The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-02-15
A Remarkable Case.

Ohbil 'CthJlN butTt 5LOOu Ou LUG
farm of l. s. Fowler of Wiliamstown,
Mass, an elm tree that had been IA
nous many years on account of it's I'M
usual size. The tree stood not far
from Mr.. Fowler's house and was con.
sidered one of the handsomest speci-
mems of its class in Berkshire county.
Reports of its immense size reached
other places aud many had travelled
long distances to view the tree. Twenty
or more years ago the late Professo
Albert Hopkins of Williams College
took measurements which showed the
first limb TO be 105 feet from the
giound. The trunk was very straight
and shapely and measured twenty-fOur
feet in circumference at the base. The
top was broad and graceful, and it will
be easily understood that the old elm
was conspicuous Landmark and
highly-prized feature of the owners
premises.
On the fourth of August last during a
terrific thunder storm, the tree was
struck by lightning, as was supposed.
1t was heavy shock and large pieces
of bark were stripped off and hurled
many rods away. The ground was also
torn up at the foot of the tree and one
limb two feet in diameter was brought
down. This was not considered such
a remarkable occurrence, but what
aroused the curiosity of Mr.. Fowler and
his neighbors was the fact that the
tree was set on fire and continued to
burn day after day. There was no
fame to be seen, but smoke arose con-
stantly from the top, as If coming out
of q tall smOkeslack. 1t was supposed
the tree was hollow and that the fire
was kept alive by punk inside its gigan-
tic body. During the latter part of
August the tree was struck a second
time, but this bolt made nc change in
its condition. 1t continued to shoulder
as before, no faster, no slower. 1t was
considered wonderful thing for the
tree to hang fire go long, the place OF
the fire being fully exposed TO every
storm, but it was supposed the fire had
found Judgment in decayed interior
and was gradually reducing the tree to
charcoal. The weeks went on with nc
cessation of the phenomenon and fin.
ally the top of the tree began 10 disap.
pear. The strange burning had con.
tinued so long that interest in it had
considerably subsidized, but election
night, shortly after MIR. Fowler re.
turned from the village, there was new
development. Suddenly and without
warning a great pillar of flame shot
upward from the tree twenty-five fee
| in the air. The roar was like that of 6
waterfall and the illumination was suct
that one might have read newspaper
twenty rods away. Several of Mr.
Fowler's neiehbors fastened to hi
place, supposing one OF his building
to be on fire.
This outbreak awakened fresh inter
est in the strange occurrence and lee
to the discovery of what is doubles
the secret of the protrac'ed burning
About ten days ago Mr.. Fowler mad
an examination of the trunk, which
had been reduced till it was then no
over thirty.five or forty feet high, an,
through an aperture he discovered
mass of substance resembling moltel
metal, which Was slowly burning il
way down through the tree. The fol
lowing day MIR. Fowler, assisted b.
George W. Smith and l.. W. Burdec
of WILLIAMSBURG, cut O hole througl
the tree trunk and removed quantit
of the material, which is of a ligb
brown color and about the weight O
stone. The substance has a greas
feeling and the taste is said to resembl
that of potash A sample was sent t
Williams College for examination, an
last week Mr.. Fowler brought piec
to North Adams, which may be seen 8
the II anScript office.
Mr.. Fowler and others, who knee
the circumstances, have no doubt tha
the tree was struck by meteor, an
such seems to be the most reasonabl
explanation of this phenomenal case
The substance taken out cannot be an
part of the tree converted into sue
form by fire, and it is therefore reason
able TO believe that meteor lodge
among the limbs or in decayed spot {
the top OF the tree and has slowly cate
its way downward. The tree coul
not have been badly decayed or its d.
struction would have been much MOI
rapid. The burning was continuOr
for more than three months, and it
not known that the fire is yet extinct,
Bennington Banner,