The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-30


the expert desired to tell us the meaning OF these
starting perturpations In those mountains-these
prcmOnitOry symptoms OF an impending earth
quake on grand scale, including the opening OF
seams in the mountain sides and the escape there
from OF gas and smoke"
General Clingman replied that ''the volcanic dis
turbances in those mountains of Western North
Carolina, which are now making snch great sn-
sation, are no new thing-that they can be traced
back to the remotest traditions Of the Cherokee
Indians, and thence by scientific research to the
volcanic upheavals from which these mountains
were formed. In the northeastern corner OF Hay
wood county, near Fines Creek forty miles north
west OF Stone Mountain, there Is mountain
which has been subjected to periodical shakings,
after intervals OF two or three years, ever since
the war Of 1912, and for how long period before
cannot tell. The immediate locality OF these dis
turbances Is abOut mile In length and quarter
OF mile in width. The shocks under this noun
tain have not been, within my recollection, of =
longer duration than few minutes; and yet with
each recurrence after an interval oil rest of two
three years, the shocks have been sufficiently
say into new assures, hillocks, upheavals and
cavities, so far as to change its general appear.
anceo
'.And You have noticed these phenomena, from
time to time, through period OF many yearsr'
''Oh, .yesl think If you will look over the
files Of the old National Irstettigencer OF about
twenty-five years ago you will find q pretty
full description which l gave OF these volcanic
disturbances at that time. l remember that
ABOUT twenty-five years ago, in the edge OF Macon
county, southwest from Haywood, there was q
shock which opened seam IN the ground for
nearly mile in length; and that in Madison
county, In line between Haywood and Stone MCun-
tam, smoke issued from assure opened in the
rocks. Tnis was some two miles from the French
Broad River and in the nelghbOrhOod OF the
Warm Springs, Madison county. l have known
tain to be cara fractured ' BY vo,canic acti H
for nearly a mile in length, and IN
OF perhaps 1000 tons in weight which, lying ABOVE
one OF these earthquake assures, was broken into
freaks Of these little earthquakes was that which
split large tree. bringing one-half Of 1t to the
ground, and leaving the other half standing. l
have no doubt that the newspaper men detailed to
look into these mysteries, Will gather many inter-
esting "reminiscences from the OLD settlers OF those
western mountain counties OF the old North State,
touching the periodical recurrence OF these re-
markabie little earthquakes. i have often Won
never been drawn to these interesting volcanic
disturbances IN our North Carolina mountains"
EU sa the ssy
ually dying out with the continued cooling and
thickening OF the earth's crustt"
The General thought this q matter OF doubtful
speculation. Alter warnings In premOntory
trembings Of the ground, there may be q dis
these things occur il Mexico and Central America;
or these spasms as heretofore, from time to time,
may pass OF as nine days wonder. But those
mountains, the eliminating mass OF the Allegheny
system, were uplifted by forces which are stu
under ane are sa an9
these mountains OF Western North Carolina from
the Smoky Range to the Blue Ridge which are
higher than Mount Washington; and from the
primitive rocks thrown up in these Old ranges, and
from the great variety OF minerals brought out
from the bowels OF the earth into the sides and
chasms OF these mountains, we know that the SUBJ
terranean forces from which those mountains were
formed operated here more powerfully than at any
other point on the Atlantic Side OF our continent;
and we may conclude, from these frequent dis
turbances that these tremendous forces are not
Unf nhnr
capacity for q disastrous CONFUSION.
The possibility OF a neac issue Of inconrerttble
paper regard 10TH a7naSement ana dmriety and,
IN my judgment, such an issue ,oould be det,i-
naesu and sh1noe.-CHARLES SUMNER.
Testimony Taken by Prof. DuPre, Of
Wonord ~. CO. College-Hc Is to Pre-
pare a Report OF His ObservatiOns-Is
the COmmotion Caused by Electric
Currents:
The North Carolina papers are filed with de-
scriptons of the tremor that affects Bald Noun
TAM winch has been described by the special cor
respondent OF the HERALD. The following add-
tiOna facts have appeared in the Orphans Friend
published at Spartansburg synopsis OF the
testimony taken by Professor DuPre is as iol-
lows
TESTIMONY OF MIR. JOHNSON ELLIOTT.
First sound heard Tuesday, the 10th Of February
The first SOUND was followed by the severesr
shock iet up to the present Tune and as far
about ten A. NJ; another two O'Clock at
rocking IN the ' air: Noise Continued.
day following, with intervals Of about an hour.
Several noises with shocks on Thursday; noise ap.
ns fhese are half mule aps
Houses were frequently shaken, and LADDER lean.
ing against the house (of Mr. Ellotu shook consider
Sain were greatly alarmed. The noise begins like
the explosion OF blast, In the northwest, ana then
goes on to southeast with rumbnng noise under
TESTIMONY OF MR.. JAMES SMITH, ON STONE NOUN
Felt the first snock and heard the noise on 10th
February; saw the trees viorate, and observed
tremulous motion Of the leaves. oolored man
also testified to the same.
TESTIMONY OF MRS. NANNEY,
who lives about half q mile from base OF Stone
curious when the house would shake; was in the
hand Of the good Lord VINO would take care o. her;
an earthquake she was willing to go that way her
chimney nad fallen down, bat she did not think IL
was caused by the SHOCK as she felt none AZ the
tlme
TESTIMONY OF MR.. t. J. DALTON.
Live one and half miles west; heard the re-
ports or noises several times In the last four weeks
ielt the ground shake and culver six times; work
a. sawmi had some plank on my shoulder ana
ielt ~ snake several times; noise begins Win
blast and rumoles and appears to come
from Stone Mountain and under ground;
feel the shocks almost as soon as hear the sound;
saw tue saavlngs ON my workbench shake during
one OF the shocks; no wind at the time said he
saw the trees snake; works at Mrs. Murphy's saw
mill, on Broad River, on eastern side OF Hickory
Nut Gap and eight miles from head Of Broad
RIVER; heard as many as four explosions day
ana two or three at night; nights clear aud cool;
the same has been heard and felt at J. w. Nor.
gap's. one and half miles from here
OTHER TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Gillian, one and q half miles below Mpr-
phys, testified that he heard the noise and felt the
shocks several times east Il. e., in the direction
OF Stone Mountain) IL shook the daubing from
his chimney Mr.. GILLIAN Is about sixty-ave years
old
Noun tain, heard NOISES and felt several shocks
coming from West side OF stone Mountain On the