Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-06-08
DISLIKED BY NATURE
Towns That Seem to Be Chosen
MARKS k the Elements.
where Rain Falls heaviest, Snow
IAes Thiekes aaa ThunAss SsA
Ltghtniag Exhibit the
Greatest Violence.

There Is more tnan one Town against
which Dame Nature seems to harbor
a curious spite, as if she would say:
This site is not meant 10 build upon.
Langtoft, a little place OF some 6oo
people in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
England, is one of these. Over am
over again has the weather all round
been fine and clear. yet the valley in
which Langtoft stands has been
shrouded in heavy clouds and drenched
with rain. The snow in winter always
seems to lie thickest on. the wolds
above the town, and to cause floods
more or less disastrous az it melts in
the spring.
The climax came on Sunday even
ing two summers ago, says the Chicago
Tribune.
After a hot day a violent thunder
storm broke. Then there appeared in
the west an inky cloud, from which
hung four long, twisting black col
umns.
Suddenly. just after six o'clock, wall
Of water came roaring down the hill
side above the village. When it struck
the upper end of the street il was seven
feet high. In twinkling it had demol-
ished number Of h ouses, and torn par
titions from others. and swept away
everything in its path. What was left
was so plastered with mud and earth
as to be almost useless
No one was killed. but the destruc-
ton of domestic animals, of houses.
property and roads was complete. Gar
dens and grazing lands were ruined.
Even the parish well was utterly
choked with mud and dead animals.
Southbourne-on-Sea four miles on
the east of Bournemouth, has far bet
ter air than the latter town. and looks
as IL il ought to be just the site for
health resort. Tens of thousands have
been spent in the effort to make it so,
yet nature had said no. and mans eff
forts have proved unavailing.
A handsome pier was built, support
ed on the shore by immense cement
walls. The pier is now only ap'
preached by a single plank. Its center
supports are gone, and ii is the resort
only of two or there fishermen. The
cement wall looks like wave-eater
cliff. Further along the shore a neat
row of houses was built in great re-
cess, cut back at vast expense in the
cliff. The sea cut in below them, and
the owner was forced to raze them
and carry the material away.
There is no great city in Europe
which nature so evidently wishes tc
be rid Of as st. Petersburg. Built in
the first place on how-lying swamp
which was filled in at cost of hun
dreds Of lives and hundreds OF thou
sands of pounds, fevers reduced it,
population and gave it death rate
higher than any other European cap
ital. Failing so to oust its builders, ma
ture used new weapon. The ice came
down in spring out OF Lake Ladoga
and, piling against the new wharves
and bridges, damned the Neva ant
flooded the city. Every spring saw a
repe tition of these disastrous foods
which. even after they dried away, left
the streets mere quagmires The st
Petersburgers now defeat the food
by setting to work thousands of mer
at the first spring thaw, who cut and
blast the river ice. and leave free pass
ages for the lake ice to sail dowr
stream unhindered.
Yet still the struggle goes on. Fol
some years past it has been apparent
that ST. Petersburg is becoming city
OF toothless people. Dentists ascribt
this curious fact to the effiuvia from
the rotten vegetation deep buried nm
der the new suburbs of the city. Sc
serious is the matter becoming that
there is a strong agitation in favor OF
once more removing the capital of Rus
sia TO some other site.
Russia has another town against
natural forces are waging a terribl,
war. This is Schemacha, in the eau
casus. When Schemacha wSs founded
it was for long impossible to get sup
ply OF drinking water. The difficulty
was overcome by bringing water from
a distance. Next came series OF ter
rible epidemics-fi smallpox. ther
cholera. and then smallpox again. Yet
the city grew, helped 10 prosperity by
the petroleum trade. and began thi:
year with $4,000 people
In February last the town was hum
ming with industry, when one dull hut
warm morning came suddenly terrific
crash Of thunder. The solid ground be.
gan to vibrate. few seconds later
there was a horrible cracking sound
and the whole OF the Mohammedar
quarter was thrust upwards bubble
like, till it's houses were reared hiph
upon hill. The bubble burst, and in.
stead OF town there lay a formIess
heap OF ruins. from which red flames
leaped and cracked toward the gigan.
tic pail OF dust which hid the sky.
Within week Schemacha's survivorx
determined TO rebuild their ruined city
They had hardly reached the decision
when once more the ground began 70
tresnble and the night sky grew ruddy
with flame. News came that q new
volcano had burst out in the noun.
tains nearby. No palmer warning
could be given. Extinct volcanoes have
often burnt out efresh. and with shock.
/ tnrr,hl. ~o.,,r,.