Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-01-09

ATnRllLlNG SCENE-The Harrisburg State
Journal, of Monday, says: The recent snow
storm rendered it necessary to remove some OF
the surplus snow from the roofs of many build
ingS throughout the city, to prevent the i'm
mcusc pressure upon them. On Saturday af-
tcrnoon last, a number of hands were engaged
shovcling off supelhuous heaps of "drifted
flakes" from the fiat portion of the roof On the
Capitol building. Harry Smith, lad aged
about fifteen years, whose parents reside on
North street, near Second, applied for a JOB, "
which was given him, and while proceeding to
work. he was told to be careful how he went
about it. He was at work on the north wing
of the building, over the Senate chamber, and
had commenced at the bottom of gutter
where he had secure foothold, instead of be-
ginning at the top to shovel away the snoW.-.
While busy at work, and not noticing the grad
ual giving away or Sliding down of the snow,
the cutire mass above him came down like
an avalanche. and showed him down over
the slate roof, some twenty, five feet further,
to the gutter on the verge of the wall, where,
fortunately, he was held by his clothing
his legs hanging out over the. root. The
distance from this point to the Icy pavement
below was at least slxty-hve feet; ana
the men Immediately above him. as we'll as
persons who moved up and down Fourth and
State streets, and witnessed the perilous sltua-
ton of the lad, shut their eyes or turned their
heads, momenarily expecting the boy to drop
upon the pavement, mangled mass OF flesh
and bones! The men upon the root, MesSrs.
Erlrcr. Hitler, and others, with commendable
presence of mind, shouted to Harry to remain
rcrlcctly quiet; that they would rescue him IN
a very short time. A rope was procured from
Il box somewhere in the upper portion OF the
dome, and speedily let down to where the boy
sat, or was suspended. But be had become SO
cold and chilled; and was somewhat deferred
from fright, that he would not trust his weight
to be pulled up, by simply holding on with MS
hands He was then percmtorly ordered 70
l,Stcn the rope around bis body, and to DO this
speedily; but before the young man could ac--
colnpSh this half an hour had elapsed ana nc
made five attempts to fasten the rope about
his waist before he was hauled up to the TOP OF
the building, chilled through and through and
almost inscnsible, WIN. :,
He was carried into the furnace rooms IN the
basement of the Capitol, and BY means OF stlmu-
lantS, rubbing, and regular toastlng, was
placed upon his feet "all right. The lad sald
that at one time he thought it was all up
with him, and expected to fall upon the pave
ment and be dashed into pieces
SINGULAR PHENOMENON. Three miles MI from
cambridge, Ross county, is located bill OF OF con.
siderable altitude, known as "Copperas Noun
tain" Out of the top of this mountain issues
a constant stream of smoke, while on its sum-
NIT and general surface the vegetation has with
cred and died; until the whole hill presents q
barren, sterile and desolate aspect, blasted Us II
by whirlwiud of fire. It's believed thai, the
interior of the hill is mass of ignited combus-
tiblc matter, and that the fire is and has been be-
spreading with considerable rapidity. The
theory presented to account for it is that on or
about the lst day Of last October the party to
whom the land belongs was burning brush on
the hillside, and that the flames communicated
to iuhamable matter, probably crude oil, Goa, ,or
combustible substances, contained in the geo.
logical formation of the hill. The quenching Of
the fire is, of course, impossible from its stua-
ton, and how soon, if ever, the fire will reach
point where it can be controlled, can only be
conjectured. At present there is no danger to
he apprehendcd to property in the vicinity
CUchriWe Ohn) Herald.