Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-31
PHANT0MS OF FIRE.
Remarkable Electric Phenomena at
Undercliff, Out the P. & W.
A BILL SEEMS TO BE CHARGED.
t Robs the Clouds of the lightning and
Terrifies the People.
SCENES DURING THUNDER STORMS

SCENES DURlNG THUNDfR SlCRMS
A hillside extracting lightning from the
sky 10 by no means q common spectacle.
But it is witnessed quite frequently by peo-
pie living jnst short distance from Pitts
burg. 1t has been especially noticeable
during the recent electric storms.
During storms, when the atmosphere and
clouds are charged with electricity, showers
Of FIRE have been seen to issue from the sky
and, descending upon this magic mount,
dancing along the ground like wills-of.
the-Wisp. Then suddenly they sink into
the earth and are gone. The phenomenon
10 of such frequent occurrence that the peo-
pie residing near the mount have ceased to
wonder at it.
"It has never done Us no HARM" said one
old man, ''ani SO we never pay any attention
to 1t no more"
Almost In Sight Of Pittsburx.
About sir miles from Pttsburg, on the
Pittsburg and Western Railroad, is
picturesque little place called UndefcliE
It 10 just beyond the first tunnel Imme-
diately after emerging from the tunnel, the
railroad winds along rocky hillside which
slants down into pretty little valley.
Just above the railroad track is ledge of
jagged rocks, which extend along for some
distance, suggesting the appropriate name
which the place bears--Undercliff
Near the center of this ledge the fiery
phenomena occur. Just opposite the ledge,
across the valley, another hillside rises
with graceful slope, and here live the peo-
pie who can tell thrilling tales of fiery
storm phantoms which they have seen.
An old farmer, Daniel Baldwin, says it is
a very common sight during storms to see
balls of; fire playing about among the uh-
derbrush and among the rocks across tine
valley. He has sat at his window
them fitting about on the hill
side and then disappear mysteriously
into the ground. On one occasion, after an
unusually violent atmospheric commotion,
as many as asdozen or Is freballs were seen
gamboling together. They were OF various
sizes and colors and made very pretty dis
play. .r-
A Danger Signal on the Track.
Lawrence Smith, an ex-engineer of the
Pittsburg and Western Railroad, tells the
following story:
'One stormy night several years ago my
fireman and witnessed an amazing sight
near UndercliE We were hauling heavy
freight from the west and had just rounded
the sharp curve at Glenshaw, when brilli
ant red light suddenly appeared ON the
track ahead of us. I took it for danger
signal and whistled down brakes immedi-
ately. Being on a down grade the brakes
were Of little use and the
train went laundering along the
valley. A. we neared the light we were
surprised to find that it was acting in q very
peculiar manner. It was describing circles
and all kinds Of figures in the air. Then all
of sudden 1t broke up into TWO lights, both
of which fingered in the air for q moment
and then mysteriously united again into .
single light.
''But the most puzzling thing about the
light was its location. It remained al
ways the same distance ahead of us
after We had come within about
40 yards Of it, now bounding
over the ties like rubber ball, now hang
ing suspended in the air, and now sailing
along the track like bird. The mysteri-
just few feet from the tunnel, when it
suddenly disappeared. The strange light
must have followed along in front OF our
engine for half mile or more"
EnguIfsd in Sea OF Fire.
An old farmer Of that region, who is now
dead, used to entertain his children in the
evenings with stories Of the Undercliff fre
balls One day while he was at work in q
field above the cliff heavy storm came up.
The lightning became so frequent and
that he unhitehed the horses
from the pillow and started down the winding T;
road to the valley below. He had
not proceeded far when the storm J
burst upon him with terrific fury. |
The lightning flashes seemed to be continu-
Gus snd the man blinded by the glare I'M
agined he was in the midst of sea of fire. |
Spluttering balls of fire danced around him,
played in the underbrush and went frisking |
about like rockets and roman candles in |
pyrotechnic display. The fire finally all
disappeared leaving the man and horses un- |
touched.
An explanation of the phenomenon given |
by the country people is that the lightning |
is attracted to the place by great mass of |
cannon balls which lie imbedded in the hill
side. Their theory is based upon the report |
that during the civil war the valley at Un-
1erclif was used as testing ground for the
,annons made in Pittsburg toundries.
Attracted by Cannon Balls.
The cannon were stationed on the slope
opposite the ledge and directed toward
.arget located at the base of the hillside.
This, report would have it, and by the way
It has many supporters, that so many
cannon were made and consequently so
many shots fred that the hill is fairly lined
With iron cannon balls The electrical phe-
1omena 10 therefore simply a sequence.
But there 10 another explanation which,
hough not 10 wonderful as the former, is
10 doubt correct 1t is that a vein Of mag
,etic iron ore runs through the hill.
Workmen, Help Your Brothers.
The unfortunate circumstances. in which
many of the locked-ouJ worknen &C Home
'tead are placed, command the sympathy
If all, pecially that OF their fellow work.
men in this country. You can now express
7our sympathy in u practical manner and ut