Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-24
BY SHOWERS OF STONES.
A Phenomenon Puxzling Mountaineers in
West Virginia


A Hinton, ". Va, special to the New York
Tribune today says: The people living on New
River mountain in this (Summers) county are
much wrought up by phenomenon which has
been witnessed there at intervals for several
months but only recently assumed startling
proportions. In May reports were circulated
of a mysterious rain Of tiny stones, which ap-
parently came out of the ether. At first these
attracted little attention but as time passed
the reports became general In May several
stones fell in a clearing near the cabin of "Cy."
Henly, who lives half way up the north
slope Of the mountain. These were jagged
pieces of sandstone the size of a walnut.
sionally used by the mountaineers, high
above him on the mountain, all
the notice Henly took of the matter was to
curse the persons supposed to have thrown the
stones. One night in June, however, he was
| awakened by sounds on the roof like the falling
of hail As he had little garden patch he was
uneasy as to the effect of the hail. Examina-
ton in the morning developed that the hail
was composed of tiny stones Henly spoke of
this to other mountaineers and it was learned
that stones had fallen at other points on the
mountain. In July clearing almost on top Of
the mountain was visited by desultory rain of
stones, many Of them striking buildings with
loud noise and bounding Off A popularity
OF this shower was the presence of several
pebbles which are rs rare on that mountain as
icicles in August.
The superstition of the mountainous was
aroused, and some strange theories were adj
vanced. The reports grew as they went A
newspaper in a neighboring county recently
printed a story that showers of stones were
constant on the mountains, aud that business
was suspended on account OF the excited con-
ditlon of the populace. The fact is that the
populace consists Of not more than a dozen
families scattered over the mountains, and
there never was any business to suspend. The
most peculiar manifestations occurred on the
farm of Ellison Fosman. a justice of the peace
living on the south slope. Several stones had
fallen here at intervals of q day or so. and
Ed" Meekers, a school teacher of the vicinity,
went to Fosman's to investigate. stone was
heard to fall in the yard, and after some search
Meeksrs found it. 1t was almost sunk beneath
the hard surface of the ground, and
smooth, black and of perfectly oval
shape, and about the size of
robins egg. Meekers said it was warm
when he touched it.. Just as he stopped an
other stone struck him sharp blow in the
small of the back. This stone was scarcely
larger than a lima bean and about the same
shape. although not so regular. A stone about
as large as mans fist and resembling brown
hematite iron ore fell OH the roof of Addison
Butts house, two miles from Fosman's. and,
bounding off, fell into barrel Of water stand
ing at the corner OF the house. 1t siZZled like
hot iron and sent up little cloud of steam.
This stone is undoubtedly of meteoric origin,
as some Of the others may be. but the average
falling stone is an Irregular, jagged bit of sand
| stone, and small clouds of coarse sand accom-
pany some of the stones. Twigs are broken off
trees, shingles split and corn broken down.
Probably bushel Of these stones have fallen.
in all, in the clearinSs. IT, seems probable,
the phenomenon has been general over the
mountain, several tons must have fallen. In
the valley of New River mountain the widest
reports receive credence, and the Rev. John
Austin, a local Baptist exhorter, is using them
with startling effect at nightly revival meetings
in the little log school house.