Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-03-09
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
THE GREAT FLOODS.

"A despatch of the I'd inst. from Evans
vile, Ind, says that message sent up from
the governor to investigate the condition of
things at Shawneetown report the situation
as terrible beyond description. There are
between 500 and GOO houses in the town, ev-
cry one of which is under water. Only 80
are habitable and these only in the upper sto-
ries. More than 100 houses have hoated
from their foundations. About 500 persons
are receiving relief. From one-half to two
thirds of Gallatin county is flooded. Fences
are gone, corn has been destroyed, stock
drowned and people driven from their homes
The town of Columbiana, ILL.,, is entirely
submerged, only the roofs of two houses be-
ing visible. Eleven houses have hoated
away and one house has been demolished by
a cake of ice. The citizens have fed to
places of safety The Fitzhugh levee, five
miles south of Helena, Ark, gave way Sun
day night and the crevasse was over 100 yards
wide Monday morning, and rapidly growing
wider. The rush OF water through the open
ing is terrific. The whole country around
Oldtown is believed to be inundated.
Joseph B. Loomis, who murdered his
boyhood friend, David Levitt, in the Agawam
MASS. covered bridge on the evening of De-
cember l, 1881, was hung for the crime at
Springfield yesterday. On the evening named
and confectionery store in Springfield, to hire
a team and drive him home to Southwick.
When the Agawam bridge was reached, Loo
mis- drew pistol placed 1t close to Levett's
head, and fired. The shot proved immediate
ly fatal. LOOMS robbed the body of a gold
watch and roll of bills, drove on a little
way to retired spot, hitched the horse in
some bushes, and then walked to Westfeld,
leaving the body, covered with blood, in the
carriage. LOOMS stoutly maintained his in
nocence until two or three days ago, when he
made confession, of which the above are the
main points.
Jumbo created a row among the ele-
plants in the winter quarters of Barnum's
menagerie at Bridgeport last Saturday. A
large mastiH had been secured as a compan-
ion for him, and another dog, which has
been filling the Office was taken away. jun
DO did not like the change, and catching the
animal with his trunk threw it with such
force against vicious elephant named Pilot
that the dog was killed and Pilot was made
very angry. The latter animal broke his
chains and began fighting the other animals,
the melee continuing upward of an hour be-
fore Pilot could be secured. Meanwhile
Jumbo, the cause of all the excitement, was
quietly feeding and took no part in the fight.
A few days ago connection was made be-
tween Cleveland and New York by telephone,
and Professor Elisha Gray was able to CON
verse with his assistant in the head office in
Broadway, over 600 miles away. This is the
longest distance yet covered by the speaking
telephone. Professor Gray expects to be able
to converse from Chicago to New York.
Two hundred weak minded painters en-
ployed in the Pullman car works in St. Louis
struck Tuesday because a Chinese youth was
permitted to enter the shop to prepare for a
course of study at a school of mines. The
superintendent refuses 10 yield.