Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-05-01
From the Piedmont Press
Truth About Bald Mountain.
Tor OF BALD MOUNTAIN,

April Goth, 1874
| Dear P,'ess:-Nearly all that has yet
| been published about our volcano is
false. The only reliable account has
the signature of the undersigned
blown in the bottom, as it were. All
others are base limitations.
A careful census shows twenty-seven
newspaper correspondents lingering
here, ostensibly waiting for an erup-
ton, but really tarrying until their
currency is sufficiently inflated to per-
NIT them to return home by rail.
To convince you that there is vol
cano here, I inclcse leaf plncked
from bush growing at its base.
The mountains prefix BALD" is
certainly a misnomer, because an
Englishman who has just arrived at its
summit, says there's plenty of air on
top of it.
The last rumbling was heard q week
ago. Last night / was awakened by a
terrible rumbling and a very percepti-
BILE webbing of the house. The ex-
element for a brief period was in
tense, and I had fourteen pages of
foolscap covered with a graphic &C
count of the eruption before it was
discovered that the frightful noise
proceeded from an adjoining room
and was caused by thrifty old Gran
ger from Cabarrus county, punctuat-
ing his dreams with q few able bodied
snOres.
The noises now heard in the Bald
Mountain are not new occurrence.
A reliable old gentlemen''-who,y you
doubtless remember, figured extensive
iy during the late fratricidal war
now nearly seventy years of age, in
forms me that he distinctly remembers
hearing a similar rumbling in the
Mountain more than one hundred
years ago; the noise sounded like that
made by a blast-which statement
may sound like blasted exaggeration.
The mountain has converted all the
natives in this vicinity, and they pray
every day-pray that the volcano may
not erupt until Congressional Inves-
tigating Committee are within a lava
ishing distance of it's crater. An Irish
representative of the press says it
wouldn't be the first time a Congress
sional Committee were within a Law
ishing distance of the "crater"
Not single newspaper reporter has
been converted. Nor married one
either. A regiment of Bald-headed
Mountains, all in excellent rumbling
condition, wouldn't crook the knees of
| a veteran reporter.
The enemies of the administration
are trna in their belief that this new
evil is forced upon them by Radical
President. They assert that Bald
Mountain never rumbled and fright
eped people into religion, under Dem
ocratic administration. And this is
probably true.
A physician who paid ten dollars for
his diploma in Philadelphia, arrived
here this morning. When told that
the rumblings and groanings emanated
from the bowels of the mountain, he
suggested tbat the mountain be given
handful OF catl.artic pills every two
hours, and mustard plaster be
clapped on where it viii. do the most
good. He is supposed to be insane.
Should Bald Mountain commence to
belch forth fire and ashes and things,
the Governor of North Carolina will
suppress the eruption.
to lease the mountain three or four
his great travelling show
The foregoing particulars were
CLEANED after prodigious sight Of la
Dor and expense. While all must adj
NIT that the situation is critical,
don think the mountain will burst as
long as cashier is employed to run
1t. Yours, Don.
Passengers from Old Fort, by yes
terday's train, report that several severe
shocks were felt at Old Fort, Monday
night. The shocks were the severest
yet felt, and the citizens made eonsid-
cradle demonstrations of alarm.