The Winslow mail., 1898-07-02
FREAK IN GEOLOGY.
Georgia Sand Hills a Puzzle to
Scientists.
Although the Country for Miles
Around Is Fiat and It's Soil
Clay These HIS Are of
Pare Sand.

Pare sand.
One of the most remarkable geolog-
icaI formations that is TO be found any
where il Georgia is located in Dough-
erty county within rife shot OF Albany,
and but short distance east Of Flint
river. The theory of its existence has
for many years becnthe subject Of wide
speculation among the people Of this
section, bot uncertainty as to whether
it was created by nature or built by the
hand OF man still exists to as great an
extent as ever.
The plantation Of James N. Tiff is
directly east of Albany, distance Of
about one mile, and is famous through
out southern Georgia as the Sand hill
or Sand mountain place. It embraces
SOS acres of land, much Of which is eX-
ceediueiv fertile and especially adapt
ed to the cultivation of fruits. There is
a good deal of timber on the place, and
some pines that are Of truly astonish-
ing proportions grow in certain locali-
ties.
The group of steep, white sandhills,
which has made the place celebrated,
covers an area Of about $50 acres and
presents a remarkable and NEST inter-
esting sight to even those persons who
have viewed it many times. 1t IS locat-
ed on Il rich, fat stretch Of farming
country, unbroken by other hill or
ridge Of any description, with broad,
cultivated feds and valuable timbered
lots succeeding each other mile after
mile. Nowhere hereabouts is there a
rise Of ground that deserves to be dig
niGed by being called h;!l except on
The Sand hill place; the country is uni
formly 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 half a; wide. There is not
a hill in the group less than 30 feet high,
while many of them rise TO 4 height of
from rs to 50 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 it sinks from view Immediately on
touching the surface. The hills, how
ever unfertile they may appear, are Gov
cred with luxuriant growth Of wire
grass, 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
on the outside of this group meets the
flat country, walk entirely around the
group Until he reaches the starting
point, and all the while there will have
been on his one side steep, sandy hills,
and on the other an uninterrupted
stretch of fiat country, with soil black
and fertile. 1t seems that these hills
must have been made after the creation
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
this: While the soil all around these
great piles Of sand has a solid clay
foundation, 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 bot white, shifting sand would
be encountered.
Another theory that has often been
employed in an effort to account for the
existence of these remarkable peaks is
that they are diluvial formation, per-
haps thrown up by the action ofa 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 endeav-
ored to induce Mr.. Tiff to make excava-
tions in some of the sandhills 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 a 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 result will be watched
with great deal Of interest by thS
people Of this section.
It has been estimated that these hills
contain, above the level of the surround
ing country, more than 70,O00,000 cubic
feet of white sand.-Chicago Evening
News