Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-03-26
BALD KOCNTAIN.
The GrumbliDg and Growing Of an
Extinct Volcano in North Carolina.
Terror Of the People In the NeighbOr-
.-- hO0d-The PIayer-Test. 10

- hOOd-The PTayer-Test. r-I
T1s@E .e ~ -1Ez LErer q 4
From the New York Tribune.l -r+.vs|
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, March 20.-For
the last twenty days the greatest eX-
element has prevailed for a distance Of
TWENTY-FIVE miles around and in the
vicinity of Bald mountain. This noun
tain is situated between Crooked creek
in Mcdowell county, and Broad river,
the mountain also extending into
Rutherford county. That portion of the
range within Mcdowell county is
generally called Stone mountain. The
first occasions of alarm in this region
were witnessed on the tenth of February.
These consisted in what the people ean
ga terrible numbering" the earth SEEM
ing to quiver to a frightful extent.
Some decribe it as like terrible thunder,
gradually dying away, Others as the roar
ing of heavy artillery in the distance.
On the twelfth Of February two gentle
men on the highest point of Bald noun
tain, known as Harris's View, which is
said to be next to Mount Mitchell
in hight, heard this strange noise. One
of them says it at first reminded him Of
the falling of heavy timber, and pre-
sented q suange combination of sounds
and impression. Men living on the
mountain sides and at the base heard
the same noises. All think that the
noise was in the mountain.
But on the twenty-second of February
the noise had reached such point as
to be positively terrible. Among the
persons living on this mountain are
Mr.. Camp, Johnston Elliott, Noah
Elliott, widow Nanny, Grage Morgan,
James Gilbert and others. According to
the statement of all these and of per-
haps fifty Others, the mountain was
actually shaking. The moving was as if
the entire mountain was giving away.
The tableware and the furniture ir the
houses all rocked and jolted with fright
ful force. 1t is said that the cattle
have become alarmed, and have wan
dered from their usual range. Such was
the fear that, at about twelve O'Clock
on the night of February 22d, the
people, for miles around, began to as
semble at the house of q Mr.. Camp,
who, having gone to the woOd-pile for
wood, became so alarmed that he fell
upon his KEGS and began to pray aloud.
Very soon the terrible quaking OF the
mountain was such that the great crowd
now assembled engaged in prayer.
At daybreak, Monday morning,
! George Logan, q colored Baptist
! preacher, was ssent for in great haste, and
| so impatient were they Of his arrival
! that a portion of the crowd met him on
/ the road beseeching him to come pray
/ and preach. The people thus assembled
| remained in the devoJions three days,
when they moved short distance TO q
vacant house, the property of Harris
Elliot. On the third 'fBilly" Logan, a
white Baptist preacher, was sent for
and came Immediately. On March
! Sd j. NJ. Lumly, q Methodist minis
| ter in charge of Broad River mission,
! was impOrtuned to attend and preach,
and promptly complied with the re-
Quest. By an eyewitness are the scenes
descrbedas extraordinary. The people
came fiOcking in crowds of fifteen and
twenty, including men, women, and
children, all in the most terrible state
of fear, despair, and penitence.
On the day Mr.. Lumly preached the
house was literally packed, the preacher
having barely room to stand. So great
was the anxiety to hear that many
climbed up the side of the walls and
crowded on the joists above, only pOr-
ton of the upper story having floor.
When the call was made for "mOuIners'
the people rushed from all parts of the
house, and from the outside, with almost
frantic yells, and fell upon the floor and
upon each other, all praying and suppl
eating in the most heartfelt and agon-
iZing manner.
These exercises continued incessantly
for sixteen days and nights, with but
/ little intermission. During this time
! the people all lived in common. No
attention was given to labor or property.
Cattle, horses and hogs Were turned into
I the woods, and all the people within the
i range Of this excitement have concluded
that they have but few more days to
1 live. About one hundred have made
profession of religion. The closing
scenes of this strange meeting are repre-
sented as most peculiar and wonder
full. During most of this period of six
teen DAYS the mountain had Continued
at intervals to present the same alarm
ing phenomena. But having prayed,
shouted, sung and agOnized for this long
period, they separated with the promise
that all would remain ant die together
If necessary. 1t is said that the awe
stricken and melancholy demeanor o.
this vast crowd on the breaking up o.
the devotions beggaTs all description.
A letter was received in this city to
.day by a gentleman whose mother re
sides near Bald mountain, stating tina
near the summit of that peak an area 0
nearly an acre was agitated by subter
ranean unheavals, and then sank, smok'
and vapor issuing from the spot.
From the New York Herald.l
THE VOLCANIC REGIONS, Mcdowell
. COUNTY, N. C. March 20, 1S74.-tron
my own personal observation L an
able to verify the accounts already FUR
nfshed concerning the premonitor!
symptoms of an earthquake or Volcan'
J now existing on Bald mountain. Thi
: mountain is situated between Crooke'
D creek, IN Mcdowell county, and Ston'
mountain, in Rutherford county y
E thisState. The first symptoms Of earth
{ ly convulsions were noticed on tn
: tenth of February, when there was
S terrible rumbling heard, evidently com
g ing from the bowels Of the earth. Thi
/, continued until the twenty O
5 February, when the noise became 8
|, violent that the people left their home
and have not since returned. Prayer
meetings have been inaugurated in tn
, neiVhbOrhood, and for the last sixteel
davs The preachers have had their hand
f,lI dealing with the wants OF th
= TnourDers. There never was much re
7 ii0ion in this part Of the county, but tc
: dsv n Is hard to meet q man who is nc
: travaIin0 on the narrow path to salvs
ten There seems to be u general e1
nectanee of q big bursting-forth of th
IIoIcsno- and business in this section
: generally suspended, religion being th
z order Of the day. ..;
3 The rumbling sounds in the moIntaI
# may be still heard. ..,
; / attempted 10 ascend the mOlhtai
Q this morning but was driven back py
binding storm.