Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-03-26
A STRANGE PHENOMENA.
What an Eyewitness Has to Say About
the Underground Fires Now Rag
ing in Virginia.

What an Eyewitness Has to Say About
the Underground Fires Now Rag
ing in Virginia.
Among the recent arrivals in the
city, says the Louisville Cow5er-Jour-
nal, was Mr. Edward B. Elder. OF
Highland county, Virginia. Of late
there have been reports from that sec
ton of the country of strange phe-
nomena which was said to have been
witnessed in the mountains few miles
from Monterey Courthouse, Highland
county, where the earth was said to be
one burning mass. The fact that Mr..
Mulhatton was known to be in another
quarter of the globe gave the story
some credence, and more especially so
as it was vouched for by responsible
men. A reporter learning of Mr.. FL
der's arrival went in search of him last
night to see if he knew anything con-
corning the matter. He was found
comfortably esconced in a cushioned
chair at the Gait house, talking to some
friends. When asked if he had heard
of the strange performance nature was
said to be guilty of, he replied:
remarkable thing I ever heard of. From
present indications | should say that
we are very likely to have another edi-
ton of Mount Vesuvius produced in the
mountains of Virginia. The phenome-
ma consists of fires which seem to be
raging under the earth, on the top of
the peaks of Highland county, and the
ground for considerable distance
seems to be a smouldering mass. The
first heard of it was a report brought
by a boy who claimed to have walked
over the place which was on fire. The
country around it is almost inaccessi-
BILE, and it is very seldom that anyone
ventures SO far up on the mountains,
therefore it was only by accident that
the discovery was made. A few days
ago the boy, who was in search of some
lost sheep, wandered on foot among
the hills until he got several miles from
home. All at once he felt the air
around him grow warmer, and expert
enced a strange sensation, as if some
burning substance was beneath him.
He was on an elevated plateau, prob
ably a quarter of a mile square, on the
top of one of the small mountains. At
first he was greatly alarmed, and start
ed to run away. His curiosity over
came his fear, however, and he stopped
to see if he could find the cause OF the
unusual warmth. He stopped and
placed his hand on the earth, and was
startled to find that it was so hot as to
almost blister his flesh. He did not
pursue his researches any further but
proceeded at once to his home, where
he told of the strange occurrence, No
faith was put in the narrative, and it
was thought by the neighbors that the
boy was going crazy.
1.-The news finally reached the town
OF Monterey, and some scientifically
inclined persons determined to inYesti-
gate. Procuring the boy for a guide,
they went to the place and found that
all he had stated was true. When they
returned they told even a more won
derful story than that told by the boy.
This produced a great sensation
throughout the immediate country, and
a great many persons were nearly
frightened out of their wits. The sup
erstitious were of the belief that the
day of Judgment was close at hand ard
began to make preparations to respond
to the call of the trumpet, which they
monentarily expected to wake the 81
lence of the mountains. | lived some
distance away, but when the news
reached me l determined to satisfy my
self. After nearly days travel over
the rough mountain road, which wound
around cliffs at the foot of overhanoing
rocks, / arrived within a short distance
of the region. / here left my horse,
and, together with couple of friends,
who had accompanied me, proceeded
as best could to the place Indicated.
l had heard exaggerated stories, and
was almost prepared for anything, but
[ must confess that [ was greatly start
led. The earth for yards around SEEM
ed to be smouldering heap, and was
as hot as an oven. In places a hard
crust had formed over the clay, and
large assures made by the heat. The
air seemed very dense and foggy, and
in many places a blush smoke broke
through holes in the earth and spread
over the mountain tops. We dug down
to the depth of probably three feet and
came to yellowish sort of clay which
was almost as soft as putty. When a
shovelful was thrown out on the ground
it smouldered like heap of ashes, and
quantity of smoke seemed to rise
from it. 1t was very hot, and glowed
with strange brilliancy, which lasted
for hours. We tried the experiment of
digging down in a number of places,
and always with the same results. The
deeper we went the more pronounced
was the phenomena, and we found it
difficult to stand over the opening.
How long this has been in progress no
one knows, and the most learned are
baffied for a reason. 1t looks as if
volcano was at work, and ready at
any moment to burst an opening
through the earth and throw out its
volume of smoke and fire. Hundreds
of people have visited the place, and
all have come away more mystifed
than ever"
A Presbyterian doctor of divinity
cold 70 mo af Frono,.o1