The Charlotte Democrat., 1888-12-21
The Mitchell Monument.

american scientists OF middle age Will
remember that Prof. Mitchell lost bis life
on the 27th of June, 1851, while engaged
in measuring the heights of the peaks of
the Black Mountains, in Yanoey county,
N. Q. He had left his party about halt
way up the highest peak, with the inten.
tion of crossing the mountain alone aud
on foot, to visit an old guide with whom,
on former occasion, he had made the
ascent. By some fatal mishap, the par
ticnlars of which must remain forever un.
known, he fell over a precipice into q
deep pool Of water, and (probably rem
dered helpless by the falD was drowned.
His body was found after careful search
lasting ten days. 1t was inferred first at
Asheville, N. c., and from this place was
subsequently, removed to the top of the
highest peak, where it was buried June
l6, 1858, 80. .....-..... .z'......
Since that time, several attempts have
been made to secure the erection OF a
monument to his memory on the spot
where he had been finally laid TO rest, but,
for one cause or another, these plans came
to nothing, and the breaking out of the
war, followed by years of distrscting ex-
citements, caused the matter to be compar-
atively forgotten by the public. Recently,
however, the surviving members of Prof.
Mitcbell's family have become able to re.
we and carry out the project. Affec-
tion has paid the debt Tor which science
and patriotism should have been equally
liable. DR.. Phillips was charged with
the execution of the work, and erected,
during the summer just passed, a plain
ehaft of white bronze at the grave.
This peak, which now bears DR..
MitchelPs name, was first measured by
him in 1914, and found to be 6,7l1 feet
above sea level. A subsequent measure
ment which he made in 1856, gave 600
feet. The United States engineers, in
lse1-s2, reduced this determination to
6,6ss feet II is beyond doubt the high
est point in the United States east OF the
Mississippi River The ascent is best
made from Patton's, on the Swannanoa
River, from which point the distance to
the summit is about twelve miles. Mere
figures of altitude give no conception of
the difficulty of the ascent, and especially
of the transportation of heavy freight.
DR.. Phillips work was really q piece of
engineering by the use of "main strength"
worthy to be ranked with some of the
feats of war times, in the movement of
artillery over impossible" ground.
The monument was cast by the Monu-
mental Bronze Company of Bridgeport,
Conn, in nine sections, with interior bolts
of copper and brass. The total weight is
900 pounds, the weight of the heaviest
piece l40 pounds. AS it now stands, it
presents pyramid, three feet equare at
the base and nine feet high.
GI rFa hu
the works above named, is almost pure
spelter, containing only few tenths of
one per cent Of ingredients other than
zinc. After casting, it is treated with
the sand blast, to impart finely grauu-
lar surface, closely resembling in texture
and color light gray granite. 1t is practi-
cslly weather proof, years of exposure
only darkening somewhat its original hue.
A good deal of trouble was encountered
in securing firm foundation, the rock of
the peak being coarse. and very friable
gneiss Two stones, weighing about
800 pounds, were united for this pur-
pose with Portland cement. The struo-
ture is anchored to these by eight ] inch
copper bolts and four inch zinc bolts,
screwed into the first and third sections
and secured to the stones by metal pour
ings. These anchors extend four inches
into the bed rock. All the bolts are fast
ened from within, so that they do not
show on the outside. Ea.Ezr "tt -u
1t wac hauled by wagon from Black
Mountain station, on the Western North
Carolina Railroad, to point two miles
above Patton's, whence it had to be car
ried on mems shoulders ten miles further.
In this distance the grade for the first
two aud half miles was about 500 feet
per mile, and the average grade through
out was about 800 feet per mile. The
transportation from the railroad to the
top of the peak required thirteen men for
three and a half days, and one boy and
two oxen for one and half days. When
we add that the total expense was $4,000,
we think it will be admitted that the
money was we'll earned. sg5 sl4 as
This monument is believed to be the
highest of the kind in the United States.
The grave of Mrs Helen Hunt Jackson,
near Colorado Springs, is said to be
$500 feet above the tide, but is not
marked by q structure of this kind, and
the lAmss memorial Of stone, at the high
est point OF the Union Pacific Railroad,
with an altitude of s,247 feet, may also
be ruled out OF comparison, as presenting
mo difficulties of transportation or con.
struction, being within few yards of the
railroad. -'#ft $50 @
We must not omit, however, while We
record the successful erection of the
Mitchell monument, to recall the merits
and services of him in whose honor it hat
been raised. At the time of his death
Prof. Mitchell occupied, in the University
of North Carolina, the chair of geology
and mineralogy. He had been aconstan'
contributor to Sillinan's Journal for more
than thirty years, and was we'll knowr
authority in many departments Of science
Born in Washington, Conn, Angus
10, 1898, he was on his mothers side, /,
descendant of John Eliot, the "Apostle T.
the Indians" Graduating from Yale il
1918 "a classmate of Denison Olmsted
afterward his colleague at the Universit!
of North Csrolins), be taught school Of
Long Island and in Connecticut for thre
years, was tutor at Yale College TO
| two years, and finally in 1913, found hi
life work at the University, where h
labored theneeforward. ai 10 i7aTno . Ha
For nearly forty years his beneicen
| and powerful influence was felt in Nortl
Caroiins, especially at the University
Il :