Milford chronicle., 1891-02-06
WORK OF A CLOUDBURST
THE COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION
or a LOVELY VALLEY

here, between the fir covered sides o
the parallel ranges Of mountains, is
valley half mile wide AMI ten mile
long, its upper end beginning far up il
the grim hills lt winds about like
river, and here and there it is crossed by
a creek which seems thread Of silver
trailing along the green grass.
A carpet Of grass and howers-here
and there a grove-birds flying up and
down-a warm and gentle sun pouring
down from out Of a clear June sky. As
we look down upon this valley we are
reminded of paradise. Never scene on
earth more peaceful One swinging in
a hammock under one Of those green
trees beside the brook would find him
self as near to the peace and quietness
OF heaven as any spot on earth affords.
There is a herd Of buffaloes grazing
afar up the valley. There are deer in
the groves. Three or four wild horses
are standing in the brook, while others
are lying on the grass a few yards away.
Hares scamper to and fro in playful
mood, and there is nothing to frighten
the most timid. The peaceful influence
is 50 powerful that we hush our voices
as we look down.
In some awful convulsion Of nature
these grim mountains were heaved mp
from the bowels Of the earth-grim,
sterile, Observation-Disclosures Of a mighty
conflict of elements. At the same time
nature created this valley as an Offset
On the mountain are desOlation and de-
spair; here are beauty and contentment. |
Look therep
THE BLACK CLOUD APPROACHING.
Away up among the dark hills we see
black cloud rising up into the clear
skies. But for its blaclness one might
believe it q signal smoke made by the
Indians. It is a cloud trying to lift it
self over the mountain from the east
side. It began forming fifty miles away,
and it has travelled slowly and followed
the windings of rivers and creeks, and
exacted tribute from ponds and lakes;
drops gills, quarts, barrels, tons of
water have been absorbed and lifted up
as the cloud travelled, and the desolate
mountains were magnets which attracted
it from its first formation
The cloud lifts itself mp and up, and in
its struggles it sways like a balloon As
it nears the mountains the vapors are
condensed and become heavier, and n. e
the weight increarss the struggle ~. ~ *
comes fierce sl'is -. is ns-ssyyplay Of { {
thunf eAtningi only a black
vftiaig cloud fighting itself
Il Upl Upi Upl
! Ahl Heaven help themi There is
nothing but animal life in the valley so :
far as we can see, but every on-looler
utters a groan Of despair as he sees the
cloud suddenly fall out Of sight behind
the peaks. What does that signify? It Z
means that the cloud could not lift itself :
high enough to clear the mountain, and =
that when its lower edge hit that tall
peak on a line with us there came a
cloudburst The tons Of water held in 4
that big cloud fell to earth with force .
you can scarcely conceive. Trees were .
made into matchwood Rocks weighing =
q thousand tons were whirled about Z
Bowlde1s which a hundred horses could =
not pull from their beds were sent flying =
down the mountain side like marbles L
Every handful Of earth, every tree, shrub, =
vine, flower, every stone, rock, and y
bowlder which could have been moved Il
only by the blast of hundred pounds Of 9.
powder Is swept in one awfdl avalanche
into the mouth Of the valleyl
We hear the crash. We feel the
quiver under Us. We are ~
warned Of what is coming. Every liv-
ng thing below us has heard the crash
md felt the quiver Instinct tells them ps
What has happened and warns them to 10 10
lee. In ten seconds every living thing ~
n sight in the valley is rushing down its ap
ength Here and there a deer turns to So
he right OF left and finds place where us
le can ascend, and big wolf scrambles IA
Ip the almost perpendicular bank at our hK
eet, and there lies crouching and whin- elc
ng in terror ma
A WILD RUSH FOR LIFE.
Look up the valley. No man win ata eI-a
yer see such a sight twice in his life ~ ~
me. There is a wall across the valley
"A wall Of roaring, tumbling, seething, a.
,aming waters Its height is eight or ~, ~
N feet and its speed is that Of rail @ ~.
lad train. The buffaiOes were the fur -. -.
lest mp the valley. Watch them com -
g. The herd numbers about fifty, and e
Tery animal runs for his life Now .
lffalo, deer, wolf, horse and hare are 81.
ming in a wild mob, and close behind -
I'm that foam crested wave Of death -
s it reaches the trees they melt away 81. 81.
sit tears along the sides Of the valley ~. 49,
eat rocks are loosened and carried ~, -
2g. ~
she rush is led BY sorrel horse-his ~ ~
rcoat shining like velvet-his eyes 70. 70!
,,,9f excitement-his ears laid fiat ~
=. BE is 200 feet ahead of every 80 80
3, and We wave our hats and cheer p u y
rs he passes us.
s. Tumblel Foaml Crashi The
sare Uttered with trunk and branch ~ ~
Colsh. The noise is deafening. The i ~
yus'is so great that the mountain is ~ ~
z - We. clutch the bushes at our ls., sils
corner on;s our breath as the wave NJ, ~
be. We tn NOR,
the Chief n,et
ure which Looking up the valley we ~. .llss
Of some Never a blade Of grass OF loiin
cratic party T treel Simply track Ses.e
Best rnindsch nature cannot re. swoo w.
Can it be possiars. met,
sisted in drawifgg g-lne same sight. roriz
T. f. Bayard loane, I'e 49, .,I aalaia .lSe- Whe
ing this piece Of I<lino ~ mi eva phan
Hon. Eli Salisbury reigned a quar- ana !
men recognized as y channel Of = ,,,,,l q
herd Of Democracy Iran acreage 60 !
-t-.-.prowl and the - -.
ASIDE from personal ding food pnt
and the manner in whit; drug
about, it is perhaps j.-.u,- opeue
Federal Election bill hs' iAilnsa's. and Z
tents and purposes aband4nn ,f ~ en. M tal 9
While ackuov,ied enough siall. - -
cessity for some such law, a pssque e,,act
Republicans have been cents, but windC
that It was now too late IN or under Some
10 have been done years no women sembl
necessary for us 10 aoree Is, and the month
.1ar,.r ~ !, s;s.o,r... ,,;.,, ,asioned BY windo
have no hesitation in saying try that Z ~ vs :,
IS the Republican party cot sleep sre n
united in favor Of this measufe open mystei
,eet thing for tte narfv ii4ferah duty osvan