The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-07-10

ington Co., Me-, last week. All the
western range and some of the central
sections are in smouldering blackness.
At the time of the fire township Sc was
considered the best timbered town in
Maine. Parts of it never was touched
by an axe. No. so has lost strip of
timber one-third of Il mile in width.
Townships "a, %. 80 and So are all
much blackened by the fire. About
$50 men are now in the bush, and,
with the aid of the showers, they are in
hopes of checking sthe flames. The
daily outlay is great. The fires on the
Pleasant and Machias waters in some
instances almost wholly destroyed the
timber. The line of fire was at one
time estimated to be nearly thirty miles
long but il was mainly confined to old
woods. In one case, at least, the fires
were caused by carelessness or reck-
lcssness. Lumbermcn, who are at the
foundation of the business of the state,
are much interested.
A terrible railroad bridge disaster &C.
cured near Moberly. Mo, July 3, in
which y persons We're drowned and as
many more fatally injured. The por-
ton of the bridge which gave way rep
resents the center span, and was about
$50 feet long and 10 feet above the wa
ter. The structure is what is called
false work. The cause of the accident
has not been fully established. The
engineer was backing the train on the
bridge, and was checking its speed i'll
order to cross safely, and the whole
train was brought almost to a standstill
in the centre of the structure. When
extra steam was put OH the frail bridge
began to totter and soon sank under the
trains weight. The engineer saw that
nothing could be done to prevent a dis
aster, and began sounding the whistle
which was continued until the engine
struck the water. Bet for this alarm
not single occupant Of the eight cars
would have been saved.
A great storm ragged throughout
southern and central Illinois Friday
night, doing damage to property OF
all kinds. In Macon county it took the
shape of a cyclone, wrecking 20 farm
houses and running thousands of acres
of growing crops. Telegraph wires
went down, cutting off communication
News of the storms ravaocs is steadily
coming in, and it estimated that damage
to the amount of 100000 was done il
Macon county alone. Two children OF
John Craft living near Decatur, were
fatally injured in ithe wreck of tneil
house.
On Sunday a cyclone swept over TIN
: valley eight miles north of DcadWood
Oak, doing much damage. A pres
/ dispatch says: sThe heavens were ink!
black, and an angry roaring forewarnet
Z the people. The track of the storm
+ was abont thrce-fourths of q mile il
: width, and extended for a distance o,
: four miles. Thunder and lightning
! rain and hail, and the ugly funne
(, were characteristics not to be mistaken
: Houses and outbuildings were sweep
T. from the face of the earth, fence
S wiped out, great fields of grain pound
< ed deep into the ground, stock killc'
/ and maimed-in short, the desolatio
t was rendered complete. Mr.. Boomer
f house, occupied by Mr.. Boomer am
&. two men named Merritt, was wrecked
Y The former was badly and, il is though
/ fatally injured about the head an
II body by falling timbers. Ills compaI
Il ions took refuge in the root house an
+ escaped. Joe Arnold's house W:
:, wiped out, Arnold was alone at I'll
Is time, and escaped by running into ii
S, root house. Andrew Barrett's hon;
/ was badly damaged and the barn d
E. molished. Two horses and uumbt
D. of stock were killed, and Il. A. Sea
re nights house with contents was ute
II ly destroyed. Mir. Searinghit and chi
III dren took refuge in the root house an
n escaped. Mrs. John Mcleod was q
ne upon the head by flying timbers. VI
IL Meals house was demolished and mut
r. stock killed. The storm proceed,
a. toward Red Waters and False Bottor
es 1t continued abont 10 minutes. Rap
ed City reports the appearance of Il
a storm in that locality with consider
de BILE loss, including 100 head of She,
nd belonging to W. 5. Fanshawe.