Year: 1870

SIDNEY Ohio, August Goth, 1870.


Editor Herald:--I see by your issue of July
30 that the several presses with whom you ex-
change that your paper is highly commended
in its new dress. not only because of the new
iress, but for the honesty and integrity of the
editor in the principles and sentiments he advo-
Gates. Such Communications coming from the
source they do, cause me to feel degree of
pride to see and know that you, together with
others of my pupils who were reared here in the
then backwoods, have raised to such distinction
without the aid of an education, only in low
grade OF common school. l say this not to fiat
ter you but to encourage you in your good work :;
therefore, 60 on, publish truth and oppose earor,
for, in the progress, rightfully truthfully WELD
ed lays a mighty power. Let me here instance
a single case. You know Samuel Medary edited
the Ohio Statesman, and you also know what
anathemas were called down upon his head for
his faithfulness in the cause which he advocated
yet these same editors would search Sans pa
per for things of vital Importance such rs re-
turns of elections, because they knew what he
published was carefully investigated before ever
It went to type.


Some of these correspondents speak Of the
time they have known you, but can say more
than they: have known you longer than any OF
them, and when | saw some indications some
time ago of your getting the nomination for Con-
gress, my heart bounded for joy, for there is nc
man in all California that / would delight to
hear was elected to a seat in Congress more than
your honorable self.


If my private letter to you has reached its des-
tination you will have seen that the season has
been very dry here, particularly in some sections,
for the rains have been distributed in streaks so
that i'll some places enough has fallen to make
good crops of corn, as, for instance, in the upper
or northern part of this county, and also about
Dayton, in Montgomery county most terrific
storm passed over Piqua not long since, i'll which
the rain fell IN torrents, and the force of the
wind was s1ch as to do great deal of damage
to houses, roofs and sheds indeed, every meet
ing house was more or less in jured. and the new
Methodist Church was so completely demohsh-
ed that to repair it is impossible. 1t will have
to be built anew from the ground. This same
shower barely reached Troy and Sidney.


! learn from a reliable source, that about five
miles from Harding, Shelby county, there is a
distr ct where they have had no rain, or not
enough to make the water run off the caves since
spring, and the consequence is, vegetation is
parched for want of rain. A. W. Randolph,
with whom am acquainted, has well at his
house, that barely supports the house, and the
well at the barn merely supports the stock,
while it is the others have to drive stock
two miles to water and many have to go some
distance to a large spring and haul away by the
barrel


The citizens of Miami county have lately been
in very great excitement in consequence of a
report that a VIGOROUSLY large snake was in the
country, as very large track in the dust i'll the
road indicated, and then it was reported that Mr..
A. had seen it and believed it to be twenty feet
long. Then Mr.. b. saw it and in his opinion it
was not less than fifteen feet long. Then n
young lady saw it as she was going across the
country, and it saw her, and Immediately gave
chase, whereupon she measured ground very
dexterously, every step about as wide as her
dress would allow making for the nearest house,
,ut fort tal forI cbp ba1 To
ure field wherein was flock of sheep, where his
snakeship satisfied himself by swallowing
couple of lambs, therefore she reachee the house
in safety, but there no one to go for him
he was suffered to escape. The next we heard
from him, teamster, who drives mule team
for one of the Staters to and from his quarry, as
he was going to the quarry for load of stone
he saw the jintleman coming out of the canal,
raise his head about three feet (Which was about
rs Big as a good sized bull dogs head) and be-
gan sliding of, when he would have went for
him but for the believing of the serpent which
was hallowing louder than any bull which so
scared the team that he dare not leave for
moment. Upon this report very many again
turned out en- masse if possible to find and slay
the monster, for nothing would stay in any field
into which the snake would go if it could by any
means get away. 1t was also SAID, Troy would
give thousand dollars to the captor of the snake,
dead or alive, and while every eye, and ear was
open to hear and see who should be the lucky
man, man seen coming from towards Gov
ington, at the top of the horses speed, and, on
being hailed he said the snake had been captur-
I'd near Covington, and on opening it, it
found to contain two lambs. young calf, and
boy about nine years old The signal was sound
ed and the news of the capture was given, at
which general stampede was made for the
place, and on arriving they found very nice
ball, or dance going oil, therefore the war ceased
and no one killed but some were stretched
their beers. This is one of the many exciting
stories have heard in my time A very large
water snake was said to be discovered in pond
some years ago in Clark county, which all turn
ed out bosh. Again. it reported very
large snake was killed in the State of Tennessee
which was supposed to have escaped from ma
nagerie At another time it was reported large
one was in Ohio, here, in the middle or eastern
part. in some hill in cave. At another time
wild ludicrous tale was fabricated and pushed
into circulation that an exploring company be-
tween Cincinnati and some place had discovered
wild woman of enormous size, whom they
managed to capture She was said to be four
teen feet high, and her child supposed to be
about two years old five feet high. At another
time it was currently reported that there was as
rich beds of oysters in the Ohio river, between
Columbia and Cincinnati as any in the Jersey or
Virginia waters ever was found, all of which
proved bosh:


Why men will report such tales 1 cannot tell
unless it is because they ore so wicked. Poor
souls they cant believe that what they SOW they
shall reap, in the day of Judgment. So you see
when hear such tales treat them as the old
Dutchman said Of Jonah in the whales belly,
dat ism too pig fish story to pellet"


The health in this section is good close by
aaying, long life, good health and prosperity at
tend YOU and yours.


-