The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-12-19
Curious E'kIPUona1 on 1.&he
LTle--VsEzaFdR Rs5gasa.

notice in the Dispatch, OF tho lin
inst, the following paragraph:
The statement that = steamer was seen
burning OIL Erie on Tuesday night, is oerrol-
borAtsd by several persons living on The high
lands. Who s~y they saw it."
On the Tuesday evening mentioned.
Oct. 29ih, al about O'Clock my aiieation
was called by one of the family to bright
light on the lake. having very much the
appearances of a vessel ON fire. bringing
several objects into range, watched the
light tor some time TO Ase rtain whether
there was any percepiible motion
The wind wss blowing hard at the time
down the LAKE, and vessel would natur
ally drift rapidly TO leeward, At all events
as soon as the propelling power should be
interfered with by the fire. No motion,
however, in any direction was TO he dis
covered, and l at once concluded that il
was nothing more than the ''mysterious
Fight" which for many years past, at long
sr OF shorter intervals, has been seen by
tile inhabitants at this point On the lake
shore. The light has made its appear
ance generally, if not always in the fall
of the year, and usually in the month of
November, and almost always during, or
Immediately after heavy blow from the
southwest. The most brilliant exhibition
OF the light l have ever seen was during
the night OF the Path or 25th, as nearly
as ] recollsct, of November, 1859. 1t had
bseR my fortune to witness the burning of
sAe steamer Erie, near Silver Greek, sew
~. hot III al.
which this light bore to that Of the burn
ing steamer was so strong, that 1 conf
IDENTIFY expected the arrival of the boats
from tue wreck during the night. Others
with myself watched tho light for perhaps
two hours, and with the aid of good
night-glass obtained what seemed to be =
very distinct view of the burning vessel
The object appeared TO be some two hun
dFed or more feet in length upon the wa
ter, and about as high above the water as
AT upper cabin steamer, such as was in
use upon the lake twenty years ago. At
times the flames would start up in spires
or sheets of light, then sway from aide to
side, aad then die away, precisely AS
would be the cause with q large fire ex-
posed 10 strong wind and two or three
times there was the appearances of cloud
of sparks, as if some portion Of the upper
works had fallen into the burning mass
below. The sky and water was beauti-
fully irradiated by the light during it's
greatest brilliancy. The light gradually
subsided, with occasional flashes, until II
disappeared altogether. The light of
Tuesday evening, although very brilliant
for time, was not neary so brilliant nor
of so long duration as tha of 1859.
l am told that the light was seen by
| mariners on the lake as long IA fifty years
ago but am not aware that it ha. ever
been made the subject Of philosophical
| speculation or investigation, or, in fact,
has ever obtained the notOTiety of news
paper paragraph before. The only theory
approaching plausibility have heard is
that the shifting of the sands caused by
has opened some crevices or seams in The
/ rock OF the lake bottom, through which a
/ gas escapes. and that this gas, owing to
some peculiar condition of the atmosphere
with which 1t comes IN contact, becomes
luminous, or perhaps ignitei, and bur ming
With positive fame. That there are
what are called ''gas springs in the water
along this portion Of the lake shore is u
well known fact, and that highly inham-
mabIe gas in large Quantities exists at y
comparatively shallow depth on the shore
has been sufficiently proved by the Dor
=, ing of wells at different points, as at Erie,
Walnut Greek and Lock Haven, and by
the natural springs at Wes!field and Ere
donia
But whatever the cause, the light is a
curioos fact, and we'll worthy the stten-
ton Of those interested in the investigation
Of the phenomenon of nature.-C Cores
pondenee Of the Erie Dispatch