Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-05-27

E|||l|a|E1 IR|9II
GEOLOGICAL FREAK.
Group OF Georgia sand Hills Thought TO
BE Of Artificial origin.

Group Of Georgia sand Hills Thought TO
BE of Artificial Origin.
The plantation Of Mr. James NJ. Tiff
is directly east Of Albany, a distance OF
about one mile, and is famous through
out southern Georgia as the Sand Hill
or Sand Mountain place. 1t embraces
500 acres of land, much Of which is ex.
ceedingly fertile and especially adapted
TO the cultivation Of fruits. There is a
good deal of timber on the place, and
some pines that are Of truly astonishing
proportions grow in certain localities.
The group Of steep, white sand hills
which has made the place celebrated
covers an area Of about $50 acres and
presents a remarkable and most inter-
esting sight TO even those persons who
have viewed it many times. Ii Is locat-
ed on a rich, fiat stretch Of farming
country, unbroken by other hill or ridge
Of any description, with broad, Guilt
waited fields and valuable timbered lots
succeeding each other mile after mile.
Nowhere hereabout is there a rise Of
ground that deserves to be dignifed by
being called a hill, except on the Sand
Hill place. The country is uniformly
level for many miles in every direction
from Albany.
These sand peaks are more than 100
in number They are grouped in the
shape Of an elongated circle just a mile
In length and halt as wide. There is not
hill in the group less than 30 feet
high, while many Of them rise to a
height of from 70 to 80 feet. The sides,
almost without exception, are remark
ably abrupt for such sandy soil. The
hardest rains that ever fall in this Sec
ton cannot cause water to run down
the slopes, as it sinks from view imme-
dialely on touching the surface The
bills, however unfertile they may APP
pear, are covered with a growth Of wire
grass, which serves to prevent heavy
winds from drifting the sand.
A person may begin at point where
the bottom of one of the hills bordering
on the outside of this group meets the
fat country, walk entirely around the
group until he reaches the starting
point, and all the while there will have
been Oh his one side steep, sandy hills
and on the other an uninterrupted
stretch of fat country, with a soil black
and fertile. 1t seems that these hills
must have been made after the crea=
ton of the world and many persons
believe that they represent hundreds OF
years toll of the mound builders. a
fact that would seem to support that
theory is: While the soil all around
these great piles of sand has a solid
clay foundation the hills themselves are
nothing but sand from the summit TO
base. One of them might be cut down
to a level with the surrounding coun-
try, and no soil but white, shifting sand
would be encountered.
Another theory that has often been
employed in an effort to account for tbs
existence of these remarkable peaks is
that they are diluvial formation, per-
haps thrown up by the action Of a great
whirlpool at a time when this country
was covered with water. The absence
Of fossil remains indicative of the pres
ence Of the sea in past centuries, how
ever, favors the mound builders theory
A number of persons have endeavored
TO induce Mr.. Tiff TO make excavations
in some of the sand hills for the purpose
of settling if possible the question OF
their origin. Many persons believe there
is little doubt that the hills contain
evidence that they were built by the
hand of man. 1t is little remarkable
that Mr.. Tiff has never yielded to the
opportunities of his friends, but he now
states that he has at last decided TO
make one or more excavations. The re-
suit will be watched with a great deal
Of interest by the people Of this section.
1t has been estimated that these hills
contain above the level Of the surround
ing country more than 10000, 900 cubio
feet of white sand.-Atlanta Constitu-
ton.
Short Life Of Big Gun.
II is estimated that one OF the huge
10. 19 or IS inch guns is good for about
100 shots Each shot will use about a
hundredth part of a second in travelling
the barrel from breech to muzzle. Thus
the active life Of 10 inch gun-which
is s3 feet long, weighs 10 tons and uses
500 pounds of powder to hurl its l. Ooo
pound projectile from 10 to IL miles
is lust one second long If this monster
Is fired 100 times, it will use up 20 tons
Of powder, at cost Of eli, 800; shoot
100 l. 900 pound projectiles at a cost OF