The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-03-21
The North Carolina Volcano.
AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT.
The Rocking of the Mountain
The Terror Of the People, &C., &c.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Feb. 20.-FOr the last
twenty days the greatest excitement has pre-
vailed for a distance of twenty-five miles
around and in the vicinity of Bald Mountain.
This mountain is situated between crooked
Greek and Mcdowell. country and Broad River.
The mountain also extending into Rutherford
county. That portion of the range within Nc
tain.
The first signs of a disturbance in this locali-
" were witnessed on the 10th of February.
This consisted of what people call a terrible
rumbling. The earth seemed to suver tn a
frightfCl extent. Some parties describe IL "a
q terrible thunder, gradually dying away in the
artillery in the distance.
On February 18th, two gentlemen on the
highest point of Bald Mountain, known as the
Harris view, which is said to be next to Mount
Mitchell in height, heard this strange noise.
One of them says it at first reminded him of
the falling of heavy timber and presented
strange combination of sounds and impressions.
Parties living on the mountain sides and at the
bose heard the same noises. All think that the
noise was in the mountain.
One man says when he was on ore side of
the mountain, the terrible noise was in the d.
rectiOn of the mountain and when on the other
side, the same indications were observed. All
feel satisfied that the noise proceeded aleue
from this mountain. On the 22nd of February
the noise had become perfectly terrible. The
mountain was actually shaking. The moving
was as if the entire mountain was giving away.
The tables moved and the furniture in the
houses all rocked and jolted with frightful
force The cattle became alarmed and have
wandered from the usual range. Such was the
alarm that at about twelve o'clock on the night
of the 22d utl., the people began to assemble at
the house of Mr.. Camp Mr.. Camp having gone
to the wood pile for wood, became so alarmed
that he fell upon bis knees and began to pray
aloud. Very soon the quaking of the mountain
was such that great crowd now assembled and
engaged in prayer. At day-break ON Monday
morning, George Logan was sent for in great
haste, and so impatient were they for his ar
rival that portion of the crowd met him OF
the road beseeching him to come and pray and
preach The people thus assembled remained
IN these devotions three days, when they NOV
ed short distance to a vacant honse, the prop
erty of Harris Elliott On the third day Billy
ter were sent for and came Immediately. On
March Sd, j. Nj. Lnmbey, Methodist minis
ter In charge of the Broad River Mission was
importuued to attend and preach and he
promptlp complied. From an eye witness the
scenes are described as most extraordinary.
The people came focking in. in crowds of if
teen and twenty, including men, women and
children, all presenting the most terrible state
of fear. despair and pentence On the day MIR,
Lumby preached the house was literally filed
the preacher barely having room to stand. SO
great was the rush to hear that many rushedu up
the side of the walls and crowded on the ioists
above, only a portion of the upper story having
floor, and many not being able to enter the
house, crowded their heads in the door and all
around the house manifesting the most intense
interest. Whenthe call was made for mourn
ers, the people rushed from all parts of the
house and from outside with the utmost wells
andfell upon the floor and upon each other,
all praying and SUI duplicating in the most heart
felt aud agOnizing manner.
These exercises continued almost necessarily
for sixteen days and nights. During this time
the people all lived in common. No attention
was given to labor or property. The cattle,
horses and hogs were turned into the woods and
the entire people within range of this awful ex-
element bave concluded that they have but
few days longer to live. About hundred
have made professions of religion. The closing
sceEes of this strange meeting are represented
as most wonderful.
During most of this period of sixteen days,
the mountain had continued at intervals t.
present some alarming impressions. but having
prayed, shouted and agonized for this long pc
riOd they separated with the promise that all
would remain and die if necessary. 1t is said
the awe stricken countenance and melancholy
demeanor of this vast crowd on the breaking up
of the devOtions are beyond descriptions. A let
ter was received in this cltp to-day by gentle
man whose mother resides near Bald Mountain
stating that near the summit of that peak an
area of nearly an acre was agitated by subter
ranean upheavals from which smoke and vapor
issued.
Another despatch dated at Wilmington, N.
c., says that an old citizen says that the shock
was no severer than in 1852 There is no relia-
BILE information of emotion either fire or smoke