The Van Buren press., 1896-10-24
WATERsPouT AT LA ROCHE,
Mountain People Cannot Re smitten
Down by the Wrath of the HE.

Down by the Wrath of the Hills.
There came word to us at Chillon that
a watefspout at La Roche, few miles
up the valley, had destroyed the village
and drowned numbers of the inhab-
itants. But The news came by telephone
from a neighboring little town, and
was. fortunately, much exaggerated.
This morning | spent in going over
the wrecked village and found that no
one had been killed. or even hurt. Only
a few cows and some calves were de-
stroYed. If the disaster had come at
night it would have been a different
story, perhaps a more dreadful one than
that of st. Geryais.
For La Roche lies at the foot of Mount
Arvel, the great buttress which shuts
the Rhone valley from view at Mont
reux, and stream called Eau Frodie
comes out of tremendous gorge whose
neck is at the very back of the upper
houses. It's natural bed runs sharply
to the left and enters the lake directly
at Villeneuve; but when the vast body
Of freshly fallen rain came down, carry
ing rocks many tons in weight, it rose
and swept into the streets, which were
instantly many feet deep in water. The
damage done is severe, and in many
cases irreparable. For many hectares
of vines are covered with ten feet of de-
posted rock and earth drift, and beau
tiful old orchard is full to the spread Of
the trees branches. AS | entered the
town the head man of the commune
came to me and my companion and vol
unteered to show us round. We found
the poor people digging their furniture
and bedding out of the mud in the lower
floors. One house ] entered on my hands
and knees, for the floor was covered
three feet deep, and men were shoyelng
mud from the bedrooms. But "Cest
rien," said our guide. That was only
matter of cleaning.
He wanted us to see one road cut SIX
feet deep and another filled up, SO that
one could look into the first floor win
dows. And then the vines-that seemed
the most dreadful to him. For these
people fight nature SO as to get little
land on a slope to the south where the
vine can readily ripen. And now thou
sands of francs were gone. a million
francs of damage altogether, he SAID
and though that was gigantic est-
mate, it soothed him to think of sucha
sum. Three more came round us anu
added up sums of money. Yes, it was
very dreadful; but, after all, it was not
so bad as il might have been. The vines
and the COWS. drowned in the stables,
were the worst. For they all bore their
misfortunes wonderfully. | saw no
despair even over destroyed mattresses
which the women folks tried to dry IN
the sun. They worked cheerfuliy, and
seemed glad to hear that we considered
it very dreadful. But then the poorer
men had to work. Everyone was nhoyel-
ing mud or lifting rocks; team after
team went out dragging primitive
vehicle loaded TO the brim. The com
mune would pay for that, and perhaps
they would get help; who knew? Ana
the volunteer fremen from Yvorne ana
Neville and Nouvry and Chessel cams
Wv rs anu hlt NildN lutN tOuih W no
the houses habitable for the coming
night. Last night had not been COM
Portable, they said.
So we took some of them TO the mud
dy restaurant and gave them drink
OF white wine, and they went out 10
work again, making digue, or dlke'
against the possible return OF the
heavier waters. For over the steep pine
slopes of Mount Arvel hung heavy black
clouds still, and no one could say WHAT
might come. We left the whole village
humming with their work Yes, hum
ming like a cloud of bees, which have
seen despairing over II wrecked hives
by the riyen banks of the Eua Frolde'
But the men were not despsiring, ior'
of course, such things often happen m
Switzerland. and a mountain people
cannot be smitten down by the wrathol
their hills -Tpetmiucter Gazette.