Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-04-04
OUR VESUYIUS,
A Scientists Views on the Rumbling
Phenomenon.

! u
Phenomenon.
A correspondent of the New Yorl
Herald, under date Of March 28th, thu
speaks of the great North Carolini
upheaVal
L st night there was a succession o
terrific shocks on the sides of Bale
Mountain, accompanied by a sharI
thunder storm. simultaneously will
the thunder, quick and loud reports
could be heard from the mountain sides
| stopped at the house OF an old farmer
who welcomed me, and said that he
would like to have a hundred in the
house, as the mountain had scared him
nearly out of his life. During the
night, when the rumbling was at its
height he got up, and assembling his
family around him, held a family pray
er.meeting. The whole neigborhood
was aroused in like manner. The shak-
ing of the earth was quite perceptible,
and it was almost impossible to sleep.
As yet no one has been able to give any
definite account of the source of the
convul ion.
started up the mountain this morn
ing at seven o'clock, and had ridden
over three-quarters of a mile when a
sudden shock occurred, which so terri
fed my horse that he became unmanage-
able. He ran me against tree, and
unhorsing me, left me on the ground so
much bruised in the left side and leg
that l was unable to remount. I have
guide who will go up with me if / am
able, when / shall send full and definite
information.
After sixteen days of prayer-meeting
during which the people left their cattle
and crops to take care of themselves,
they seem now awaiting some terrible
calamity, and in many instances their
anxiety is really distressing. Nearly
200 converts to religion are reported.
Friday afternoon I found myself able
to make the ascent of Stone mountain,
which is now established as the seat of
the most serious disturbance. Stone
mountain is of the same range as the
Bald mountain, lying seven miles north
east, and the shocks have extended be-
tween the two. With guide crossed
Stone mountain, and at one minute past
four l experienced quite shock, which
frightened my horse and guide SO much
that both seemed about to leave me.
Rescending upon the southern side, /
made the circuit of the Knots and Join
ed party of students, professors and
reporters at the Widow Mans, on the
north side Of the mountain. Here we
experienced second shock, which shook
preacher Logan off a rail fence upon
which he was sitting, and a ladder,
which was resting against the side of
the house, was thrown down Great
excitement prevailed among the people,
and some forty.four candidates for bap-
tism on the following Sunday began to
be douced at once, despite the cold and
rain.
Friday evening the party separated,
in order to get accommo iation at the
different farmhouses, with the stipula-
tion that we should meet the following
morning at Chimney Rock, to interview
Professor Dupree, professor of natural
science, Wafford college, Spartanburg,
South Carolina. Saturday morning we
met the professor, and after going
through a portion of Bald mountain
with him, held private interview ut
Justiss' tavern. The people had heard
of the contemplated interview, and
ga$hered from far and wide about the
hotel. 1t was impossible to keep them
out of the room. He said
81 have examined into the nature of
these noises, and my questions have
been made with regard to the leading
facts stated by the people, as connected
with the broad theory of volcanic move
ments. The noises heard on the noun
tain are common to both earthquakes
and volcanic movements.
As far as 1 have heard, the explo-
sive noises that have begun these rum
blings are characteristic of volcanic
movements. The limited area of the
noise and shocks seems also to favor
volcanic movements. This does not en-
brace more than ten or twelve miles.
All shocks have been between two large
rivers, the Broad and Catawba, both of
which head from these mountains.
"If this was an earthquake wave, it
would not be so limited in its area, and
as volcanic movement would be ex-
tending at so great distance from the
sea, the question remains to be decided.
May not this be an earthquake wave,
limited in its area by the two large riy-
ers bounding it?"
Brother Logan here asked the pro.
fessor if he thought there was any
danger, to which there was negt tive
reply. The preacher said that after the
shock at widow Mans and tho sudden
departure of the newspaper man and
the scientists, the people had become
more demoralized than ever, and that,
as he had to preach to them on the fol.
lowing day, he wished to have it from
our own lips that we were not scared IND
that there was no danger. We gave him
ample assurance and left at nightfall
for Bald mountain, to observe as to the
reported bright lights to be seen there
upon. We saw bright haze through
the mist, but being unable to trace it to
its source, attributed it to atmospheric
ipHuanopc