The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-16
PROF. L.TcCEII'S EcECL:.-
:: ras Eoe, Scared ty va.5a.s.

ago on Mitchcll- Peak to the memory
/ of Prof. Elisha Mitchell who lost hi.
life in the exploration u Black Noun.
tain, has been hrutally dc-a-ra,,~l. ami
the nature of the vandalism shows thc
acts TO have been committed hv tcr-
| sons who desire notorictv nj thee1Ien~.
Of the prophecies accorded hy ciNilizn-
tion 10 the sanctlties IL the grave
\ Cifi-en reporter. who made ascent
ot the Black 10 the peak on SATURDAY.
last. has returned 10 tsheyllle and states
the Disagreement Of the shaft and the
condition Of the grave To hc Of the worst
description.
The fiattcncd surface of the grave ~
Professor Mitchell, within its low wall
of rock ON the highest point II the
range, i but llttle better than trash
heap scattered over the enclosure lie
fragments OF broken bottles, crushed
remnants Of lunch boxes. battered -ar.
dine cans. rocks from the dilnpilaied
wall the litter OF shaving~ from bal~am
canes and refuse cement that nj one
time uuited the metal base If the shaft
with Its rock foundation. but which
now displays a broken and unaghtly
Joint
The names Of Us notoriety. seeker,
are to be seen OH the monument. with
residence lines from Asheville. Statc--
vile, Marion, Wcavervile. Jupiter.
Newbern and tireenville. Tenn. One
large party credited To South Toe river
another space is taken up with a bold
scrawl Of an initial sla,hed with n recent
date. Many Of the autographs are
down without the place or residence.
Some OF the marking has been dug
in the metal monument with the point
Of a sharp instrumen others are pen
ciled some are roughly done in char
c)al or cravon. and still Others had
apparently been engraved with pieces
OF sharp-edgcd rock. No portion Of
the shaft from its base to the apex has
trail OF the serpent is over it all.
There are two ugly spots on the
panel OF the lowest section to the left
OF the space devoted to the inscription
that were evidently caused by bullets
shot against the structure. The depth
Of the indentations, with the peculiar
Scamy cracks that spring from the
OF shot. fired at close range and with
intent to make the scar a lasting and "A
visible one.
A brutal blow, and one that must
have been aimed with the malgnancv
Of a tiend shows on an upper panel
where an axe blade has been driven
clean through the metal and into lhe
hollow Of the shaft. The cut -lant-
horizontally across the panel and at the
lower corner there j. ragged tear II
the metal as if the weapon had been
wrenched to free ii from the Slit
The monument i a shaft about -
feet in height, that was transported
with great labor to it, present site in
sections The sections were -et mp and
bolted together, after which the strlIc-
ture was secured To the rocks hy iron
guy rods. The material Of which the
shaft j. built j. white bronze metal
that gives an appearance Of blocks oi
granite.
Big Tom Wilson. the trapper guide
who aided Prof Mitchell in the surveys
Of the pathless mountain height and
who recovered the corpse Of the explorer
from the pool at the cliffs over which
he had fallen Wa. met i'm the noun
tains by the CHj:ea on SUNDAY. guiding
party from the iancey side to Ashc-
Vile. The diS@raceful condition oi the
shaft that marks the grave Of our Illus
triou- friend was uppcrmo.t III the old
guide mind. and hi, form shook with
anger A. lie denounced the ml-creant-
who had caused the defilemen,. When
allusions were made to the axe and
bullet marks Big Toms ewes blGzed
with indignation and he said
We'll, | certainly believe that the
: man who shot at the monument would
/ shoot at Il man.