Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-10-03


five. The weight of evidence is in favor of the Cat
Tail. but even this creates only probability not
withdrawing the positive assertions of Prof Mitch
ell because he said he twas obliged to trust implic
tlv to the guides" The only guide who was with
him on Yeates Knob and from whom we have any
statement appears to have beer as much stranger
on the top as Prof. Mitchell was himself, without
the benefit which the latter subsequently derived
from several trips to other points Of the mountain
But if it shall now be assumed that Prof. Mitchell
was on the highest peak in 1885, then it is certain
that he remained profoundly ignorant of it for more
than twenty years. And if he was thus ignorant of
the fact how was Prof Henry, or Prof Guyott, or
I, or the public generally to know it? For any in
formation given to the scientific world, to the
identity Of the point thus reached, it would have
been the if he had been led it blindfold.
In such a case he could scarcely have been more lg-
nOrant of his whereabouts.
But it is also argued in the article contained in the
Register, and likewise in that of the Inteltigencer,
Fayetteville O6serUer and some other papers, that as
Prof. Mitchell in 1885 represented the highest peak
of the Black being 6476 feet high, OR 55Os feet
above Morganton, and as Morganton has been f. und
by the Rail Road survey to be 1900 feet high in
stead Of 96S Prof NJ. then estimated, that there
fore the correction of 6708 feet corresponds nearly
with the real height of the highest peak ascer-
tanned by Prof Guyot These statements are mere
repetitions of what published page IL of my pam
phet of July, 1856, though the writer's do think
proper to give credit for it. Ipresented this view
then in that spirit of fairness which especially should
characterize discussions scientific subjects. But
when it was thus presented to Prof Mtchells con-
sideraon, he declined to adopt it to contend that
in 1886 he in fact the highest peak. The
circumstance is entitled to very little weight for the
following reasons. In 1885 Prof Mitchell estimated
the height of Morganton at 96S feet, the Grandfa-
Their 5556 feet, the Roam 6O3S feet; and in 1S44 he
published them-Morganton 1881 feet or 63 feet
higher than his previous estimate, and added to the
hi; rIt sc tbn thor1 c,ot and to fhof of
the Roam 149 feet. These changes were made many
years before any Rail Road survey reached the vi
cinity of Morganton and yet show variances of $50
feet i'll these heights If shall be said tina; in 1914
he had barometer stationed at Asheville and that
he corrected his former estimate by means of the
report Of the Rail Road survey made to the vicinity
of Ashcvle by the Charleston and Cincinnati compa-
nv, then the reply is that if he took this basis
it would have given him the height of Morga' ton
truly at about 1900 feet above the sea- 169 more
than he then stated it. 1t would also have increased
nearly 100 feet the height of the Grandfather and
Ran. Why then did he add l63 feet tic the height
Of the Grandfather, 149 to that OF the Roam, and
ly 63 to Morganton?
Again, in his communication published in the
Spectator of the Goth of June, 1856, he has the fol-
lowing
"PS. I give the heights of certain points on
Black Mountain determined by me:
1s35.-North end IF the Black Thos.
YOung's, 6O3S
1s35.-Peak measured in the mist, head
of Cat Tail? 6476
lS3S-Mt Gibbes and Mt Mitchell Swan
nanoa end of the Mountain, 65Sl
Yer. 6672
The first two were measured with the same in
srument. common Englefeld barometer the third
with different Engleield and the fourth with Gay
LuS>ac's mountain barometer"
On examining the above it is noticeable that the
height assigned to the Swannanoa peak is just inter-
mediate between Prof Guyot's estimate of Mt. Mitch
ell and Mt, Gibbs and within feet Of either therefore,
they differ but 10 feet in elevation But the height
given the North end at Youns's is 307 feet lower
than Prof Guyots estimate, and thai of the Cat Tail!
is 225 feet lower than his measurement makes the
highest.-Again, Prof. Mitchell in 1885 had pub
lished that the he ght Of the North end Of the Black
at Young's was 5946, or 399 feet below Prof Guyots
figures. Remember that this measurement ard that
Of the highest point he was then on. both made
by the same instrument. 1t is now said that the
point he then found the highest, and which he called
the Cat Tail peak in his publication Of 1856, was in
fact the same with the Clngmans Peak Of Prof.
Guyot Why then should his instrument have
made this point 225 feet below Guyot's measure
ment, and the North end at Young's 800 feet below
it, variance of ia feet? Again, July, 1885, he
the top of Yeates' Knob, and in that year he
published it's height at 1896 feet, which is only IS
feet below the true height given by Prof Guyot.
This measurement only day after
that of the North end at Young and the very day
before that of the Cat TAIL with the very same in
struments, and with the stationary barometer at
M"reanton. And yet " lille it makes the first peal,
399 feet too low and the second 225 feet low it
made Gates Knob only IS feet below its real height
If the instruments had been reliable they would
have made the several points equally below the true
elevation But in fact making due allowances for
the heights Of the points, the stationary barometer
remaining at Morganton all the while, the instru-
ment then on Yeates Knob ditfe, ed 324 feet from
what it was on the previous day at Young's point,
and $50 from what it declared when on the other or
Cat Tail peak. Can any height assigned to Morgan.
ton or Asheville either reconcile such discrepancies
as have thus pointed out? Prof Mitchell had good
reason for saying he did in his publication Of June
1856, after describing his journey to the south end
of the Mountain in 1888, when he measured Mt
Mitchell
81 was less careful about asceI tanning from the
numbers procured the height of this end OF the
mountain, because was not satisfied with the in
struments l had hitherto used. They were good
barometors of the common kind but as there was
no arrangement IN them for observing the level OF
the mercury in the box wood cup or basin, there
danger of error from more than one or two sour
ces."
In the last publication made by Prof Mitchell on
the Goth of Nov 1885, after referring to the dlscrep
ancies between his measurement and Professor
Guyots, he said, But both of these numbers, OF
either of them, may be- and pretty certainly is err
roneous: either may be from one to two hundred
feet from the truth, for that will procee
to state" He then argues at some length against
the general accuracy of barometic measurements
Whether he right in these views or not, it was
natural that in 1885 with his stationary barometer
40 miles off at Morganton, and more than five thou
sand feet below him. The should with the instruments
he used, have fallen into errors of more than one
hundred feet AS there five points including
the highest, each other, of within about hun
bred feet of the same elevation, any one of them
might have given the result he obtained with such
an instrument doubtless, and therefore it cannot be
assumed with anv degree Of plausibilty that he was