Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-03-04
STONE LAKES LONE FISHERMAN.
A Story Indicating That There May Be
Rock Bass In Those Waters.

Rock Bass IN Those Waters.
1he inhabitants Of that part of Ten
nessee known as the earthquake belt
are considerably exercised over the
gradual sinking Of the lakes formed by
the earthquake Of 1871, say a Memphis
correspondent Of the Atlanta Constitu-
ton. The water level is descending
without any apparent cause, although
the streams that empty into some of
the lakes are not affected. This is TAX
en- as evidence that the soil at the bot
tom Of these sheets Of water is bccom-
ing seamy from seismic action beneath,
thus allowing the water to escape into
unknown basins below,
The effects Of the unexplained phe-
nomenon are most apparent in Stone
lake, beautiful body Of water situated
in Iauderdale county. The lake is
about mile long and half a mile wide
and has an average depth Of twenty
feet, but 80 clear Is it that the smallest
object can be seen on the bottom. A
more inviting place for the angler could
not be found anywhere but, strange 10
say, while the other waters in that re
gion are alive with fish, no living thing
has ever been sefn in Stone lake, and
the people Of the vicinity contend that
the water is certain death 10 any crea-
lure that drinks it, The wild fowl avoid
it, though they swarm in the adjoining
ponds and bayous Another popularity
Of the uncanny water is that anything
cast into it quickly peti1fes; hence the
name it bears. And thereby hangs a
tale, which, incredible though ii may
sound, is, nevertheless, deyouuy beliey-
ed by the simple inhabitants Of the To-
caliy. It goes back to seventy years
ago, when the country was first settled
by emlgrants from North Carolina
Tradition goes that on hot summer
day, after his task was finished, an old
and trusted slave Of one of the pioneers
got leave to go fishing, and taking his
/ tackle and bait, set out for the lake,
which he had remarked as a likely place
for bass Arriving there he walked out
on a log that projected from the bank
and cast his bait. When night came on
/ he had not returned home, and his ab.
/ sence at roll cali was noted The mas
| ter, however. paid but little attention
! to the circumstance, thinking that old
! IsOm had probably gone on a lark tC
some neighboring farm. But whel
! Isom failed to show up next morning old
Capt Bullard became uneasy and Went
] Ia, r. L.
nothing of the missing Slave from the
neighboIs. Then he organized party
and beat the woods to find him Strange
/ to say, he had not remembered giving
I lSOm leave to 90 fishing. Toward sun
down a fox hound with the party struck
trail and followed it to the bank OF
the lake. The hunters went after, and
arriving at the lake, saw Isom sittins
on the log with pole extended and mp
parently fishing, in deep meditation He
proved deaf to the vociferous cabs d
his master. The hound sprang on The
log and ran up to the motionlesS form
shifted at it, and flew back to the banl
bowling with fright Then the old cap
tain dsmounted and charged out on tn,
log, whip in hand, to chastise the tlu
ant He brought his whip down OF
the motionlesS figure with a resoundinl
whack Still ISom sat stiI. The ole
captain caught him by the shoulder III,
grasped not flesh and blood but stone
The fisherman, his line and pole wer,
pehifed The log on which he sat wal
also solid
When the captain and his Followers
had recovered from their fright the!
made their way home and told thei
story. Next day a large party of thu
neighbors went out and found it to b,
true They discovered by droppin,
things into the lake the marvellous effec
Of the water The stone log was one,
a giant hickory. Nuts that hand fallcl
from it were seen petrifed on the bot
tom. 1t was thought that Isom mus
have slipped and fallen into the lax
with his pole, and the water on hi
clothes and tackle took effect when h
regained his perch and began fishing.
The extraordinary figure is still in
tact Among those who have seen
recently are Capt Jack Haynes tn
noted bear hunter, and Maj Joe Ward
low, the county clerk of Lauderdal
county.