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

Ao44s Wneh ne went 10 Mt Glbbes with w ~ nd-
die If his description did not enable him to 6ndit,
how would it enable any else to identify it? As
soon as my description, on the contrary, pub
ished, any one could find the point easily, and Prof
Mitchell himself went up 10 it along bride path in
the summer of 1885, for the first time Such are it's
position and surroundings, that any one who was
ever on it on clear day could have difficulty in
describing it. r-a -sss--'a
Again, it is denied in some of these publications
to which / am replying that Professor Mitchell ever
measured the peak known as Mt. Mitchell; wonder
is expressed to how it ever got the name, and it
is said that he did not feel honored by it. &c. But
have already shown that he did publish it's height,
ascertained in 1888, at 658l feet the only of
his measurements in fact that is found to be near
the truth. In the article, published June 26th,
1885, he said referring to his visit to the mountain
in 1874: "People had area y done me the honor
Of naming the Knob near the Southern or Swan
nanoa end of the Black Mountain, Mount Mitchell,
though was not aware till the publication of Mr..
Clingmans article in the w ashingon Spectator that
it was so generally regarded as the highest summit"
1t is said, however, that for twenty two years,
or from 1885, the high peak was called Mt. Mitchell.
Is it not wonderfully strange then that Prof Mitch
ell, when in the neighborhood Cany river in
1874 for the purpose of trying to get on it, never
heard of this name which it is pretended had been
in for nine years! And is it not still more
traordinary that when he thus wrote in June of 1856
he had never heard of his greatest namesake! The
story that the of Mt. Mitchell applied gen.
orally to the highest peak by the citizens Of Yancy
of any other county in the State, is sheer fabr-
cation. Up to the time of my letter to Prof. Henry
in 1866, and in fact till within few months past,
heard it suggested that it had been applied
by a single human being. If the fact were other.
wise, it must have been carefully whispered
among few to have been better kept than.secrets
usually are.
Again, it is contended that as DR.. Mitchell was
the first person who measured any point ofthe Black
Mountain, even if higher peak should be found his
name should be applied to that because of his great
er merit an original explorer. Longs peak THE
Rocky Mountains was measured and made known
many years ago. Was it wrong in Col. Fremont
and others to ascend and other peaks of the
range, and if one OF them should prove the highest
of all, must Long name be transferred to that, be-
cause, fOrsooth, at the time he went up it more
difficult to reach the top of the Rocky Mountains
than it is; and the publishers Of maps, &C.,
to be charged with lching his honors if they do not
change the names? The two cases are precisely
parallel, and the absurdity of the pre:ension is
greater in the one than the other.
There are many errors and misrepresentation in
these late articles which might with propriety
tce, but that am already extending this commune
cation too much. | think nothing will be found
above which is not material to the controversy, and
still might have strengthened my positions by fur
Their remarks. | hope those editors who have pub
liShed matter the other side, will the propri-
ety. of inserting this. Its publication is not
merely of justice to individuals, but also important
to tne aSccrainmcnt of truth on subject Of consid
cradle scientific Even the particular friends
of the late PROT Mitchell cannot fairly except to what
consists mainly of repetition of his statements,
presented fairly directly, and in accordance with
their obvious and intended Specification. l have
neither done said anything to justify the peIss
tent attacks that have been made me in this con-
necon. At the time first assembled the highest
peak of the Black neither nor any one with whom
ever conversed had the remOest idea that Prof N.
claimed to have been on it. In detailing the reSul:
of my examination, conplimented him the dis
cOverer of the fact that the Black Mountain cXceled
Mt. W aSh:ngton and all other elevations East of the
Mississippi, and was never in my life more aston
ishcd than when learned that he claimed to have
been this peak in the year 1914. Though much
surprised and perpexed, thinking there ought to be
no controversy about such a mere matter Of fact |
wrote to him and informed him that if he would re.
examine the mountain l would acquiesce in his de.
cision to whether not he had been on this
point, and offered in the meantime to request Prof
Henry not to take any notice Of my letter in the
forthcoming Report of the Smithsonian Institution.
My offer was not, however. accepted, and in the
course Of the correspondence which ensued between
us wrote out and laid before him in full my ohjec-
tons his views just intended publish them,
and in fact did afterwards publish them. This was
done in the hope hat if not satisfied he might at
least sufficient grounds for doubt to suspend the
controversy until he could look upon the mountain
again. He preferred different course, and the re-
suit is before the public In the of our con-
trovcr>y it will be remembered that he declaring
that he had failed in 1885 and 1883 to reach the
highest peak, insisted that in 1874 he did in com.
pany with Mr.. VIM. Riddle and his son, ascend it.
I. the other hand, commended that he had, &C
cording to his statements, been carried in 1885 too
far north to the Cat Tail peak, so in 1874 he had
gone too far south to Mt Gbbes, and to prove this
referred his descriptions of the localities, and
to the of the Riddles, his guides of Esq
BlackstOck, &C. As have no apprehension that
any one who has read the former part of the contro
versy will believe that in 1874 he was on the high
est peak, will submit with confidence the decls.
ion upon this second ISSUE to the judgment of all
who may think it worth while to examine the state
ment now make. In fact, to maintain the preten-
sion now set up it is necessary not only to reject
the entire weight of evidence, but to stultify Prot.
Mitchell not orly gentleman OF science, but even
as a man OF common sense.
1t will be recollected that in my letter to Prof.
/ Henry stated that, in my examination had no
one to assist me by making any simultaneous obser-
walton of a barometer Mt. Mitchell, with which
compared the highest peak, I did not claim to have
ascertaned its exact height but only to have so ap-
proXimated to establish its superiority over any
PORT in the whole range.
But in conclusion it may be proper to state that
a measurement made by Maj. j. G. Tnrner within
the last two weeks, by running line of levels from
the railroad vey to the top of the highest peak,
furnishes all that be demanded in relation to the
altitude of the Black Mountain. may say without
improperly in advance of the publication of his re-
port, that when given it will rot shake the conf
dence of the scientific world in the fidelity of baro-
metc measurements in general, nor especially in the
accuracy and precision of the observations made by
Prof Arnold Guyot.
Respectfully, &c.
I. L. CLINGMAN.
WESTERN RAILROD-The contract for grading the