Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-06-02
Pilot Knob. Iron County, MO.
BY THOMAS CALLAHAN.

It may be promised that the writer
of this article Is not in any way en-
ployed by or dependent upon the Pilot
Knob Iron Company, any railroad cor
poration, or any association of land
spectators whatever. He is citizen
Of Southeast Missouri, to whom twelve
years. residence in the county has CIV
en- some opportunities for correct OBJ
servation, and who wishes to justly
advance the interests Of the section Of
country in which he expects to spend
the remainder of his life. All the ar
ticles that may be written by him con-
rning Southeast Missouri, will seek
the particular interests only in 80 far
as they are promotIve Of the general
welfare of the country.
The mountain known as Pilot Knob,
Mo-, may be safely accepted as one Of
the well established, hard facts, not
only Of Missouri, but of the world.
It IL situated about the centre of sec
ton 80, township "a, north, range 4
east, of the 5th principal meridian. It
may assist some persons to fix the Ioca-
tion, il it is stated that the base line
that governs the surveys in Missouri
and Arkansas, runs east and west
across the latter State, about ten miles
south OF Little Rock; and the principal
meridian begins at the Arkansas river
ON the east side, aud runs due north,
being just one mile east of the 9lst de-
gree Of longitude west from Greenwich
and I4th from the City of Washing
ton, d. C.
This mountain obtained Its name
from the fact that it has long been b
land mark. This did not depend on
its greater height, for in that respect it
10 overtopped by Shepherd Mountain
which il near by, but from its peculiar
shape. No matter from which side 1t
is viewed it is strongly defined cone,
whilst all its neighbours are domes.
There are some interesting coinci.
dences connected with this mountain
It's rugged peak composed of lightning
splintered porphyry, is ], ,490 feet above
the sea level, and equals the elevation
Of Lake Itaskn, in Minnesota, which Ia
the source Of the Mississippi river
whilst the Pilot Knob iron furnace. $50
feet below the peak, is on the average
elevation of the dry land above the sea
all over the world.
But this mountain is an immense
Leyden Jar in respect to electrical
phenomena. The vast body Of iror
ore in and around it makes it q gran(
reservoir, and one result is that ou
thunder cannot be excelled. It woult
be perfectly safe to give Pogram de
fianco to the rest Of the world on tina
subject. But there are many othe
electrical phenomena here, which ar
less terrible, and more pleasing.
To look and see that rs electrical In
fluencss pass to and fro, thin whit
cloud shoots rapidly up from the cone
ns II unseen worshippers in the recess
20 OF the mountain were offering sacr
fees ar burning incense, and the smok
was ascending from their altar. I
see that cloud grow dark, and darker
until it drifts away and pours out
blessing on the fields and hills; or whe
1.-THE low-hung clouds have dropped
Their garnered fullness down."
it 70 pleasant to watch aud see tn
clouds come down, and rest like gres
blankets, on every hill containing iro
ore. It 10 more safe to trust to ele'
tricity a. . prospector for mineral, tha
70 any human expert that ever truste
TO tlivining rod, or pick and shove
Lightning will not lie.
Hut this mountain looked on
]. ras tempest of wsr, and the battles conf'
sion."
In September, 1854, the Federal Ger
eral. Thomas Ewing, held for tw
1ays with less than thousand mel
: fort near this place, against vastl
superior numbers commanded by Gel
Sterling Price.
After killing about twice as many
the enemy - he himself had mel
Gen. Ewing safely retreated to Rolla
hut pilot Knob to-day looks quietl
down on one Of the great arteries
overland commerce, the st. Louis, Ire
Mountain and Southern railroad, whit
skirts it, western base; on three bea
tihul Villages In Arcadia Valley;
fruitful fields. happy homes. bu'
workshops, and on "Cities Of Silence
In which the dead with meekened fac
and calmly folded arms await the no
s.When The Crucifed
Shall gather His radiant crown
Rrom the sorely wrung and bleeding hea
which the world has trami led down"
Hut whilst Pilot Knob has thus sto'
identified with much that Is vaiuat
- health, grand in scienoe, and beau
ful in sssthetioa, Mammon has io'
.,ro,, laid his rude hands on 1T. scarril
q. face. mntilkting it's body, diggin
-a -. ntinu into ite very vita