Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 December 1868 — General Intelligence. [ARTICLE]

General Intelligence.

THE INUNDATIONS IS SWiTZERinkSDs ORrtsil Report of tbs Recent Terrible Diaaiier—lnataM Dr.treetloe at Property— Tlieueend. of Families UeuMlett. Washington, Nov. 19. 18G8. —The following official account of the national calamity in Switzerland has just boon received at the Department of Stale Legation or THE United Statko. I Beene. Oct WiS, { Sna—Switzerland has recently been subjected to what may juatly be termed a national calamity. After an exceptionally dry aad agreeable season the country has been whated by a heretofore unequalled rain fall, and much of the cantons of Orisons, Tessin, and Valais, Glaris and St- Gall and Uri have, in oonaeqaaoce thereof, been litr terally desolated by inundations. The mountain rivulets and cascades, suddenly swelled into torrents; strap* villages, hamlets, cattle roads, bridges, dykes, earth and ■tone as debris upon the fields below, which are thus rendered forever hopeless wastes. The appeal of the authorities of the canton of Tessin tojtheir more fortunate fellow countrymen officially sets forth the effects of the storm; and ttuß description may tee tikeu as applicable in a greater or less extent to the other cantonsnamed. In the night of the 27th and 28th of September our canton was struck by a frightfal catastrophe. A volume of water precipitated itself as a deluge into the valleys of Biedio, of the Levantine, and Riviera, the Necnaao and the Maggia. This scourge was accompanied by the destruction of buddings and by the fall of trees, by earth and rock slides in such a manner as if all the (dements had combined to rival eaoh other in the work of devastation. All the beautiful country that extends from Glornias and Olivone to Biasca, unrecognisable to-day, is nothing but a mass of debris. Bonds, bridges, and dikes are destroyed; houses, mills and stables have been swept away, the rich forests, the fertile fields and vineyards, but yesterday flourishing; have disappeared; cattle have perishedby thousands, and that which adds to the conster- ‘ iffloß is the loss of more than fifty persons—some surprised in their sleep and and others the victims of their devotion while attempting to rescue and assist the drowning, fathers and mothers of families hive been crashed under the falling houses and their bodies swept off by the rushing wains. The disaster surpasses all that imagination can picture. Thousands of families have been struck by the calamity, and too many of |hsm have been reduced to the last 'extremity, with oat roof without clothes, and several deprived of their fathers. The loonoi, which tor the moment cannot be stated will rise to miUiens. The authorities, the societies and the citizens of this canton, reserved by heaven for so cruel an experience, are occupying themselves in proriding for the immediate wants of the victims, but all our forces will not provide for this immense burden. To you we address the appeal, which in this supreme necessity, is an utterance of the haazt-rathez than ths th&agbts.— We ■ askof your brothers in confidence not to abandon ns to these blows of destiny, and that they share with ns the cross of adversity. All species ot succors will be accepted by us with thankful hearts,' andfhe canton authorities will take can that the most suffering shaffflie the first to receive the benefits of your charities. To the Swiss people * * so blessed by God the desolate of the valley of the Tessin address their appeals and their

prayers. Subsequent information proves that this sad picture is not overwrought The governments, both federal and local, | as also the people, are for promptly ami generally responding*) the appeals of which this is but one. The President of the confederation, at the instance of the Federal Council at once repaired to the scene of the disaster. The military engineers were immediately despatched to superintend and direct the restoration and of the highways and bridges and dikes, in order to restore commanieatians, altogether suspended. Citizen committees have been organized in the remaining cantons for the purpose of visiting each house for assistance, and every possible means is put into requisition to relieve the sufferers and repair the otherwise heavy public damages. The disaster, however, has been so extended, and the number of people left at the threshold of winter, without shelter, clothes end bread, has been too large to be more than scantily and partially repaired and relieved by the local contributions however generous they may be. i lam not aware that appeals will be made to the Swiss or other residents abroad, elioold such be addressed to the resident Swiss of the United States. I beg to state thus briefly but officially that no human foresight could have evaded this blow and that she cry of distress appeals with equal force to the benevolent of our countrymen of wljptever origin of nationality they may Hon. Wuuiv H. Hekajkd, . Secretary of State, Washington D. C. A Wwwawwawra Escape reott Prison. A remarkable account is given in a lata English paper of the escape r of a convict from prison. The cell in which be was confined had an iron door, with a lock entirely on th« outside. The only imple. meats A* prisoner had were a wooden ■noon. Home bits of wire and a needle and thread. Out of the spoon he made a key ; by meatw of the needle he passed a thread over and under the door; bits of wire were puahed through the inspection bole, rnmml fjitfftflftfi to this lODff jjUßld 6Xt6841M <Xld?from toptoboulni ley wu* sUmderUnc, workedgeaUylm’dlerTtumed by means of the wire; and the door taw* yjopiUHid