South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1870-07-08

10 newspaper sSIlpoliuE, may DC raruOn-
ed (by your pcrmissiou) for jotting down
few rambling thoughts, about things and
matters, and more especially to a rambling
description of our town and Surroundings,
and some of the advantages, that would re-
suit to many of the hard laboring families
of my native county (Hampshire, who
have not been fortunate enough to own
farms but have had to toll and sweat many
long years, and have only been able to
barely gain stinted subsistence, while
the rich and broad Praries of the West
seem to invite them to cultivate farms of
their own. Hetts
But to our own Village: TcrsaiHes, is in
Dlrke county, Ohio, midway between the
Lakes on the north 4 the Ohio River on the
South and also midway between Cleaveand
and indianapolis ON the Great "Bee" Line
Railroad being one hundred miles from
each place, and on the East Fork of ''Still-
water" 1t contains one thousand inhabi-
tants, built on bed of limestone gravel of
fine quality. We have three good ware
houses who buy the products, grain, wool,
poultry, &c, which are produced in large
quantities FIVE Dry Goods Stores, two large
Drug Stores, two Hotels, one large Merchant
mill, one Lumber Yard and Planning mill,
three Churches, one graded School, under
good management, one Masonic and one
Odd Fellows Lodge, in live condition, two
butcher shops, two cabinet shops, one large
tannery and one steam saw-mill. We have
two mails each day, distributed by our gen.
tlemanly Postmaster, q. w. Hollis, (for-
merly of your coun.y.) Our Railroad, Ex-
press and Telegraph Office, (large and com
modious) under the management of it's a.
gent j. III. c. LARIMoRE, also of Old Hamp-
shire, is doing large and constantly in.
creasing business. We have excellent wa
ter and good health.
Land is worth from S25 to 500 per acre
as to quality and location. These prices
may seem to many of your readers very
high, but, when you take into considera-
ton with what ease it is cultivated and the
amount of grain produced, farm is much
easier paid for than farms that are hilly,
stony and poor at that. To show how east
ly this may, (by good managemont,) be
done, will give few cases. Recently,
on visit to Knox and Licking counties,
| found many farmers formerly of your
County. One man, with a wife and six
children, bought AZ acres of land for fif-
ty dollars per acre, had but a small amount
to pay down, and In less than three years
has paid for his farm and has good, as
we'll as pleasant home. Many just such
cases could be stated
Could many who toll daily to no purpose
on poor farms be led to come West and
see the many advantages here over many
of the older States, would feel encouraged
to occupy and own farms of their own.
fsS1proud Tat p,neIasve County has
q tsd "a on State gentleman
of IA - 80 heart for the highest Of
fee in the State.
Harvesting has commenced, wheat is of
good quality, although somewhat hin in
many fields, corn is backward owing to the
continued drouth that has prevailed here,
having rained but little since the last of
April. The "Colorado" as well as the old
fashioned potato bugs are makinga raid on
potatoes generally. JONATHAN.
Versailles, Ohio, June Goth, 1870.
NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH BY
LIGHTNING Our fellow citizen, Judge
j. Il. Harris, had narrow escape from
death by lightning on Tuesday afternoon
last. lie was engaged, with his two little
sons, in making hay in one of the lots pur-
chased of the Kyle's estate, when the rain
and thunder storm of Tuesday afternoon
came up. Disposed to seek shelter from
the storm and rain, he proposed to bis boys
to get under large willow tree near the
creek running through his lot. To this
they objected, stating that they had learn
cd IN their philosophy that it was danger.
Gus IN thunder storm to seek the shelter
OF tree, especially one near the water He
then suggested that they could shelter them
selves under the ovcrhapging bank Of the
creek. To this they also urged the objec
ton that their philosophy Taught with e.
quail cearhess, that it was dangerous in a
storm to be in close proximity with body
of water. The oarnestncss Of his sons
reasoning induced the Judge to listen and
pay attention to them, and he aud they
made shelter Of some ricks Of hay about
20 or 80 yards from tho wilow-tree and
the creek. They had hardly taken their
position behind the lHy ricks, when the
tree was struck and sbivered by the light.
ming the Judge and his Sons being near
enough, notwithstanding their precautions,
to be considerably shocked and stunned by
the stroke. The Judge attributes Isis escape
from instant death to The intelligence Of bis
little boys, who had learned in their schools
the useful facts in philosophy 20 opporthne-
" applied in this emergency. --Rocbipgtab,
Rcgisier JDH /
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CURIOUS PHENOMENON.--Mr Thomas
McCoTkle, residing three miles from town,
says there was slight fall Of mctcoric boz