Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-07-16
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
The New Zealand Earthquakes.
TERRIBLE SCENES OF DEsTRUCTIoN-wHo
VILLAGES BURIED IN DUST.

VILLAGES BURIED IN DuhIs
Particulars Of the New Zealand earth
quakes Of last month have been brought to
San Francisco, by the steamer Almeda from
Auckland The first volcanic disturbances
we're reported from Tauvagua in the Auck-
land lake district, where the natives we're
awakened in the middle Of the night by vivid
lightning followed by an earthquake shock 30
violent az to drive the people from their
houses ia terror. They all fed for their lives,
leaving clothing and everything behind. Sud
denly at daylight a leaden colored cloud was
observed advancing from the south, spread
ing out until 1t covered the sky. Then II
burst with the sound Of thunder and shortly
after showers OF fine dust began falling. Mt.
Taraweraw was the first volcano TO break
forth. The entire Paersa range Of mountains
beched forth in sympathy, hurting flames OF
burning lava and stones so that the adjacent
country 100 miles long and 20 wide is de-
scrbed AZ being but mass OF flame and hot
crumbling soil, which in places rose TO
height Of 400 feet and capped the highest
point of the Tekopha geysere. For the fret
time in tradition the extinct volcano OF
Ruapehs was awakened into activity. The
dust continued to fall in showers and 80 dense
AZ to turn day into night The natives are
described as running frantically in all direc-
lions at the first shocks, throwing themselves
on the ground or budding in groups and
holding religious services in abject terror.
Government Agent johnson Of Auckland,
sent into the country with food aud help for
the sufferers describes the scene among the
mountains as terribly grand. Flashes Of light
ming, peals Of thunder and shocks Of earth
quake we're incessAnt and huge volumes OF
smoke illuminated with flames, would at once
burst forth from range OF mountains as far
as the eye could reach lie goes on to say
that the roads throughout the entire country
are covered with several feet Of blue clay
mud elected from the volcano. The vegeta-
! ton is destroyed, and the aspect Of the coun-
try entirely changed. Blue lake and Lake
Rotakakahi have been transformed into mud
baths. Nearly all the buildings are crushed
| in by falling mud. Numerous small native
villages were destroyed. Wairsa was covered
| to the depth OF 10 feet with dust and ashes
| Rahtomahona was completely engulfed, as
we're also some other small villages. Twenty
one persons are known to have lost their
| lives, among whom were several English res
| dents. The loss of cattle starved TO death
from the destruction Of pasture by dust is
very great.
During the last three weeks Georgia has
boen visited 10y numerous cyclones, causing
great damage TO property. In Spalding and
Forsyth counties the injury to crops is esti-
mated at $50, 600, while in Decatur county
saw-mills and other buildings suffered dam.
age to the extent of $50, 900. In the latter
county houses we're swept away and many
people rendered homeless. In North Geor.
gia there have been numerous waterspouts,
iuncting much disaster One farm at SHARP
mountain was visited by six, which tool
place within 800 yards Of each other. They
tore out trees by the roots down 10 the solid
rock six feet deep and thirty to forty feet il
diameter. Upon two other mountain farms
there we're three vaterspouts each.
Charles Marsh is reported to have car
ried life insurance policies to the amount o.
SlOO,O
The fire losses in the United States ant
Canada for the Dix months ending June q
are placed at $50 100000
A little nowsboy of Orlando, Fla, hear
ing suddenly Of his fathers death droppe'
his papers and hurried home. A citizen
picking them up, sold them through tn
town, and telling the circumstances, realized
$40 for them.
Augustus O. Brewster, well known Law
yer and politician Of Boston, has been arrest
ed on an indictment charging him with forg
ing names to various bills of sale, also wit
forging names to several promissory notes
The prisoner is held in default of $1,000 ba
for the superior court.
In localities in Florida where the orang
trees we're badly injured, and where it VIZ
feared there would be no fruit this season
the trees have bloHsomed to some extent an
p, fruit is appearing, which indicates that th
next crop will be sure il the coming winter
favorable. This years yield is about GOO, 90
Z boxes
A natural gas well has been discovere
= in Albany county, New York.
Over 40 cases OF typhoid fever are II
: ported at Waterford near Racine, Wis, an
o there have been several deaths already. tt
A spread OF the fever ID attributed to the pc
luton OF the water supplied TO the publ
!. well in the careless washing Of the utensils
K a sick room near it. From this we'll 40 scho
,, children and others drank water, and SOC
q showed symptoms Of the dread disease.
e genuine panic exists.
e The drouth in western Texas is causir
Il great mortality among cattle, and the her
P ers place the loss from this source as high
i. Sc 600, 600. 1t has lasted nearly year Al
r crops in the region are failures.
4, A drunken stone-cutter named Villa
J. Enright WAS shot dead at Batavia, N. Y,
y few days ago by tailor companion, Augu
d Schaerf who fired at him for a joke an o
J. revolutionary musket loaded with powder al
- paper wads.
D. George Dill, aged AZ cut his throat
Albany recently Win pair OF bnehrH, ~
Ie stabbed himself in the chest and Abdom
+ three times. Then he jumped from the Sc
ond-story window striking on bis head al
D. ipjuring but not fracturing his skull. lie b
t. had domestic troubles, and was several yes
ago an inmate Of an insane asylum. He "
a. probably die
i. Saturday afternoon a gang OF about
re conyicts working in a brickyard . few mil
from Little Rock, Ark, made 8 sudden bre
- for liberty. The guards Immediately level
u their rifles and fired killing three of the rir
:. leaders and MORALLY wounding fourth.
OF one escaped.
A hail storm in Pecos Valley, n NJ
st reported to have killed 2OOO head OF she
d, belonging to one man.
~ &C. d. Graham, a Philadelphia coop
y, 80 years old, passed safely through the viii
pool rapids at Niagara Falls in a cask Il
n Sunday afternoon.
b. Great damage has been done 10 crops
all kinds in Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvsl
Mt by electric, bail and wind storms.
or Maxwell, the murderer of Preller at
II Louis, has been sentenced TO be hung Aug
p.
ell Forest fires in Wisconsin have swt
n over a large territory