The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-28
Smoke From CHIMNEY Rock.


Some excitement YVES created in
Western Maryland ths past week,
writes Baltimore correspondent of
the Philadelphia Times, by reports
that since the earth quake of Angus.
3let volumes of smoke have been seen
issuing from the CreviCes in Chimney
rock, near MecbanistowD, Nd, on the
Blue Ridge range. One paper in Bslti-
more went so far as to stale that a
Maryland volcano had been discov-
cred, which increased the alarm, par
ticuarly in the towns that dot the
sides OF the Blue Ridge in Maryland
and the beautiful Cumberland valley.
Newspaper correspondents made a
trip to Chimney rock, and were aided
in their invest CATION by John d. Mil
Ter, the hotel keeper of Mechanics
town, and who has lived on the noun
tain within eunshot of the mysterious
Chimney rock all his life. Mr.. Miller
declared that while there had not
been any particular disturbance no.
tced further than the general vibra-
tions felt all along the Blue Ridge at
the tms of the Charleston earthquake,
still there had been within the past two
years phenomena in the vicinity of
Chimney rock which could not be
understood, aud had alarmed some of
the mountaineer5 to such an ex cot
that they moved away. The summit
of Chimney rock is very difficult to
reach. 1t is one OF the steepest aud
widest OF the Blue r dye chain. The
SUNNI t is 1900 feet above Mechanics
town, and if Chimney rock should
ever turn into Nesnviue that would
be the last of the charming village in
which 50 many Biltmoreaus now fnd
their summer homa. At the hight of
11C0 feet t.rrace is reached. After
proceeding about fifty yards along
the plateau the progress OF the tourist
is blocked by perpendicular wall of
bare limestone known as table rock.
This wall arises from the plateau fully
$50 feet on esch side like the RAM
parts of a great fortress. 1t is here
that are to be teen the strange freaks
of nature which give rise tn the theory
that down in that mounttin are vast
Internal furnaces straining 10 give
vent to their pent up fires. By
perilous Climbing the top Of
Chimney rock is reached. There
are many curious fissures in the rock.
These a'e Of an unknown depth.
From these assures columns Of
smoke have been seen to rise from
time to time within the last two year..
Landlord Miller and many others have
seen this smoke, and it was plainly
dtfinable from the intense blue smoky
hszs that always ccvers the Blue
Ridge peaks. IL YVES a dense black
smoke, forming strong contrast 10
the blue haze.
Mr.. Miller Gays that when he first
noticed the smoke coming out OF the
mountain, two years ago, it seemed to
start up like jet of high pressure
steam ss thick as The trunk of big
tree. and with a crown like the spread
ing foliFg9 OF pine tee. The news
paper investigators made efforts to
gauge the depths Of the assures, but
without success. Many of them were
partly filled in with timber and huge
stones which had been cast down by
inquisitive visitors, but wherever the
view was unobssructed it was easy to
see that they extended far below the
visible base OF the table rock itself,
and probably hundreds OF feet into
the depths of the mountain. There
had evidently been considerable dig
turbance of rock within recent period.
In some places n asses weighing hun
dreds of tons had split away and
sunk vertically, as if to fill a mighty
chasm existing beneath. The sinking
varied from twelve to forty OF fifty
feet, and the growth of young brush
wood in the crevic,s seemed TO indi-
cate that the changes had been
effected within the last three or four
years. In few spots light penetrated
the assures in a la eral direction fifty
or eighty feet below, and signs OF
burning or blackening on the walls
were distinctly noticeable, Volcano
or no volcano, it is plain that active
geological changes have been at work
on Chimney rock within quite re-
cent period. The attention of geol-
ogists has been called TO Chimney
rock and its queer phenomena, and
since the recent earthquake, which
somewhat enlarged the assures, the
residents of the valley have not been
little agitated over the idea that the
top OF Chimney rcck may prove to be
.,