American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-04-04
The Quaking Of a North Carolina Noun.
tain--TerrOr Of the Inhabitants.

A CORRESPONDENT of the New York
Herald writes as follows from Knoxville,
Tenn, under date of March 90;
For the last twenty days the greatest
excitement has prevailed distance of
twenty-five miles around the vicinity of
Bald Mountain. This mountain is situated
between Crooked Creek, in Mcdowell
County, and Broad River, the mountain
also extending into Rutherford County,
that portion of the range within Nc
Dowell being generally called Stone
Mountain. The first signs of alarm in
this locality were Witnessed the 10th of
February. This consisted in what the
people call terrible numbering" the
earth seeming to culver to a frightful eX-
tent. Some parties described it as terrible
thunder, gradually dying away in the dis
lance. Others describe the noise as the
roaring of heavy artillery at distance.
| On the 18th of February two gentlemen
were on the highest point of Bald Noun
tain, known as Harris View, which is
said to be next TO Mount Mitchell in
height. On that day these gentlemen
heard this strange noise. One SAYS it first
reminded him of the falling of heavy tim
Der, and presented strange combination
of sounds and impressions. Parties living
on the mountain sides and foot heard the
same. All think that the noise was
in the mountain. One man says when
he was on one side of the mountain
this terrible noise was in the direction of
the mountain, and when on the opposite
side the same indications were observed.
All feel satisfied that the noise proceeds
alone from this mountain. but on the 22d
of February the noise had reached such a
point as to become perfectly terrible.
Among the persons living on this noun
tain are Mr.. Camp, Johnston Elliott,
Widow Nanny, George Morgan. James
Gilbert and others. From a statement of
all these parties and perhaps fifty others
the mountain was actually shaking. The
giving way. The table ware and house
furniture all rocked and jostled with
frightful force. One man was riding on
horseback. and his horse became fear
fully frightened. 1t is said that the
cattle have become alarmed and wandered
from their usual range.
Such was the alarm that about twelve
O'Clock at night on the 22d the people for
miles around began to assemble at a mans
house by the name of Camp, and Camp,
having gone to the wOOd-pile for wood,
became so alarmed that he fell upon his
knees and began to pray aloud. Very
soon the terrible quaking of the mountain
was such that the great crowd now assem-
bled engaged IN prayer. At daybreak
Monday morning George Logan, colored
Baptist preacher, was sent for in great
haste, and so impatient were they of bis
arrival that a portion Of the crowd met
him on the road beseeching him to come
and pray and preach. The people thus
assembled remained in these devotions
three days, when they moved a short dis
lance to a vacant house, the property of
Harris Elliott. About the third day a |
white man, Baptist preacher, was sent |
for, who came Immediately. The Sd of
March J. NJ. Lumly, Methodist minister, |
in charge of Broad River Mission, was |
importuned to attend and preach, who |
promptly complied with the request.
From an eyewitness the scenes are de-
scribed as most strange and eXtraor-
binary. The people came flocking in
crowds of fifteen and twenty, including |
men, women and children, all presenting
the most terrible state of fear, despair and
penitence. On the day Mr.. Lumlv
preached the house was literally packed,
the preacher barely having room to stand.
So great was the rush to hear that many
climbed up the side of the walls and
on the joists above, only portion
Of the upper story having floor, and
many not being able to enter the house
their heads in the door and all
FOUND the house, manifesting the most in
ense interest. When the call was made
or mourners the people rushed from all
parts of the house with almost frantic
7ells and fell upon the floor and upon
Zach other, all praying and supplicating
n the most heartfelt and agoniZing man.
Ter ever witnessed on earth. These exer-
Uses continued necessarily for sixteen
lays and nights with but little inter-
mission. During all this time the peo-
Die all lived in common, no attention was
given to labor or property, cattle, horses,
md hogs returned to the woods, and
he entire people within the range of this
Iwful excitement have concluded tn at
hey have but few more days to live.
About one hundred have made profession
If religion. The closing scenes of this
TRANCE meeting are represented as most
peculiar and wonderful. During most of
his period of sixteen days the mountain
lad continued at intervals to present the
anne alarming Impressions, but having
prayed, shouted, sung, and agoniZed for
his long period they separated, with the
that all would remain and die if
necessary. 1t is said that the awe-sricken
and the melancholy de.
neanor of this vast crowd on the break
ng-up of devotions were beyond all de-
eription. A letter was received in this
,ity to-day by a gentleman whose mother
esides near Bald Mountain, stating that
rear the summit of that peak an area of
learly an acre was agitated by subter-
anean upheavals, then sinking, from
which smoke and vapor issued.