Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-02
OLD BALDY.
The Volcanic Sensation Of the Day-A
Cherokee Indian Predicts n Terrible
Crash.

The Volcanic Sensation Of the Day-A
Cherokee Indian Predicts Terrible
Crash.
Prof. DuPre, Geologist of Wofford
College. in South Carolina, who has
visited and inspected the Bald and
Stone mountains, maintains that the
shaking of the former is traceable to
volcanic influences. After describing
his visit to the scene of the disturb
ance, he says:
"All the testimony which We col
lected from the people while passing
along the eastern and western side of
this mountain, covering a distance Of
eighteen miles, eoncurred in the follow
ing summary: That there were certain
days marked by loud reports and severe
shakes; that from fifty to seventy-fve
shocks have been felt since the 10th of
February; that the noise begins with an
explosion like blast, followed by a
rumbling sound, lasting only few
seconds; that the shocks are stimuli
taneous, or almost so, with the reports,
and seemed to follow the direction of
the rumbling sound, with this excep-
ton, that those near the top. of the
mountain assert they appear TO be I'M
der and all around them; that the re-
ports all came from Stone and Bald
Mountain ridge, those living on the
east side pointing to the west, and
those on the west pointing to the east
for the direction of sounds; that these
reports occur as often during the night
as the day, in fair weather as IN foul;
that the effects are felt FIVE miles on
each side of the mountain ridge, and
extend from Broad River on the south
west to Catawba, on the nOrth-a dis
lance of twenty-five miles; that houses
shake, trees with their dead leaves trem
bic, glasses and crockery rattle, shaw
ings in their workshops shake and
'quaver,' as one expressed it. This
testimony was collected from thirty or
forty men and women of different de-
grees of intelligence, and their remark
able concurrence in the above statement
places the facts beyond the possibility
of doubt"
Prof. DuPre discusses with much
profound wisdom the various hypothe-
ses which have been proposed to ex-
plain these facts, and announces that
the phenomena connected with the ag-
itatiOn of Stone and Bald Mountain
must be referred to that general vol
canic or earthquake force which seems
as necessary to the economy of nature
as light, heat or electricity.
The Athens Post has interviewed a
big Cherokee on the subject, and gives
the result as follows:
CoomacOosa, the head of the band of
Cherokees who have been temporarily
sojourning in this vicinity, says Bald
Mountain has actually settled or sunk
some ten or twelve feet since the first
shock last winter. He is of opinion
that the mountain viii continue to set
tie gradually until the forces below
gather strength enough for grand up
heaval, when it twill again rise to It's
proper place and be followed by an i'm
mense eruption, which will overwhelm
and desolate with food of lava all the
valleys around. He further states that
but few of his people are scattered in
the direction Of the mountain, and these
are all coming away to escape the fiery
deluge. 1t will be remembered that
the elder Pliny refers to a similar phe-
nomenon which preceded the first erup
tions of Vesuyius and Etna. 1t is not
believed that Unaka and Chilhowee
will be seriously affected by the opera
tons of Bald Mountain, though they
Will no doubt sympathise more or less
with the eruption when it occurs. as the
entire range is connected. Indeed,
there is a strong sympathy existing
between all mountains of volcanic orr
gin, no matter how remote they may
be from each other.
The telegraph advises that the last
shock, which occurred during the heavy
storm of Monday night, was the Sc
verest yet felt The mountain shook
and trembled violently, and the belief
is strong that the final catastrophe can
not be much longer postponed.
Though more than eighty miles dis
tant as the crow flies, the summit of
Bald mountain is plainly discernible
with the naked eye from the hotel at
White Cliff Springs, from which point,
should there be an eruption. the view
will be fearfully grand and attractive.