Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-19
II anv body advances the theory that the
- n -. ~. .oAaii,.r 20 ihn hill was duo

II any body advances the theory. that the
cracking and settling Of the hill was due
to the heavy rains Of the past twelve
months. have some facts TO submit that
are interesting. Il is $50 yards from the
point at my house where the hill gave way
and the land settled TO high water IL the
river. During the recent freshet when
inundated the water enoroached but little
on my land, not getting nearer than Z5O
wards of the point where the dismemDer-
mcnt Of the hill occurred" go
"Ifp he continued, You will look at
this p1m.treo here within thirty feet Of the
river. YOU will see how untenable Is the
proposition that "A hill, whose apex was $50
feet above the river level, could have been
undermined by water that never got within
99O wards Of its summit" An examination
Of tho tree showed that it had been duly
marked by the engineers OF the United
States coast survey. IL is thirty feet from
the line of low water in the south channel
of the river. II was low tide when the re-
porter examined il, and here again he
noted another of the unexplalnabie phe-
nomena which make tho physical conyul-
sion at the Calling farm so wonderful III
Is this:
LIKE FABTHwORKs.
The river runs at low tide within thirty
For the space Of three hundred yards,
north and south. the intervening space
between the water and the tree is traversed
bv deem assures in a line north and south.
The distance between the assures Is only
few inches. Besides this the fissured space
has been uphcaved TO the height OF SIX feet
for three hundred yards, looking Tor Gil
the world ns though 1t were
temporary earthwork thrown mp IN
hurry. Why it did not extend farther
north is uuaccountable, but II ends
abruptly within the distance indicated
nor going west does 1t approach within
several feet of the river-thus showing
that the channel has luckily not been
affected.
Mr.. Calling had n premonition. that
something would happen ten days before
the upheaval took place. AT the line
where the hill cracked he then noticed
assure a foot wide and of an incalculable
depth. He anticipated, however, only
landslide Of small proportions
CHARACTER OF THE EARTH.
The character Of the earth at the point
where the dismemberment occurred was
such as hardly TO admit Of the percQlauon
Of water, being stiff clay at the surface
and q few feet deeper as hard as IRON ore
although the air since the upheaval seems
TO have softencd H.. Seventy feet from the
surface yellow ochre was found IN abund-
ance and n quality Of Fuller's earth as soft
and free Of grit as kneaded dough. The
water which issued from the earth at this
depth was not tit 10 drink, producing a
most unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Altogether. Mr.. Calling Is much startled
and puzzled by the phcn )mena which are
reported above. lie does not fancy the
idea of going 10 bed at night and waking.
rs he did in this case TO find his property
turning s0mersaults into the neither re.
gions. First he has had the formation OF
q crater. two months ago. Next ne has had
his hIll-sides gently slipping into the low
lands. as in this case. several days ago.
What has the future in store for him?
Mr.. Calling would be glad 10 get lnforma-
tion from those scientists whose foresight
is better than their afterthought.