The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-02-02
The Lesson of the Storms.

L ut uoSbIuCtlFt SlOlHS WHICH nave To-
Gently swept over the Northwest, North
and East were phenomenal fOrtheir severity
and the destruction of life and property
they occasioned. Hundreds of lives were
lost in Dakota, Montana, Nebraska. Kan
sas, and other portions of the Northwest.
and vast numbers of cattle, sheep and 9th
Ell live stock persisted. The suffering was
intense, and in many instances of peculiar
of January, after balmy, spring like day
that an almost sitting calm ensued, and
then asmall cloud was observed in the dis
lance in Dakota. 1t rapidly thickened and
out its fury upon the unsuspecting people,
who were driven to the nearest shelter, if
one happened to be in reach, or were over
powered by its force, and left to freeze to
death. Several hundreds persisted in the
storm, and horses, cattle, sheep, unnum-
bered, fell victims to the anger of the cur
rent. A similar, but less severe vista
tion came upon the people of Nebraska
'Aohotcs tsIO CtCu ~ Ii ASAuo. WhNhoO
the remarkable story comes that 800 sheep,
the entire flock. driven in by the storm,
and lying down to escape the blizzard.
every one of them was found frozen to
the ground and dead We think this n. ust
be one of Mulhattan's stories, ambitious
that the Lone Star State should not be Sec
ond to any portion of the new country in
anything, especially after she had fur.
nished Mills and Reagan to direct the des-
TIMES OF the Nation at Washington
There has never been known a more de-
structive storm, even in that cradle of at
mospheric freaks beyond the Rocky moun-
tans. The loss of life of both man and
beast. the intense suffering and the de-
struction of property. are unequalled by
any previous visitation of the kind
= There were some very touching incidents
of courage and devotion to humanity mani
tested by young lady teachers. The storm
came up SO suddenly that they had no time
to escape from the school houses before it
was on them. One young lady knowing the
binding and bewildering nature of such a
blizzard, tied fourteen of her little pupils
together, and taking the lead, pressed for
the nearest house, keeping the spirits Of
the children up by cheerful words and en-.
couraging promises until fortunately she
reached refuge with all of them alive,
although some with frozen feet and hands.
Another young lady, after getting her pu
pills safe away, remained behind few
minutes to arrange something in the
school, started off to follow them. The
fury of the storm drove her to straw
stack, into which she worked her way suf-
ficientIy TO shelter her body, But her feet
were exposed and frozen, and both had to
be amputated.
On the Goth and 9th a fearful storm Wis.,
tied the Eastern and Northern States,
blockading railroads. arresting transporta.
ton. deranging business and causing much
loss Of values and properties.
We, of course, in this section felt the
effect Of the same currents, and eXpe-
rienced what we called cold wave. But
it was only breath of winter compared
with the dense, fearful storms which
swept over the sections we have men,
toned. We cannot say that any one really
suffered unless it were those who were un-
prepared for winter weather. Certainly
there was no unusual suffering either of
persons or stock. and nothing abnormal in
the atmospheric demonstrations. Hedged
in as we arc by mountain guards, the
storms spend their fury before they reach
US. and we only feel a touch of them, to
remind us of a change in the tempera-
ture.
The severity of the recent 'bliZZard' in
the Northwest, has caused many of the
people there to think of getting away
Consequently, we notice that Col Thos.
Whitehead. Commissioner of Agriculture
for his State, has addressed letter to the
| Legislature, in which he says that he has,
since these storms, received a hundred
communications from people in the devas-
tated districts. making inquiries. for
homes in Virginia. He deemed it of suf-
fcient Importance to call the attention of
the Legislature to the, fact. leaving it
with that body to determine whether it
would take any action to encourage immi-
grafton from this source.
Virginia certainly possesses many ad-
vantages. and is greatly blessed in geo.
graphical position, climate and resources.
Inc them, if they contemplate seeking
homes free from such terrible atmospheric
| disturbances and dangers as have recently
been manifested in the North and North
| west. We have thousands of acres of
idle land, adapted to fruit, trucking,
farming and mining that could be pur-
chased at nominal prices, which would
give remunerative returns to industry and
reward enterprise with the conveniences
and comforts common to civilized commu-
mites. Life is too short and wealth too
unsatisfactory and transitory to surrender
the comforts of the one for the allure
ments of the other. Here health and COM
potency can be assured to those who obey
the laws of nature, and properly use the
capacities with which they have been en-.
dowed. Let them come and share with
Us our modest enjoyments, live under con-
sentative influences, be satisfied with ra-
tional achievements, and when the sum-
mons comes to wrap the drapery of
their couch about them and lie down to
pleasant dreams under the shadow of our
blue mountains and amidst the perfume
of the verdure and bloom of field and
| forest.
An Important Discovery.
A very important and significant dis
closure was made in bill offered by Con-
gresham Plumb, of Illinois, last week.
1t was in reference to the law authorizing
! issuing of over 800, 100000 in four per
cent. bonds. 1t has been the accepted con-
clusion that none of this issued could be
called in or redeemed until after the ex.
piration of thirty years. When Mr.. Plumb
found that the journals of the House and
Senate showed the bill as past provided
that the Government might redeem these
bonds at pleasure ''for thirty years." in.
stead of latter thirty years." as the pub
liShpd law putS it. ha ayonnjppd tho on.