The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-26

tory OF Switzerland. was almost unparalleled IN
violence and, probably. unequalled in the matter
OF the strange atmosphere phenomena which
heraldsd It's approach ana the ruin which II pro-
duced in the space eta few minutes. The coast OF
Ireland was swept by gale; IN England the hoods
had just commenced to damage property. and from
far on India we have news OF the prevalence OF
the monsoon. OF heavy raius and an overlooking
river.
THE STORM AT GENEVA TIN MINUTES vIsI-
TATIoN.
Geneva duly 10y correspondence OF the Tendon
Standard
Ihave thought that your readers might be inter-
ested by some account OF the results OF the storm
which burst In the night between the TIN and sth
of this month over this city. No sucn storm has
been known here in the memory OF man, and
Judging by the effects that have been produced by
about quarter of an hour OF it, It may well be
believed that the testimony OF the coolest inhabi-
santu Is In this instance trustworthy.
CONDITION oP THE ATMOSPHERE PREVIOUS TO TIE
BLOW.
During the whole OF the afternoon OF Wednesday
the TIN, the atmosp here had been unusually heavy
oppressive and hot Persons usually but little
affected oy the heat confessed themselves utterly
lightning began to play, wholly unaccompa-
MED by thunder. IL was not forked lightning,
como from every quarter OF the heavens at
Dnce. This continued, accompanied py lew
heavy drops OF ram, WIN no h puI "a graz
summer storms are common here, and the Gene
vols. an early race, had gone 10 bed little dream
ing that these phenomena portended augnt out
OF the usual course OF things Nevertheless, the
knowing in mountain weather-wisdom had
watched the progress OF the storm with some MIS-
giving. - -
and the lower valley oil the Rhone towards the
axe, and appeared, as has subsequently been
venned, TO spread In ian-like form as II APP
proacned that wide basin. the cloud black as
n1gnt. from which tile storm was visiby pro-
reedlng. had that well defined and peculiar
saape Know Which smIss recornzee as as meaning
mischief There was also witnessed In remark
able perfection That phenomenon well known
lo-say supernatural nearness OF the mountains TO
the eye. And yet the atmosphere was not clear;
on tue contrary, 1t was lun OF MIST Yet the
gnostlike forms or the mountains seemed TO ad
vance through the mist, TIL they appeared 30
phenomenon omlnous OF evil, and rarely has II
been seen III such perfection as on that terrible
lightning was lncessant. This l. commonly
used and abused expression; but use 1t mere in
it, most ate and simple sense. IL was really
without any intermlsslon. never saw anything
ike III, anu everybody Win whom nave spoken
heavens in the direction opposite TO that IN
which the storm was coming were clear and star
lit and 1t continued
SUFFoCATINGLY HOT.
II seemed as II the atmosphere OF flame with
which the whole city was envlroned was pro-
ducing tue normal e1ect OF real nre Everything
was visible, not intermittently, as is the case IN
ordinary lightning storms, but Continuously, and
O'Clock not breath OF wind had been lelt In the
streets. shortly a1ier that time all the small
matters which CHANGED TO be on the roofs OF the
houses were caught up and wnIrled about In
manner that, contrasted with the stiffness IN the
streets, seemed weird and uncanny 20 singular
heard
IL was not like the rolling OF tnUnder IL was not
ike the moaning oil the wind. No wind was felt
In the city as vet, Men VINO heard IL were
because the sound was terrible and they had
never heard the IKE before: The bodily presence
OF toe thing from which that awful voice pro-
ceeded was not long waited for. AS nearly as
possible
And in little more than ten minutes 1t had passed.
But those ten minutes Will not iorgotten by the
inhabitants oil Geneva 10 the latest day OF their
lives. furious raging rush Of roaring wlnd and
with II sucn q cdnnonade OF hall as II the heavens
mad opened all their batteries at once and coneen-
messed the fret shock OF the storm against the
walls which were opposed to IT, Ior II passed over
the sce OF the earth almost horizontally, describe
the impact as more like that or compact BODY
than OF mere nailstones 1t was as
THE DISCHARGE OF BLOCKS OF ICE,
which froze together as soOu as they touched each
other. Some OF the na1istones were as suan as
hazel nuts, some larger than any neD's egg, and
the size OF the generality about that o. walnuts
one peculiarly OF TINS extraordinary storm was
the extreme readiness win winch the haIIstones
became frozen togetner into solid masses. Peo-
pie were awakened by the smashing In OF their
bedroom windows, and In less tnan nve minutes
mad masses OF ice on their WINDOW sllls or floors
which were heavier than they could LIT.
A SCENE OF DEsoLArIoN AFTER FIFTEEN MINUTES.
quarter OF an hour. But what a quarter OF an
hour that was. 1t may be anirmed win the most
perfect truth that no operations OF beleHguer1ng
army ever wrought SO much destruction IN the
same amount OF time. Tine city seemed wrecked.
Hardy gas lamp escaped. ALL or very nearly
all, we're smashed and extlnguisned In an instant.
And strangely weird and unnatural IN the dark
ness was the light thrown upon the masses OF ice
on the pavemeAts OF the city by the lightning and
reelected from the thousands Oh facets OF the rag
ments OF which the mass was formed. Geneva Is
CRY winch displays an unusual quantity OF glass.
It's industry is one which requires abundance OF
hight; aud scores OF large ranges OIL workshops
uTesenf super ficIes OF glass WINDOW almost cock
tensve with their frontage All these were smashed
Ia an instant. Geneva IS also city IN which pho
tograpaers abound. The establishments or this
sor, all as usual A. the tops OF the houses, were
utterly wrecked. lt 10 also In a somewhat more
than usual degree a city OF skyllghts. All sgcn
cOntrivances were Of course swept away. The
SWISS always snow themselves admirably actlve
ana quick IN repairing the Injuries caused ny the
iury OF the elements to winch their country IS so
especially exposed, And In THIS case they nave
toward restoring their city TO Its usual appear
Rnce. But on tue saturday the streets In many
parts OF the city were sun strewn with fragments
Of glass, the smaness OF which Indicated the
force OF the blow winch had shattered them.
Tue degree OF the force with wnica the masses OF
frozen water were driven on by the tempest was
greater tnan could be believed, we're 1t not for
some sInguiaTly convincing proofs OF II which re-
main, and, alas VIII continue 10 remain to testify
JoIt.
TIE WINDOWS or THE "MUsEE RATHp
were utterly smashed, and two valuable pictures
the .sTrIumpn OF David" by Domlnichno, and the
sHaudecKv a cher pBuUrg OF Calame, have holes
in them as II made by rifle SHOTS Imagine the
lorce necessary for hastone TO nave nrst passed
through q glass pane ana then have MADE a mole
IN the stout canvas OH which large picture Ia
painted. Many otBer pictures nave been more or
Iess fatally damaged. one small picture by DE la
Rive mas fifteen nOles la II, besides a dozen Of
blows. winch have destroyed the surface where
they struck without piercing the canvas. hear
pf only one case OF loss OF life, the facts concern
lnG which appear to be trustworthy.
Al the little hamlet o! SesanoWe, hallway be-
tween Bernex anu SOral. in the immediate neigh
bornood o. Geneva, the force oil the tempest Threw
down an old farmhouse,
BuRYING UNDER THE RUINS
NJ MaurfS and mis- VIE and young man. their
ION All three we're quite dead when thelr BODIES
were after mucn labor, extracted from the runs
W.T., wv. .eLn