The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-04-12

D1gTRUo RON o. I'm YAle0Ua
1XT0RAI 0RlD00 o. Vl1o16A
Valea,ie n Chemical Causes 1alling 0oWz
~ WsnAss5al Geological Arch
From the Lexington, va } collrgian.
FANCY HILL, March 8. lS72-Messrs. Ed
tors: A. the regular newspapers hsve o.
been issued for the week. and rs am an ole
student, I ask the freedom of your columns
% means of communicating . phenome'
non Of the most extraordinary description
that hss Just thrown this community into
the widest excitement Last Tuesday even
ing - was returning with Mr.. Posge Of
this place from . visit to . friend on the
other side Of the bridge. observed. upon
CHANGING over into the chasm, vapor issu
ing from some crcvice In the western side
Of the bridge. and detected peculiar odo'
10 the atmosphere Mr. Poagc, upon having
his attention directed to the matter. was
positive he could detect something Of tho
surt himself. We were 1t total loss to con-
lecture the cause Of this unwOnted distur-
bsnce in the cI,asm below. Upon returning
home and informing our friends of what We
had seen, We were informed that our vapor
was mere mist, and II wc had smelt any
thing unpleasant, 1t must have been pole
cat, for these animals arc most plentiful In
tho: locality. But having occasion to ride
over to the bridge carly this morning, l
found things In that quarter Ia most sadly
excited condition for about mile before
arriving At the hotel, I thought could dis
Germ In tho. neighborho"d heavy clouds Of
smoke hanging intensely black all around
that mart Of the horizon. A. nearcd the
SPOT, the smoke Lccame denser aud black
er, and when got to the hotel, I found
everybody excited and in the widest con-
fusion.
The negroes who occupied tho deserted
premises near the bridge on the brow OF the
hill, had moved down 10 the hotel, 80 great
WIS their terror. and everybody was making
ready u depart nj once From below the
bridge volumes Of deep black smoke WAS
rolling continually, except when Interrupted
BY )e,s of bright flames which occasionally
Jared up 10 great height The surface "f
the ground Is warm for some distance around
and 10 s,esming very visibly. The peculiar
smell noticed on Sunday last IL now plain.
" pcrceptibls 10 all. The rock on the wcs.
tern side IT the bridge hxs been cracked by
the heat, and large masses have fallen intO
Cedar Greek. A. yet, the arch, rs we'll ~
can bs seen In the intervals between the
volumns Of s,noke, IL intact. Occasionally,
h"wcver, w could distinguish the crashing
sound Ut boulder ~ 1t dashed intO the
water below. The negroes say that the ars,
in,,mstion they hsd If anything Of the kind
wss last night about Q or 10 o'clock; . by
walking scross the bridge WAS frightened
by = bright ligHt shooting from the side Of
the bridge; he fled In terror and aroused the
res. Of the immediate ncikhborhood; every
one WAS sImos. pe,ridsd with terror I have
jus. reached here from the bridge; sI.sll
return a SION NJ can get another horse.
Everything here 10 about to staff for The
bridge. 1t you will lay this statement be-
fore Prof. Campbell, Of our geological De-
psrme0t, he can, doubtless, from his extend
I'd acquaintance with the geology Of our
county, throw upon tho causes OF this ex.
sraord,nsry phenomenon. Can Il be due n
electricity! I have reirained from Ill efIor.
q description ~ am In too great hurry
10 r~surn. Yours truly,
J. PARRY McCLzuR.
Upon the receipt Of the above letter frOm
NJ. NcCiuer, which was delivered into our
hands by our college friend, Posge, No were
utterly astonished at the possibility of such
% Occurrences. However, We hsstened 70
by the statement before Prof. Campbell,
whom We found In his laboratory buGly
engaged In chemical research. We append
the statement be wss kind enough to give
%.
sTATExENT or PROF. JOHN L. CAMPBELL
BENG engaged number Ut years ago 10
the geological survey Of this region from the
Blue Ridge 10 for west - the Ksnswbs de.
posiss Of coal, II was my duty to Investigate
particularly the resources which % oil
bountiiul Providence he'd vouchssfed our
own country. OF course my attention wss
dissctsd 70 lbat wonderful geological arch,
which u the same time str,k,ngly displays
the handIwork Vt O.unipoteuce and gives =
name to Rockbr'dgs county; l refer ~ .
matter Ut course 70 the great natural curiOs.
Ivy winch every yesr attracts 10 our shores
visitors ir0m vi pxrts Ut this land. In ex.
aiming critically the formation, discover
I'd that the bridge WAS cS,npossd Of noun.
tain lime, with large assures filled with
grshsmi'e, which ~ 10 we'll known, 10 kind
OF oi'u'ninous coal ssphsi.um, depositsd In
seams In formations 1T this peculiar kind.
Tails grahs,nitc was not Of Course Get on firc
BY any Oue; such IN sct would necessarily
be Impossible o. offending against the Laws
Of Onnipotcul construction. At some dis
lance sb"ve The b'gh water mark, detected
sulphurUus Deposits add traces Ut metallic
OXIDES. The action vi sulphur on the me.
tsllc Oxides even In small quantities In The
VS~~sSO VI "OSSs "Vs xCssSSoSSy U~OS " y
dsgres abundsDtIy sufficient ~ ignite insss
OF " cOmhussible nature - The grahsmite.
Tbs wsssr, take II, wss supplied ny the
ehsw,0g Of The snow and the unprecedented
rise Of Cedar creek In the essly part Of Inst
week. b ! On inclined 10 cons,dsr cause
Of this great CHI emical action, and d. not
lean toward s'trihu.tng Il, - suggested by
AcClu.r, " the action Ut electricity. have
ssctson Of the geological formation If the
bridge which wss carefully prepared , mum.
Der Vt years since, ~ sbove hinied, access
to which may bs he'd y any time BY Ill
wishing u examine into the causes them.
ss'vss. Very respectfully,
J. L. CAlRBsLL.s
The above account Of the cause Of The
great national calamity (for nothing I've
assursdly can It b. called, appears 70 -
very satisfactorily, except that no mention
10 made of The peculiar suAsll tia. NJ. No
CIass speaks Ut - icing plaialy psrceptible.
This We suppose 10 really included tn ,he
statement; - seams 0f asphsliu.n tieQueaI.
Y Dafn tr0@ SOME cause " OshSr ~ oss