Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-19
THE GATLING SINK.
MORE ABOUT THE REMARKABLE
PRINCE GEORGE PHENOMENON.
The Scene DESERVED by Dispatch Core
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Facts-A Field
for Scientific Investigation.
Correspondence Of rhO Richmond Dispatcn.l

tCorreepondeDce OF nc fNohiuouu bisf"eo"i
pgrwRsBuRa, July IS. 1889.
There are doubtless seven wise men IN
Prince George county, and II tins be tne
case they can puzzle Their sapient headS
over one of the most remarkable geological
phenomena which have ever been OBJ
served in Virginia. And strange 10 say,
another phenomenon of different nature
Is 10 be noted IN this connection. ana that
is the utter ignorance of nearly every ma
tive concerning great physical CONFUSION.
In a ridc extending over SIX miles. IN the
course Of which he met several intelligent
men, the Dispaioh reporter could not ind
single person ACQUAINTED WIN ths cT VEN;
which are. presently to be described. Poll
tics and crops have evidently left the
average Prince George man no time tor the
consideration Of geology.
Within six miles of Petersburg nature
has been very prolific Of surprises recently;
She has topplcd over big hills, leVelled
sturdy oaks and stalwart pings, created
new springs whence now pure anu 4 p il lli
waters. and has scanned the earth with dcep
fissures a. though they had been cut 10y
mans instruments. Yet never Whisper
of these manifestations reached this city,
where there are plenty OF amateur geOio-
cists who would have roYeAed IN the
scenes which the Disp0foh reporter saw To-
dav. nearly two weeks after the mysterious
forces had subsidized.
PRETTY FARM.
One Of the preiticst farms in Prince
George county is owned by Mr.. W. Il. Cat
ling. who moved there from North Caro-
lima nearly thirty years ago. Mr.. eating,
although a quiet farmer, is a student of
nature and a reader Of books, with keen
penchaut, il may be added for field sports
lie is a man Of medium size, gray whis-
kcrs. bright ewes. and pleasant manners,
and gave the iEynich representative cor
dial greeting as be advanced 10 greet hlm
on ms wel-kcpt lawn. The house Is a
pretty cottage. situated on beautiiui emil
hence NOW sadly curtalled), and looks the
picture Of comfort. 10 commands hne
view of the Appomattox river. which can
b. seen winding its course until II appears
10 be a mere silver thread in the distance.
In fact. the scene Is n charming one, and
Dir. Calling appeared 10 be enjoying as
beauties when the reporter drew up at ms
residence.
"Yes. nature is trying 10 make me and
mine famous" observed the owner of
"Spring Hill, " after all courtesies had been
exchanged, "and If ] don't like IT | can't
help il. i" he added. although 70 was PLAIN
that publicity was the last thing that he
desired. But will give You all the in
formation | possess rs regards the latest
upheavl Of the land on my farm, and then
j shall be glad 10 hear the theories that
will be advanced by scientific men,"
" But what Is your own theory!" asked
the reporter.
~ INTERESTING STUDY.
"WcU.n was the reply, "a gentleman
connected with the Smithsonian Institute
in Washington was here two years ago IN
connection with some Government work,
and made careful examination of that
portion Of my farm which was the scene of
The recent CONFUSION. lie said that II pre-
scented one of the most interesting studies
which be had ever had al opportunity 10
investigate. A large section OF II, he SAID,
had once been the basin OF an inland lake
(this was centuries ago., and this expert
prOfesssed TO find traces Of tho lake III the
earth formations that existed up 70 the
time Of the uphcaval. ] connect tins fact
with the events OF the past two weeks,
other than that find 1t entirely too knOtty
"A problem for me 10 attempt to solve. Now,
you can look for yourself and form your
own Conclusions
LID THE WAY.
Thus saying, Mr.. Calling led the way 10
the front of the house. which faces the
west. IL was about fifty feet from the
front porch. bv gentle ascent, 10 the line
where the hill seemed to have been broken
OF and pressed down To the depth of sew
enty-five feet, and where the forces OF Ia
ture had been mOst gigantic and reckless
in their manifestations. The area OF the
depression was about FIVE hundred yards
in length and two hundred and fifty IN
breadth. a strong WIRE fence extended
along the edge Of the settled land, having
been placed there for the protection
of Mr.. Gathng's stock. Looking west, the
reporter could at once see the resem-
blance Of the scene to that afforded by an
amphitheatre. The wire fence represented
the highest tier of seats, and the land
sloping down resembled the successive
tiers, until the stage itself, the lowest
point, was reached. The stage was once
the basin of the suppOsltitlous inland lake.
but two weeks ago il was fiOurishlng corn
field. Ii is cOrn-feld still, bnt it has
sunk SO far ont of its original place that
no one may tell what 1t Will be III the tu-
tUTe.
LIFT STANDING.
Almost on the brow Of the hill. right at
the line where the depression began, were
two noble oak-trecs. They were almost in
line with each other. Most remarkable OF
all one of them was left standing, the
earth around il being undisturbed. The
other was removed intact. its roots as firm
~ imbedded as ever twenty feet out of
line, and IL Is nov thirty feet lower than 1t
was before. This seems To be one OF the
most unaccOuntable features of the pbe-
nomenon. In the basin beneath, in the
northern end of the corn-feld (Which IS
about two acres in area, lake has sud
denly sprung into existence-as pretty ALT
tie sheet of water as one would wish 10
see in a days journey. 1t is as clear as
crystal and is depth Is about four feet:
East Of this lake was the apex Of the hill
which was 40 remorseh Ssly levelled. From
the side Of the hill that Is left, flow two
springs. one Of them easily sending out SIX
gallons of wafer minute. Both Of these
springs were created by the hand of nature
in a moment, and the tiny streams which
they send forth act Us feeders TO the lake.
Their water is ice-cOld and has slightly
sulphurous taste, mixed with other MN
erals which the reporter could not describe.
STUDDED WITH TTEEs
The whole bill was studded with trcps,
bnft the forces which cracked the hill and
then pscked it down have ruined the
noblest and strongest oaks and the tallest
and sturdhest pines. The crowns of many
which were not feiled now stand no higher
tlnIn .tlrsir roots once did. Others went
crushing 10 the earth-their roots torn mp.
Others still, which had once maintained IL
perfect perfect perpendicularity now bow
Themselves as an old man decrepit with
age Surely there was a Titan at work
down in the bowels of mother earth. The
very small trees and the shrubbeTy look as
if they had been bhghted by some witber-
ing 1Orce.
sIIPP1SG AND SLIDING.
After studying the immense depps-
SION which yaWned before him the
reporter. under the guidance Of Mr.. VII
liam Calling. Jr., managed TO get down
into tho corn-ields after slipping and
sliding down the least perillous portion Of
the hill, although IN order 20 do this he
had 10 make more contOrtiOns than The
inspired ybil. Anon he would 90 down
ia tobogeaning style. and once or twice be
went down IN no style ut all, very much 10
his discomfort. he reached the corn-fold
at last, however, and the first observation
which ne made was the number of rs
sures that abounded on all sides. IL
has been conjectured that the move
mcnt Of the forces which leyelled the hill
was from west 10 east, for this is the d.
rection in which the hill seemed 10 slip
away from its apex. IL this be true. then
the assures IN the corn-held offer an IN
teresting subject for speculation. Their
direction Is from north 10 south. and the
distance between them Is almost uniformly
the saane. These fSSures are apparently
several feet ia depth, and. about six or
eieht inches wide A heavy ram which