Evening star., 1898-04-21
FREAK Of NATURE.
Celebrated Mountain of Sand TO BE
Investigated for Relics.


From the Atlanta Constitution.
One of the most remarkable geological
formations that is to be found anywhere
in Georgia is located in Doughcrty county
Ca, within rifle shot of Albany and but a
short distance east of Flint river. The
theory of its existence has for many years
been the subject of wide speculation among
the people Of that section. but uncertainty
as to whether it was created by nature oy
built by the hand of man still exists to as
great an extent as ever.
The plantation of Mr.. James NJ. Tiff is
directly east of Albany, a distance of about
one mile, and is famous throughout south
ern Georgia as the Sand Hill or Sand
Mountain place. The group Of steep white
sand hills, which has made the place cele-
brated, covers an area of about $50 acres,
and presents q remarkable and most in.
terestfng sight to even those persons who
have viewed it many times. 1t is located
on rich, fiat stretch of farming country.
unbroken by other hill or ridge of any de-
scription, with broad, cultivated fields and
valuable timbered lots succeeding each
other mile after mile. Nowhere hereabouts
Is there n rise Of ground that deserves to
be digntfied by being called hill except
on the Sand Hill place; the country is uni
formly level for many miles in every di-
rection from Albany.
These sand pee ks are more than hum
dred In number They are grouped in the
shape of an elongated circle just mile IN
length and llf as wide. There is no. a
hill in the group less than thirty feet high.
while many OF them rise to a height of
from seventy-five to eighty feet. The sides
almost without exception, are remarkably
abrupt for such sandy soil. The hardest
rains that ever fall in this section cam
not cause water to run down the slopes,
as 1t sinks from view Immediately on touch
ing the surface. The hills however unfer-
tile they may appear. are covered with a
iuxuriant growth of wiregrass, which serves
to prevent heavy winds from drifting the
sand.
A person may begin at a point where the
bottom of one of the hills bordering or
the outside of this group meets the ia.
country. walk entirely around the group
until he reaches the starting point, and
all the while there will have been on his
side steep, sandy hills and on the
other an interrupted stretch of fiat coun-
try with soil black and fertile. 1t seems
that these hills must have been made after
the creation of the world, and many per-
sons believe that they represent hundreds
of years toll of the mound builders. A
fact that would seem to support that the
ory is this: While the soil all around these
great piles of sand has a solid clay foun-
dation, the hills themselves are nothing
but sand. from summit to base. One of
them might be cut down to a level with
the surrounding country, and no soil bu.
white, Shlfting San1 would De encountered.
Another theory that has often been en-
ployed in an effort to account for .he
existence of these remarkable peaks is that
. they are dilIvial formation, perhaps
thrown up by the action OF a great whirl-
pool at a time when this country was COW
cred with water. The absence of fossil
remains indicative of the presence Of the
sea in past centuries. however, favor the
mound builders theory.
A number of persons have endea yored
to induce Mr.. Tiff to make excavations
in some Of the sand hills for the purpose
of settling. IL possible, the question of
their origin. Mary persons believe there
is little doubt that the hills contain evil
dence that they were built by the bend
of man. 1t Is little remarkable Il at
Mr.. Tiff has never yielded to the Emporium
tiles Of his friends. but he now states that
he has at last decided to make one or
more excavations. The result will be
watched with 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 90 900, 900 cubic feet
of white sand.