The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-02-27
JACK FR0ST'S IRaGEgEES.
Curious Accidents That Have Been
Caused by Ice and Sa0W.
(Pearson's Weel,ly.)

(Pearson s Week]y.)
Although scores Of lives are los
yearly as a result Of rash skater.
ventUring on ice too thin to beal
their weight, yet the worst tragedies
OF frost are-by curious contradic
tion-those caused by thaw.
In February, four years ago, there
was q tremendous frost on the Con
tinent. The Vistula, among other
rivers, was covered with ice of i'm
mense thickness, and when the thaw
came and the bonds Of frost were
loosened the rearing river became
checked with gigantic dams of ice.
IN Galicia, near Szcuezin, the foes
grounded in shallow part of the
stream, and instantly a vast barrier
Of ice began to rear itself, while be-
hind it the choked river sWelled into
mighty lake, and, pouring over it's
banks, inundated the fat country for
width Of nineteen miles.
A regiment Of sapDers, armed with
dynamite, arrived by special train,
but their efforts were Of little use.
Within tWenty-four hours no fewer
than ten Villages were under water,
800 families were homeless and
nearly 70 people were drowned.
A dreadful disaster was chat which
happened q couple Of winters ago at
Wieringen, on the Zuider Zee. This
great shallow inland sea Of brackish
water usually freezes every winter
for long distance out. One Janu-
ary evening q number Of people were
amusing themselves skating off the
village, some at q considerable dis
tance from shore, when suddenly a
great foe, acres in extent, cracked
away from the rest Of the ice, and
a rapidly widening lane of water
divided a dozen skaters from the
shore.
Some plunged in and swan back,
but seven were carried out to sea
on the floating ice. Those on shore
rushed for boats, bat here the frost
completed its deadIyWork. The boats
were too tightly frozen into the sand
Of the beach to be moved, and by
the time that one was IoOsened it was
lark. Next day the unhappy skaters
we're found frozen to death.
On the low, sandy shores Of Lake
Michigan stands the village OF Sand .
ooint, little place Of wooden-built .
houses, which is-oddly enough-in-
labited only in winter. is people !
ire fishermen who catch their prey |
y cutting holes in the ice when the
axe freezes. One night in Febru-
.ry, 1907, a tremendous gale arose
nd before the sleeping inhabitants
f five Of these little box-like dwell
irgs knew what had happened their
ZONES, which were built without
oundations, were blown on TO the
ce, and went sliding out at great
peed across the frozen surface. One
ouse dropped into a water hole,
nd its inhabitants were drowned,
ut the others, fortunately, brought
p safe against the edge OF q long
ape, which runs out crescent fashion
lmost opposite the village.
One Of the most amazing trage-
les Of frost occurred in Colorado on q
'ebruary day, twelve years ago.
he temperature was far below zero,
ut the air dry and clear, and the
IN shining with amazing brilliancy.
i've people, who were driving to-
ether across the tract Of forest re-
erve known as North Park, did not +;
aally feel the cold.
Suddenly the distant mountains
isappeared in white mist and the ,,
IN lost its brilliancy. Presently :
ne of the women put her hand up !
} her cheek, crying out that some
ling had stung her. 4 breeze be- !
all to blow and the air became :
larged with mist Of fine particles, {
hich glittered like diamond dust. ,
hey saw a settler, his face covered 8
| a shawl, signaling to them furious
r. They drove to his house and he
urried them in. Before morning :
i the party were dreadfully i'll, =
nd one woman was dead. This fog 6
of fine ice particles, so intensely :
I'D that they reach the lungs with
ut melting. The Indians justly call =,
lis strange phenomenon the White :,
cath. Z
DeWitt's Carbolized Witch Hazel
alye is best for cuts, burns, bruises c