The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-12-10

Swiss slip.
Scarcely less alarming than the fall
of an avalanche, and sometimes
indeed, far more destructive, are those
sudden descents of earth and other ma
terials commonly known as land-slips.
The cause of these remarkable calami
ties-for such they commonly are-may
be briefly described. The strata of a
mountain or lesser elevation are often
found to deviate considerably from a
horizontal position; and if shale or any
other substance pervious TO water forms
the lowest stratum, a land-slip may
take place. For instance. if there be
an abundance of rain or melted snow,
which percolates down so as to soften
the lower stratum, the upper strata are
liable to be loosened, and. in process of
time, TO slide away. Such was the case
In Shropshire towards the close of last
century, as related by MI. Fletcher, of
Madeley. This took place at spot on
the Severn between the Grove and the
Birches. The first thing that struck
me- says Mr.. Fletcher. twas the de-
struction of the little bridge that sepa-
rated the parish of Madciey from that of
Bu;ldwas, and the total disappearing of
the turnpike road To Buildwas bridge,
instead of which, nothing presented
itself to my view but confused heap of
bushes and huge clods of earth, tumbled
one over another. The river also wore
a di;fent aspect; it was shallow, noisy,
boisteroUs, and came down from diff
ferent point. Following the track made
by great number of spectators who
came from the neighboring parishes,
climbed over the ruins and came to a
field well grown with ryegrass, where
the ground was greatly cracked in sew
eral places, and where large turfs-
some entirely, others half-turned up
exhibited the appearance OF straight or
crooked burrows, as though impertect,y
formed by Ilow drawn at a venture.
Getting from that field over the hedge
into a part of the road which sunk in
another, concave in a third. hanging on
one side in fourth, and contracted as
if some uncommon force had pressed
the two hedges together. But the
higher part of it surpr sed me most, and
brought directly 10 remembrance those
places OF Mount Nesuvius where the
solid stony lava mad been strongly
marked by repeated earthquakes: for
the hard beaten gravel which formed
the surface of the read was broken every
way into huge masses, partly detached
from each other, with deep apertures
s. between them. exactly like the shat
tered lava. TINS striking likeness OF
circumstances made me conclude that
the similar effect might proceed from
the same cause. namely, a strong con-
rulsion on the surface, if not in the
bowels, of the earth.
This conjecture was not confirmed bv
facts and circumstances related by 9TH
crs; indeed. the latter part OF his de-
scription proves. almost beyond ques-
ton. that the various results described
were occasioned by a landshp, and not
by a shock OF an earthquake, of which
no one heard any thing.
He continues: ''Going little furth err
toward Buildwas. | found that the road
was again totally lost for considerable
space. having been overturned, ab-
sorbed, or tumbled, with the hedges
that bounded il. to considerable dis
lance towards the river. This part of
the deSolation appeared then TO ME in
eXpressibly dreadful. Between a shat
tered field and the river there was that
morning a bank. on VIII oh. besides a
great deal of underwood. grew twenty
five large oaks. This wood shot with
such violence into the Severn before il.
that it forced the water in great vol
umes considerable height, Ike a
mighty fountain. and gave the over
flowing river a retrograde motion. This
is not the only accident which happened
to the Severn. for, near the Grove, the
channel. which was chiefly of soft
blue rock, burst in ten thousand pieces,
and rose perpend;calarly about ten
yards. heaving up the immense guam
tity of water and the shoal of fishes
that were therein"
Marcley hill Is near the confluence of
the Lug and Wye, about six miles east
of Hereford. In the year 1895, it was.
saws Mr.. Brown. the editor of White S
SelbOrns. latter roaring and shaking in
a terrib manner for three days to-
gether. about six O'Clock on SUNDAY
morning put in motion, and continued
moving for eight hours, in which time
it advanced upwards of two hundred
feet from its first position, and mounted
seyenty-two feet higher than it was be-
fore. In the place where it set out, it
left a gap four hundred feet long, and
three hundred and twenty broad. and
in its progress it overthrow chapel, to-
gether with trees and houses that stood
in lis wav.n
That interesting naturalist, Mr. White.
of Selborne, gives at length. in one of
his letters t. Hcnora bic na'reS Barring
ton. an account of an extraordinary
landsiip in his own neighborhood, at
date corresponding with that of the
landsfip in Shropshire. He SAYS: The
months of January and February. IVA,
were remarkable for great melting
snow and vast gluts of rqin. so that. bv
the end of the latter month, the land
springs, or leUdiats eastern: SO called,
suppose, because of the prevalence of
easterly winds at this season began to
prevail, and to be near as high as in the
memorable winter of 1854. The begin
ming of March also went on in the
same tenor, when in the night between
lhe Sth and 9th of that month, a