Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-12-22
VIRGINIA HILLS ON FIRE.
The Mountains Of Highland County a
smoldering Mass.
Strange Phenomena which Battle the
Investigators,

LouIsvnuE, Dec. Ia stories which
have appeared OF late Of great under
ground hres IN the mountains, near
Monterey Court House, Highland
county, Va. are confirmed. Edward
b. Elder, who Is In this city ON bust.
ness, isa resident OF that portion OF
Virginia. When asked by a reporter
of the Courier-Journal n he had heard
OF the strange performance Nature was
said 10 be guilty OF he replied;
NJ IA certainly true and Ii the most
remarkable thug / ever heard OF.
From present Indications should say
that we are likely 10 have another
edition Of Mt. Vesuviusin the mount
aims Of Virginia, The phenomenon
consists OF Ores which seem to be raging
under the earth, ON the top OF the
peaks IN Highland county aud the
ground for a considerable distance
seems 10 be smolderlng mass. The
first heard Of Il was report brought
by boy who claimed 20 have walked
over the place which was on iiro The
country around isalmost inaccessible,
and Il Ia very seldom that anyone ven
lures 80 far M the mountains, there.
fore II was only by accident that the
discovery was made.
Discovered ny A tOY.
"A few days ago the boy, who was
IN search OF some lost sheep, wandered
on foot among the hills until he cot
several miles from home, All at once
he felt the air around him grow
warmer and experienced a arrange
sens alton AZ N some burning
/ ruh.tauna .tyne l..v.,,ti, tt... ~ 49,
ON an elevated plateau, probably "A
quarter Of a mile square, on the ton OF
one of the small mountains Al iirat
he WAS greatly ALARMED and started 10
run away. His curiosity overrane
his fear, however, aud he stOpped 20
see II he could find the cause Of the un-
usual warmth. Hestooped aud placed
his hand on the earth and was
startled to find that II was sO hot az to
almost blister his flesh. He did not
pursue his researches any further, hut
proceeded 40 once 10 his home, where
he told of the strange occurrence. No
faith was put In the narrative aud II
WAS thought by tho neighbour that
the youth was going crazy
THE news finally reached the town
OF Monterey and Bomescientiically In
clined persons determined 70 inveHti-
! gate. Procuring the boy for guide,
they went 20 the place aud found that
all he had stated was true. When
they returned they told even "A more
wonderful story than that told by the
boy. This produced a great sensation
/ throughout the immediate country
/ aud a great many persons were nearly
/ frightened out OF their wits. The eu.
/ pelstitiOus were OF the belief that the
day Of Judgment was close at hand and
4 began 10 make preparations to respond
/ 70 the call of the trumpet, which they
m0mentarlly expected to wahe the
silence OF the mountains
As HOT hs AN OVEN
81 lived some distance away, but
/ when the news reached me | deter.
mined 10 satisfy myself After nearly
a days travel over the rough mountain
/ road, which wound around cliff at
the foot Of oveThAnRing rooks, hr.
/ rived within short distance OF the re-
gion. | here left my horse aud, To-.
gether with couple OF friends who
had accompanied me, proceeded as
best ! could 10 the place Indicated.
| bad heard exaggerated stories and was
almost prepared for anything, but /
must eoufese that I was greatly startled.
! The earth for yards around seemed 10
be smoldering heap and waa
as hot AS an oven. In places n hard
crust had formed over the clay and
large assures made by the heat. The
air seemed very dense aud foggy and
in many places blush amoSe broke
through holes In the earth aud aIreRd
over the mountain tops. We dug down
to the depth Of probably three feet and
came to yellowish sort 81 clay which
was almost AZ soft as putty. When a
shovelful was thrown out on the
ground II smoldered like u heap OF
ashes, and quantity OF smoke seemed
10 rise from it. II was very hot and
glowed with a strange brilliRncy
which lasted for hours. We tried
the experiment OF digging down In Il
number Of places and nlways with the
same reeulis. The deeper we went the
more pronounced RaH tha pbenomc.
non, and Se found II dlfiicult 10 stand
over tho opening How long this has
been In progress no one knows, and
the most learned are beiil d for re-
son. IL looks Ms II d volcano was nj
work and ready ~ any moment 10
burst an opening through TIE earth
and throw out he volume Of smoke aud
fire. Hundreds Of people have Visited
the place, aud all have come away
aa..Ia -. "a A II