The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-06-19

was hrS settled, IN 1865. lie people WcI'
gathered in town meeting, when they wer'
interrupted by roar like the bursting o
great guns, followed by that trembling anc
vibration of the earth which one must real
ize to appreciate. This lasted IA day or two
Then came one that lasted week, with sly
or eight shocks a day; then one where thu
shocks were repeated for half an hour with
out any cessation, and presently others where
the ground opened and LETT assures "A foot il
width, where sailors on the coast supposed
their vessels to have struck. The sea roarec
and swelled, flashes of fire ran along the
ground, amazing noises were heard, Ike
peals and claps of thunder; walls and chin
neys fell cellars opened, floating islands were
formed, springs were made dry in one site
and burst out in another, and tons OF tine
white sand were thrown up, which, being
cast upon the Goals, burned like birthstone
Although there have been more than two
hundred of these commissions since they were
first felt, nobody was ever seriously injured
by their means, and SO used to them did the
people become that finally they are spoken
Of In their town records merely as 1.-THE earth
quake" as one would speak of any natural
affair, of the tide or of the moon, and for the
last century their outbursts have been very
infrequent and insignificant
And finally, our interest in Newburypor'
is still kept up by the fact that it has lately
become quite noted as mining region.
Behind the ridge of the town lies wide low
champaign country, perfectly fiat, always
wrapped in blue vapors and full of pecu
liar beauty Of long level lines. II has, how
ever, other than picturesque interest, for be,
meath it is supposed to lie an immense basin
OF pure water as borings in every direction
produce it, and in the low hills huddled con.
fusedly just beyond large veins of lead and
silver have recently been discovered. The
existence Of these mines was for some time
derided by the skeptical towns-people, as 1t
was not easy to believe such meadowy re-
gion as that below the gardens Of the south.
erly side could be o place of mctalliterous
deposit Yet this very meadow region and
all around 1t has long been the scene of vol
canic action, and earthquakes have been an
important feature of its existence, the demo
MAC powers Of the earth holding high carnl.
val here for more than a century, and still
making themselves occasionally ielt.
Mr.. Benjamin, who contributed a finely
illustrated paper in the June Harper on the
Channel Islands, has a similar one in the
present number entitled "Wanderings in
Brittany" Mr. Black, in a similar style,
wanders over, describes and illustrates Lewis
island in the Hebrides. Mr.. James Parton
contributes another chapter on Caricature,
taking very appropriately the period of the
American revolution for his era. DR.. Osgood
philosophers about the battle OF Bunker
Hill; Professor Rau continues his illustrated
paper on the Stone Age in Europe; and the
"Flrst Century" series is continued by Ed
ward Atkinson, who writes very thought
full and suggestive review Of the development
of American commerce. In this last astcle
we find this passage
In agriculture the preeminence is not to
befound in the West, where it would usually
be sought, but in the list of counties produc.
ing the largest aggregate value each in its
own State we find that Pennsylvania is at the
head, while others follow in the following
order
Lancaster Co., Penn. $50 Sc. miles sll,sl5,oOs
St Lawrence Co, N. Y. 1900 . " 9,jos,07l
Worcester Co. Mass. $500 d" 6,35l,4ll
Hartford Co., Conn.,. S07 '" 6,2OO,9ll
La Sale Co, lll........ 1850 5,5G 5O2
Oakland Co. Mich. $50. 800 j,l54,231
Burlington Co. N.J. 600 " 4,90S, $50
BY which 1t appears that our own La Sale
county, and Oakland county, Mich, are the
only western counties that can claim rank
with the richest counties in the east in agri-
cultural products. Oakland county, Michi-
gan, is near Detroit
There is numerous love story by Frank
Mccarthy, THE Story of Trombone" Miss
Thackeray's story, Miss Angel" is conclud'
ed; "Garth" is continued there is the usual
supply of poetry; John Bigelow continues
the subject of Haytien Proverbs; the Easy
Chair contains some pertinent centennial sug.
gestons, and the other editorial departments
are compact, as usual, with instruction and
amusement.