Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-11-10
A SINGULAR CASUALTY.
The Split Top of Mountain Crashes Iuto
the Valley Below.

The Split Top of a Mountain Crashes Iuto
the Valley Below.
Waco, Tex, November 9.-Nevs has
reached here of very singular casualty
WHICH occurred at Sugar Loaf Mountain,
Corrye!l county, on the nigh. Of the 9Th
In the beautiful valley OF the Cow House,
in the western part Of the county, is situs-
ted one OF those freaks OF nature which are
so little understood, even BY geologists,
known as cone, or sugar loaf, about three
buLdred feet high. On its summit was
peIched mass of rock about thirty yards
square and fully twelve feet thick. A few
years since this mass Of rock was struck by
lightning aud separated nicely into four
very nearly equal pieces. Erosion since
then has gradually worn away the support
of these immense masses OF stone, aud on
the night Of the 5,h one Of them became
detached, and with fearful velocity rolled
down into the ,hickly populated valley.
The rapidly moving mass made such a
noise as had never bttore been heard in
that region of country, and Was heard
many miles away.
At daylight on the 9th many people as
sembled TO witness the disaster as we'll as
to determine the cause of the unusuEl
noise of the previous light The detached
part oil the rock was found in the center OF
Col. Lees farm, nearly pile from the
base Of the mountain 10 its descent it
passed through hls yard, tearing into two
fragments the granary, containing 1000
bushels Of VII, at. The grain was OF course
very nearly sll destroyed. A bale of cot
ton lying in the yard Was driven into the
ground out of sight SIS the pouderous rock
passed over it. The mass Of rock neyt
passed through The COW yard, crOsbing into
an uurecogulzgble mass fee aud very
valuable Durham bull belonging 10 Mr.
John Harbour. A sulky ploW 10 the field
near by was crushed into fragments, and
the pieces buried go deep that nothing wac
visible except the point of the tongue,
Sbich was pforudiug from The gTound.
The assembled aud frightened Eeopls,
after consulting as 10 what VAS best to do
With the remaining three parts of the rock,
which remained ptrched upon the apex OF
the mountsip, and which might fall at any
moment, determined to send Of for dyna-
mite TO blow The top off TIE mountain.
While the messenger Nss absent the other
three portions OF the rock became detsch
ed and rolled doEn on TO the plain with
the same feaytQl noise aud obstruction
which attended the tall Of The GTst seclion
creating the widest excitement among the
people, who By this time were nearly be
numbed With terror. 0ae Of the hogt
pieces of rock psssed within City yards o
the Sls residence OF Mr.. Thomas Young
snd perched irself upon the summit OF {
coue-shsped mound Eos grea, distanc,
away. Another piece rolled distance o
900 yards aud fell in the creek. Tia
last piece rolled over 900 yardQ There i
I DO further danger, ss the rock apex of tb
mountain is disp-se of in The manner re
lated ahose. The noise cres'ed by thes
;; immense aud rapidly mosiug mass Of rock
is said by tho.e who witnessed the Assh
and heard The SQUAD 80 being periscl
, terrible and a#e-iuspiriDg. No huns
. lives were lost.