Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-12-19
ROLLED INTO THE VALLEY.
Massive Bowld ers Desache ed from q Noun
tain Peak by Lightning.

Massive Powders Detached from Noun
tain Peak by Lightning.
A Waco Texas correspondent of the
St. Louis Gtobe-Democrat says: News has
reached this city of very singular cas-.
ualty which occurred at Sugar Loaf
mountain, Csrryell county. In the
beautiful Valley of the Cow House, in
the western part of the county, lie situa-
ted one of those freaks of nature which
are 30 little understood, even by geolo-
gists, known as cone, or sugar loaf,
about three hundred feet high. On its
summit was perched a mass of high rock
about thirty yards square and fully
twelve feet thick. A few years since
this mass of rock was struck by lightning
and separated nicely into four very
nearly equal pieces. Erosion since then
has gradually wore away the supports OF
these immense masses of stone aud on
the night ofthe 9Th one of them became
detached and with fearful velocity rolled
down into the tbickly populated valley.
The rapidly moving mass made such
another noise as was never before
heard in that region of the country, and
was heard many miles away. At day
light On the 9Th many people assembled
to witness the disaster as well as to
determine the cause of the unusual noiFe
of the previous night. Tho detached
part of the rock was found in the center
of Col. Lees farm, nearly mile from
the base of the mountain. In its de-
scent it passed through his yard, tearing
into fragrants the granary, containing
one thousand bushels of wheat. The
grain was of course nearly destroyed. A
bale of cotton lying in the yard was
driven into the ground out OF sight as
the ponder ,us rock passed over 1t. The
mass of rock next passed through the
coward, crushing into an unrecogniza-
Bile mass very fine and valuable Dur
ham bull belonging to Mr.. John Hal-
bour. A sulky-plow in the field near by
was crushed into fragments, and the
pieces buried so deep that nothing was
visible except the point OF the tongue,
which wac protruding from the ground
The assembled and frightened people
after consulting as to what was best to
d. with the remaining three parts of Il.
rock, which remained perched upon the
apex of the mountain, and which might
fall at any moment, determined to send
of for dynamite to blow the top two re-
naming mountain off. While the messen-
gel. was absent the other three portions o.
the rock became detached and rolled
down on to the plain with the same
fearful noise and destruction which at
tended the fall of the first section, Great
ing the widest excitement among the
assembled people who by this time were
nearly benumbed with terror. One OF
the huge pieces of the rock passed with.
in fifty yards of the fine residence OF MIR.
Thomas Young, and perched itself upon
the summit of q cone shaped mound
not q great distance away. Another
piece rolled the distance Of Q thousand
wards and fell into the creek. This last
piece rolled over three hundred yards.
There is no further danger, 6 the rock
apex of the mountain is sntirely tdisposed
of in the manner related above. The
noise created by these immense and rap
idly moving masses Of rock Is said BY