The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-01-08

happy New Year.
BILL ARP.
A MOUNTAIN MYSTERY.
10 tho American Volcano tourtd in North
| Carolinn3
Charleston Nctrs and Cbrier.
The singular phenomenon which re-.
Gently startled the people living near
Elk mountain, in North Carolina, q brief
account of which was published in the
Ne,cs and Courier few days ago, deserves
more attention than is likely to be be.
slowed upon 1t. 1t is indeed but one
link In a chaiu of such occurrences, and
the series undoubtedly presents some
features of sufficient Importance to re-
qure careful investiga at the hands
of scientists, geologists and others quail.
fed to conduct such investigation 10 the
most thorough manner, and thereby to
trace the connection between the differ.
ent phenomena, and, II. possible, to dis.
cover the cause of them all. A review
of some Of these occurrences will interest
every person who lives between the Blue
Ridge and the Atlantic ocean, mt least,
as this numerous class may be fairly SUP.
posed to feel special interest in the
stability Of the plateau upon which they
live and upon which they expect their
children to live after them.
Concerning the most recent disturbance
in the mountains, DR.. j. 8. T. Baird. who
ia evidently an intelligent and careful
observer, and who was himself an audi
| tor of what occurred, says:
Standing on an elevated point on my
| farm, with full and unobstructed view
| OF the entire Elk mountain range, and
happening ct the very moment TO have
my eyes turned in the direction Of the
point in question, 1t afforded m> an ex-
celleDt opportunity to observe the whole
phenomenon. The morning was exceed.
ing'y bright, almost ominously calm. At
point almost due North Of my home,
and seemingly just over the crest Of the
mountain, and at the hour above stated,
there was what seemed to be most
terrific subterranean explosion, followed
by very percepti6le jarripg and trem.
bling of the earth for miles around, and
heavy rnmbliug sound Oh of the deep
intonations of distant thunder, which
came on with increasing volume for sew
eral seconds. The sound proceeded with
rapid undulations in an eaatwardly direc.
tion, following the course of the noun.
bowels of the earth, until IL reached o
point on the horizon of our valley about
46 degrees East from where it started,
when 1t suddenly leaped forth from the
bosom of the mountains, and, lifting
itself above the horizon, pealed out upon
the air like mighty thunderbolt, and
thus it ended as suddenly as IL began.
Mr.. A. e. Hemphill, who was on the top
of the mountain, in the immediate VI.
| cinity of where the frat shock occurred,
says that it seemed to be directly beneath
him and the sensation was as though the
whole mountain was tumbling from It's
foundation, with fearful shaking and
trembling Of the eartn. Mr.. Steve
Monday and Mr. James Edwards, who
we're on the mountain, some two miles
further East, describe the eound and the
| shaking and trembling of the mountain
as most appalling and terrifying, even
putting the leaves on the trees in rapid
and lively motion. Other perspns felt
and heard the shock many miIes away.
The shock was repeated, with the ssne
| characteristics about ennsat IN The even
lug Of the same day. ms .t5 ,t., ,ti )
| These are no ordinary disturbances,
common to mountain ranges; but rather,
SO far as is known, have been confined ON
this and previous occasions to that por-
tiou Of the Blue Ridge which lies Ia the
Southwestern. part of North Carolina,
| aud perhaps In the extreme Northeasterri
corner of Georgia. Very little has been
made public In regard to che disturbances
in Georgia, but there 10 not far from Tai.
lulah falls, In this State, a peak Of the
Blue Ridge known as "Sinkjbg Noun
tain, !" which uame has probably been
bestowed upon it by reason of phenomena
occurring at that point eimiiar to those
80 frequently observed o few miles to the
Northeast In the same range.
The disturbances at Bald mountain
commenced ten or twelve years ago, and
| excited at the time considerable inteEegt
all over the country, ss well as feeliBgs
of profound apprehension In those who
dwelt within the circle OF their mysteri.
ous and threatening manifestations. s..
| It will be remembered that the mani.
festations were of 60 frequent occurrence
and of 60 violent character as to compel
the attention of persons living at die.
lance Of forty or fifty miles from the
mountain itself, while those Who lived
on or near II were go seriously alarmed
that hundreds Of families abandoned
their homes and fed TO other and distant
localities to escape the danger which
threatened them constantly by day and
night. The panic was go general that, at
one time, all the roads leading out Of the
disturbed section were filed with Sfugi-
tives, and they who, for any reason, wcre
compelled 10 remain behind, were reduc.
ed to$a state of snch conftisfon and ter
roP that they gave over ali othsr, pursuits
and devoted thennselves to religious exer-
cises, firmly believing tiiat the end of all
things was at hand. y II In easy 10 ens.le