Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-28
THE NEW MARKET MYSTERY.
a Yoke of Oxen Fan Through.
Is Knoxville Founded ON a Rock.

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About ten days since we pub.
lished an account of the eaving il
of the earth on hill-side, on th,
farm of Squire Hill, half a mil,
from New Market, Jefferson county
Tenn. 1t will be remembered thai
q Mr.. Glenn and his son were en-.
gagged in blowing, when they sud.
denly perceived the team of horse:
disappear into the ground leaving
the pillow and harness on terra firma
Upon examination it was discov.
cred that theground had first given
way under the hind feet of the
horses, thus g SHINING" the har-
ness over their heads as the dumb
beasts sank into the bowels of the
earth. One of the horses was
buried about twenty feet deep, and
was suffocated. The other re-
manned in sight about twelve feet
below the surface, and died in a few
minutes, after Intellectual efforts on
the part of Mr.. Glenn and his son,
to rescue the animal, by descending
into the cavity. The two men were
soon alarmed for their own safety
as the dirt kept giving way beneath
them and they were unable to climb
out. After o time they were re-
covered from their perilous posi-
tion by neighbors whom their cries
brought to the scene.
The cavity was found to be cir
cular in form and about twenty feet
in diameter. There were no rocks
or stones to be seen, and, the whole
hillside seemed to be a mere crust,
beneath which was an apparently
unbelievable abyss. The neigh
boring families attempted to fill the
cavity by throwing large rocks
and logs into it, but without success
until last Saturday. The assure
was then closed by cutting down a
number of large trees and throw
ing them into the cavity, and thus
bridging it, after which a number
of logs and huge boulders thrown
over the trees filled the hole to a
level with the surface.
MIR. Glenn, determined to leave
the hill side alone and pillow the re-
manning portion of the farm. Be
ing rot over blessed with the lucre
of this world, he was unable to buy
another span of horses and there
fore made use of . yoke of oxen to
accomplish the work. Accordingly
the dawn of Tuesday last found the
worthy farmer and his son once
more following the pillow, this time
with fear and trembling. The work
progressed without interruption or
incident ofn until towards even
ing when at the solicitation of the
younger man, who like all of his
age was fond of venturing upon
dangerous ground, Mr.. Glenn COM
menced to pillow the ground, 'just a
little ways up as his son desired.
He had reason to rue his temerity,
for scarcely had the oxen reached
the vicinity Of the cavity when
they sunk instantly into the ground,
up to their necks in dirt. The two
men were astOnished beyond meas
ure, and knowing how fruitless any
effort to rescue the oxen by their
own efforts would prove, started of
at their utmost speed to summon
aid. The kind hearted neighbors
once more rallied to the aid of the
unfortunate farmers and by dint Of
several hours hard work succeeded
in rescuing the oxen from their
dangerous predicament.
Thine new cavity proved, upon
examination, to be distant about
twenty yards from the former one,
and on a direct line below it. II
had, however, one advantage over
the other in that there was a bot
tom to it. The floor of this open
ing was composed of solid statum
CT clay and pebbles, evidently the
bed of stream, in the remote past.
The occurrence has excited the
curiosity of the neighbOrs to such
an intense pitch that they intend, at
some convenient time, to attempt q
thorough exploration and solution
of the mystery, and will endeavor
to trace the course of the bed, il
such it really is.
The cavernous condition indicated
by the above facts, we apprehend, is
more common in this section of
country than most of our readers
are aware. Even our city of Knox
vile is built upon crust, varying
in thickness, of course, at different
points. Numerous have been the
unsuccessful efforts to complete
wells and cisterns in the most ele.
waited portions of the city. We re-
member how some twelve years or
more ago, an Irishman who was dig
ging a cistern in the back yard of
the Lamar House, was startled by
the disappearance of his mattock,
handle and all, as it slipped from his
hand and passed to the depths be-
low. In much alarm he FASTENED
into the upper region, and told his
wonderful story, which, upon ex-
animation, was found to be strictly
true. The bottom had fallen out,
and where that mattock landed, or
whether it is still falling, is not
known to this day. The depth has
never been sounded, and that els
tern is yet used, as ar excellent sub.
stitute for a sewer. No outlet for
the drainage has ever been discov-
cred, though it is presumed to reach
the bed of the Holston at some
point below.
A similar dropping out of the
bottom occurred in the rear of the
Franklin House, some years ago,
and more recently, on the premises
of two or three of our citizens.
There is certainly a vast cavern be-
meath US. Let us hope it is well
arched.-KnorUiUe Press and Her
aid, Feb. &c.
SEVERAL ENGLISH GENTLEMEN who