Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 7.djvu/71

 EARTHQUAKES IN NEW ENGLAND.

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��where it now is. The remains were re- moved from the burying-ground and put into the present cemetery at the north-west on the hill, and the common was laid out and conveyed to the town, and the houses were built on both sides the common, and the road was extended northerly across the plain and down the hill, and crossing the old road before alluded to at the Ephraim Paige place, went on and crossed Baker's river, in the town of ^^'arren, and thus opened a way from U'entworth village to Warren, on the Avest side of Baker's river, whereas be- fore the only way was up on the east side of the river or over Beech hill, as before stated.

Many changes have been made in the highways in town, but the hills on the west side of the river are so high and so rugged that it is impossi- ble that the roads that lead to them should be otherwise than hard and steep, and yet many of the best farms in town lie on these hills. But the

��town seems to be rather deteriorating as a farming town. The young ])eo- ple are disjjosed to leave and go to the cities or to the West, and so strong has been this tendency that for many years the population has been dimin- ishing. It was largest in 1850 that it has ever been when the census has been taken. At that time there were 1 197 inhabitants; but in i860 there were 1056; in 1870, 971 ; and in 1880, only 939 ; and probably some- what less than that at the present time. Still, the village is kept in good con- dition, the houses and yards are kept in good repair, and every thing looks tidy and comfortable about the place. The drives in the neighborhood are very fine, and 'the scenery, as viewed from \-arious points in the town, is un- surpassed for grandeur and for beauty. The location is healthy, and there are itw places where individuals or fami- lies from the cities could spend a few- months in the summer more pleasantly than here.

��EARTHQUAKES FROM 1638 TO i88j, IN THE NEW ENGLAND STATES AND IN THE BRITISH POSSESSIONS NORTH OF THE UNITED STATES AND EAST OF THE ROCKY MOUN- TAINS.

��bv josi.^h emerv, [continued.]

��The following account is from Brad- ford's History of Plymouth Planta- tions, pages 366, 367: "This year (1638), about the ist or 2d of June, was a great and fearful earthquake ; it was in this place heard before it was felt. It came with a rumbling noise, or low murmur, like unto remote thun- der ; it came from the nor'ward and passed southward. As the noise ap- proached nearer, the earth began to shake, and came at length with that violence as caused platters, dishes, and such like things as stood upon shelves, to clatter and fall down ; yea. persons

��were afraid of the houses themselves. It so fell out that at the same time divers of the chiefs of this town were met together at one house, conferring with some of their friends that were upon their removal from this place (as if the Tord would hereby show the signs of his displeasure in their shaking apieces and removal one from another). However, it was very ter- rible for the time, and as the men were set talking in the house, some women and others were without the doors, and the earth shook with that violence as they could not stand with-

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