroe, but did no serious
damage. l also heard, but cannot voucl
for the truth of It, that a man was killed
just west of Monroe. l could not learn hi,
name.
Yesterday / took n team and went &c
F%reeport, Ill, in order TO get TO GAINESVILLE,
as the livery men would not venture 9
drive to GAINESVILLE without being paid 6
fabulous price. At Orangeville, III, ant
all along the Richland flats, evidences O
inundation were everywhere prominent.
saw plowed fields where the force and fury
Of the water had carried of nearly the en-
tire surface soil, as deepas they weroplowed
Large fields Of splendid rye were sub.
merged, and others partly 80, with n nc
that had been washed from sloping fields
and deposited on level ones. The Pecaton
lea at Freeport was very rapidly swelling
when l left there last night.
Il is impossible 10 estimate the damage
done to property by that storm. Along the
Orange Creek, Illinois, great trees were
borne down by the fury of the waters and
wind combined. II was considered very
unsafe 20 cross Sugar River on
the Racine and Mississippi road this morn.
ing, the water was washing the stringer,
of the bridge, and still rising.
About three o'clock this morning, as we
came up near Stockton, the train ran into
a large flock Of sheep and killed about
t~wenty-as near as could be estimated in
the hurry and darkness. II. W. n.