The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-04
PILLAR MOUNTAIN.
A Remarkable Freak of Basaltic
Formation in Nevada.

NOiiSeoSh ic'S, ltCdttl Ill IL noun
tain region which is not only striking
ly picturesque, but which contains
many meteorological and geological
curiosities, among them what is local
ly known as Pillar mountain. 1t is
not Il mountain at all, but curious
basaltic mound, rising from a compara-
lively fiat elevated tableland on the
west slope of Mount Davidson, the
towering peak which frowns down
upon Virginia. The mound, which is
oblong i'll shape, and perhaps three
hundred yards in length by fifty in
width, is composed of massive basalt
pillars, which, generally speaking.
stand perpcndicularly on their bases in
compact, symmetrical body. At first
glance it looks ali the world like 4
gigantic bunch of asparagus.
The Giants Causeway in ireland, the
Palisades on the Hudson and Fingal's
Cave on the Island of Staffa, off the
coast of Scotland, are famous for their
basaltic columns. Pillar mountain
possesses the Same geological marvels.
Its pondcrous columns are just as won
dcrful to behold and as striking in the
ineXplicablc popularity of their forma-
ton.
Pillar mountain is only Il few miles
from Virginia, but few Comstockcrs
know of its existence, and fewer still
are acquainted with its strange char
acteristics This is probably due to
the fact that it is out of the way some
what, and Off the lines of travel to
and from Virginia a good road leads
almost to the spot where it's columns
rear their heads, and Il drive Of an
hour will bring the curious to it, The
road by which it is reached leaves Vir-
ginia at the dividc-that quarter of
the city which joins Gold IIill-and
winds southwark along the eastern
slopes of the hills abutting against
Mount Davidson.
The irregular cluster Of mountains
within which the mining camps of Vir-
ginia and Gold Hill are situated Is, COM
posed of foothills of the Sierra Nevada
range, projected ut an angle to the
south and then spreading to the east
On the west and south the cluster is
encircled by curving valley which
divides it from the mother range. The
upper half of this is known as Washoo
valley and the lower as Eagle valley.
On the east the groups separated from
the foothills of the Toyabce range by
the Carson river, which flows eastward
through Eagle valley and winds to the
north along its eastern base. finally
swinging sharply to the east again
when it gets abreast of Virginia. After
the river turns to the east ut the
latter point it crosses the southern
neck of white, fiat, cleaning stretch
of sand known as the Twcntv-Six-
Mile desert, whose shimmcring bosom
extends to the north till it disappears
beyond the northeast extremity of the
cluster. 1t will be seen by the fore
going description that these noun
tains are isolated from their neighbors
on all sides but the north. High in the
heart of them are Virginia and Gold
lllll, the former clinging to the cast
side OF Mount Davidson in n cup-shaped
depression and the latter strung along
the upper end of Gold canyon, which
strikes off from the mountain in n
southeastcrly direction and twists and
turns until it reaches the Carson river.
The road to Pillar mountain passes
under the brow of peak, surmountcd
by Il towcr-lilic mass of stone. The
mural monument on the peak is known
locally rs Suicide rock, and history at
taches TO 1T very tragic episode which
occurred Ill the early days. 1t was in
the Cos or the '70s, perhaps, history is
not exact, that three miners were liv-
ing together in n cabin in Gold canyon.
They had claim among them, so the
story goes, which yietdcd very gener-
| ously of dust, and in time they accumu-
lated considerable of the yellow stuff.
One day they played cards for money,
and in short time one of them had
nearly all of their combined wealth.
Toward the end of the game the other
two discovered that he had been cheat
ing and resented it with an angry pro-
test, whereupon he drew his revolver
from his pocket, ruthlcssly shot them
both, and fled from the cabin. One of
them lived long enough to tell the
tale, and the population turned out en-
massc to search for the murderer.
They guarded all the trails from the
locality and searching parties secured
the hills. He had taken to the noun
tain side and he found his way to Sui
eide rock. From his eyrie on the rock
he could sec the country round, and he
concluded that escape was impossible.
for, on the third day after the murder,
the scarchcrs heard u pistol shot and
saw n ring of blue smoke curl upward
from the rock, and upon Investigating
his hiding place they found his dead
body, with bullet hole in his head.
lie had killed himself rather than be
taken alive, and the tragedy gave tho
rock its name.
The gradual ascent of the road as it
trends to the sonth finally brings it to
n saddlcbacll on the brcastbonc of the