Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-16
FLORIDA'S ETNA FOUND.
THE VOLCANO IN THE SWAMP
LAND.
Whore it Is-Whas nc Looks Like,
aad What Shall be Done with nc.

TALLAHAssEE, February H. A few days
since learned that very reliable gentleman,
residing in Jefferson county, claimed to have
accidentally stumbled upon the "Florida
volcano" that hitherto unfathonable mys-
terry which has perplexed the minds of thous-
ands and given rise to many fanciful theory
and wild conjecture.
Being much interested in the subject myself,
l at once opened correspondence with the
lucky discoverer and obtained from him to-day
the following statement. His own language
Is employed, as the narration is given In a
straightforward, truthful, unvarnished STYLE
without any effort at display or exaggeration
My sincere thanks are extended to my in
formant for his prompt and kind compliance
with my request:
My earliest recollections date from 1853 and
1854 My father was then living In Newport
with the family, and had contract on the
Aucilla and WacisSa rivers. The supplies for
the hands were carried from Newport to the
mouth of the Aucilla by small boats and nv
father frequently went over to see after work
ETC., with the boats. His attention was attract
ed by the smoke in the day and light at night
which appeared TO be always in the same place.
be spoke TO some OF the old settlers of what
he had seen so regularly, and found that some
of the oldest of them had seen the same phe-
nomena for several years previous. In fact, it
had been visible ever since they had been in
the country.
The talk on the streets Of Newport occa.
stoned an article in the Wdk1tEIG Times, then
printed at Newport, in regard to the mystery.
The general suppostion was that it was q
camp of Indians or runaway negroes
Many expeditions were organized at New
port and other places to find 1.-The camp" as 1t
was then supposed to be, but all failed TO find
the location
OF late years since the war-it has again at
been made for he Sd Vo1cano SotaSI9 naVe
these was the expedition headed by Judge
Bell, formerly Of this county, backed by the
New York Herald. and a corps Of civil engi-
netIS and reporters. After months of explo-
ration and considerable expense, they also
abandoned the quest something that could
be seen but not reached.
To-day I've had talk with Mr.. JAS Cogglns,
who says he has seen the light and smoke
since 1888. He saw it first from Ocklocknee
Point In 1888, from Shell Point In 1896 and
from the mouth of the Aucilla In 1864, and
that 1t appeared to be Ia the same place from
eacn point of observation.
NY own attention has been called to this
matter since the article appeared in the va
EuItG Times: and hearing my father speak Of
1t In 1858 and "a.
have seen it from various points overlook
ing the Flat Woods country" Since that
time, and from my knowledge Of the country
and the land lines, feel confident that I. or
we, have found the location of 1.-The Florida
Volcano" the great mystery that has puzzled
the brains of scientific men for years.
Well, now you want to know how we found
it. and what it looks like! We had been east
of East river prospecting-for something else
The party consisting of myself, another white
man and couple of negroes, were on our re-
turn home We crossed East river at sundown
and concluded to come home that night, as the
mules had rested all day, and appeared anxious
to travel.
1t was bright starlight night, and as the
darkness came on we discovered nearly ahead
nj a HCyh rryhf A,-fTr
ness increased. We spoke of it, and all thought
1t was the woods a.f1re." But as we got near
or, and in the edge of the light, we found there
was no fire at all and no appearances az any :
yet there was light above and around. The
outlines OF trees, leaves and grass and the va.
riety of each could be identified at a distance
of forty or fifty feet.
We passed on some FIVE or six miles, still
keeping an eye occasionally to the light At
that distance it appeared to be more concen-
trated, and afforded as much light as would
te. 5e produced from from one large, or two or
whittier than that from fire. The lights In the
houses which We passed had reddish look
when compared with this. have never seen
an electric light, but believe that this must
have been something of that character
The area covered by the light when we saw
1t is, think, from thirty to fifty acres The
location was low, wet, but not deep, cypress
pond. The timber is small, and the pond Is
grown up with peculiar kind Of grass, covered
with O sediment
At the time we saw the light the whole coun-
try was covered with water
From my knowledge of the country having
lived in this and Wakulla counties since 1873
and having seen the light from so many points
and SO often, | am satisfied in my own mind
that the light we saw and passed through on
the night OF January 21st 1881, was the veri-
table light that has attracted so much atten-
ton and has been so hard to find.
am unable to say, however, what the light
is, or how 1t is produced
There is evidently some local cause for the
light at night, and it is possible that the same
cause produced the smoke or what appears to
be such, by day. / don't pretend to explain
the phenomenon. only tell you what saw.
am informed that the gentleman who has
furnished the above statement Is altogether
trustworthy and reliable.
In what am about to suggest wish it m
derStood that it is offered in no spirit of rail-
lery, but for the single purpose Of awakening
attention to the subject and to enlist the aid
OF those who possess enterprise and capital.
Mr.. Edison. the great inventor who has for
years devoted his great energies, at heavy ex-
pense, to making the electric light terviceable
to the wants of mankind, and who seems to
have encountered serious difficulties in his re-
searches. may find here an easy solution of
the problem.
Here is a laboratory. prepared by Dame
organize a joint stock company, and utilize
this light. 1t will be for him to devise the
ways and means by which this light can be
conveyed to distant points for Illuminating
purposes. This luminous agent exists at this
point In abundance, and should no longer be
permitted to eXpend its brilliancy upon will
dernesS, but should be so controlled as to add
to the comfort and convenience of untold mil
lions. Who will develop this mine of wealthsD,
w H. B.