The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-04-08
x
The Volcanic Excitement il North Car
0lilas ,.s

The Volcanic Excitement ii North Car
DINA .is
WoFFoRD GoLLEGE, I
i March 25th, 1874. !
Editor. A55epille Press q Banner I
i AS numerous exciting rumors about
the mountains in North Carolina have
been in circulation, perhaps true state
ment by one who has visited the scene
of action may be acceptable to the read
ers of your paper. y,
You remember that the famous Lord
Ross telescope was taken to the clear,
unclouded sky of Africa, in order IT'D
observe the moon 8 surface more closely
Before the results of the observation
could reach England, the columnsa0 a0t
the newspapers were filled with rumpxs
of most wonderful discoveries, such as
large cultivated fields waving with
grain cities, and towns interspe etsing
the surface of the satellite, valleys wa
tered by rivers that rival the Amazon In
size, and even men men engaged in Ag-
ricultural pursuits. You remember too,
it was reported that the lovely State OF
Florida was about to sink into a watery
grave without even the rites of funeral
ceremonies. The papers stated that
while o man riding horseback was leay-
ing the State in terror, the land behind
him would sink into the sea as soon as
the horses feet were removed.
Equal to these comes the startling
intelligence that Bald Mountain is in a
a state of eruption, that houses have
been swallowed up in the yawning
earth, and that the molten lava and
scoria are flowing in ceaseless torrents
down the mountain sides, devastating
cottages, and presenting wide waste of
ruin over the fertile fields of that local
ity. These reports, of course, are en-
tirely groundless. Even the facts of the
case have been exaggerated by reporters
beyond allowance in order to create a
sensation. Since the 10th of February,
there have been about sixty earthquake
shocks, each of which was accompanied
by deep rumbling noise like that OF
blasting. Last Thursday, 10Th March,
heard the noise very distinctly, and
some of the party, more favorably situ-
ated in the mountains, felt the earth
quake. Alarge number of men living
on and near Bald Mountain, testified
that the first and most violent shocks
took place Tuesday, 10th of February,
and that since that time they have been
heard constantly, sometimes two or
three in a day. Some said they were
uneasy lest their dwelling houses should
fall from the severity of the shocks.
One man said that during q shock he
noticed ladder against the house sha.
king to and fro. Another declared that
while he was on the top of neighbor-
ing mountain he felt the shock more
violently, and could see the tree-tops in
8 vibratory motion.
Their accounts conficted as to the
exact locality of the disturbance, ow-
ing to the sound travelling in the direc-
ton of the valley in which the persons
lived. All the evidence, however,
tends to limit the disturbance between
Hickory.nut river "a branch of the
Broad) and the Swannanoa and Cataw-
ba valleys-an area of country about 25
miles long and five or six broad. This
tract extends along q ridge of noun.
tains, the three principal peaks of which
are called Stone, Bald and Round noun
tains.
ANY one who is at all conversant with
the history and nature of volcanic erup-
tions, would find as little to believe in
the sensational rumors about the phe-
nomena in Bald mountain, as there IS in
those false rumors before mentioned.
The best of authority tell us that vol
canoes occur only along ridges OF noun
tains that are situated near the seacOast,
and they invariably face the deepest seas.
| In all the history of volcanoes there is
found only one situated as far as as 200
miles from the sea and that is supposed
to be connected with another much
nearer the sea, with which it talternates.
Bald mountain is more than 25O miles
from the sea, and faces the Atlantic-a
comparatively shallow sea- for many
miles from the coast. These facts,
therefore, together with many more
that might he adduced, 90 to show the
limprobability and might say the i'm.
possibility of volcano in North Caro-
lima. The disturbance is, evidently,
what scientists term vulcanic force and
not at all volcanic. We learned from
an old gentleman about 80 years Of age
that similar phenomenon, though per
haps more general, ACQUIRED about the
year 1872.
The mountainers of that section o
country are liberal-hearted, hospitable
class of people. Destitute of education
!, they have that, of which men of letters
m light boast, o clear, penetrating In
sight into human nature. Generally
speaking, they base their actions upon
the broad principles of justice and mag
nanimity.
Those dwelling Immediately on, and
in the vicinity of Bald, Stone aDt
Round mountains, are not as heedless
as were the sportive inhabitants of Pom
peii and Herculaneum. They heed the
t:warning groan" and are fully prepar-
ed, should the melted lava and the "sul
phurious flames" of a volcano summon
them to the bar of God. A considera
BILE revival has taken place since. tht
excitement began. I beard the minis.
ter say that more than fifty persons haC
Joined the church, many of whom hac
professed religion. The day for theil
baptism has been appointed, and hum
; bly trust that the groaning mountains
. may suppress their wrath at least unit
that day is over. Who knows but tha
this excitement may be ihe Intervention
! of Him whose ways are past finding
out. Very respectfully.
GEO. C. HODGES.