The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-18
MYSTERIOUS NOISES.
Sledgehammer Blows In a Palmer, Mass,
Blacksmith Shop.

PALMER, Fob. Il. Mysterious noises which
were heard in L~ongwil's blacksmith shop
Friday afternoon have aroused the curiosity
Of those who heard them. and no one has yet
been found who can give anything like a rea-
sonable explanation of their cause.
The shop is on South Main street. 1t is a
very large wooden building. set upon brick
posts. and having no cellar. The ground hoor
IL occupied by Lopgwili's blacksmith shop IN
the front, and g.. W. Clnrk's wagon shop In
the rear. The upper ioor IL occupied by D..
b. woodard's carriage storebouse and paint
shop.
Friday afternoon Mr.. Woodland. who has
BEEN i'll, was in Clark's shop. MIR. Claik was
not working, and the men in the blacksmith
shop were also idle. Between the two shops
Is "a store room, which was locked. suddenly
a loud rafting noise was heard. which seemed
10 come from the store room. IL was so un.
usual that Mr.. Woodland and Mr.. Clark started
TO make an investigation, although they are
accustomed To noises of all kinds. and do not
ordinarily, pay any attention TO them. n.
Clark has "A large quantity OF shafts, rims,
and other woodwork stored. Nothing seemed
TO have heen disturbed. They noted carefolly
the posi- ion OF everything In the room and
returned to the wagon shop. In a few min
utes the rafting was repeated. londor than
before. A second examination was made. but
no cause Tor the noise could be discovered.
Nothing in the room had been disturbed, and
the mon made certain that no one was con-
cealed in the room.
u hoiSo WINS SoOh toDtattht ~ nfs Vbk
will came into the shop. He had heard the
noise, and IL was such an unusual sound that
he also wished to know what had made IT,.
III men told him what had happened. and
ths three sat down TO listen.
In a few moments an entirely different
sound was heard. This seemed TO have teen
caused by n heavy blow which had been struck
one Of the stills under the floor OF the store
room. The force OF the blow was SO great that
the only way IL conld have been made by hu.
man agency was by "A heavy blow from n large
sledge. Another examination was made by
the three men. hut nothing was discovered.
The blow was not accompanied by any rat
Ting sound, and the latter sound was not
heard again. j. ;. LOOMS and rxpressmap
Patch dropped in about this time. and were
told OF the strange noises. They were re-
peated at intervals. and were heard as many
as eight or ~ times. The men examined every
part OF the building several times, but could
End no explanation Of the noises.
None of tho men who heard them are be-
levers in the supernatural, but they are all
entirely Mt "a loss 10 give any reasonable ex-
plantation. The space between the ground and
the floor 10 not two feet, and there is no en-
trance through the UNDERMINING. The men
have tried to explain the noises by saying
that they were probably the action OF the
frost. but they agree that they do not see
how they could have been. Even II this would
account for the heavy blows, it would not
explain the rafting.
The noises have not been repeated since.
but IL they are, Ii il probable that the floor
will be raised to geo IL any explanation can
bs found.