The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-01-29
MADE BY EARTHQUAKE.
QUEER HISTORY OF THE LARGEST
LAKE IN TENNESSEE.

Forty Miles Long and From Threo 10 rlv'
Wide-Dates From 1311-Durins Its
Formation tho Mississippi Han up
stream-A Great Place For sportsmen.
Reelfoot Lake, which lies mostly in.
Obion County, and partly in Lake, is
the largest sheet of water in tho State
it being forty miles in length aud from
three to FIVE in width. 1t is fifteen
miles from Union City, the nearest
railway point. The first view a visitor
obtains of the lake is one OF surpass::
ing beauty. The road circles around
a high bluff; and, suddenly. several
hundred feet below, the lake, in all
its, loneliness, breaks full upon the
vision, its dancing, sparkling waters
away as far as the eye can reach. just
under :. the .lofty, picturesque ellis
nestles the little village Of Wheeling.
The lake, which evokes rapturous
comments from even the most indi6er'
ent observer, was formed in o few
minutes by an earthquake, which, &C.
cording to tho best authorities, CO.
Cured between 2 and 3 o'clock on
Saturday morning, November 16,
1911. There were two terrific shocks
about thirty minutes apart, and many
lighter ones between and after. The
earth rocked violently, deafening
noise like thunder struck terrorto the
car, the atmosphere was heavily laden
with something like smoke and vivid
md ;almost constant flashes of;lightning
Illuminated the surrounding country;
and in less time than it takes to write
| it thousands of acres of land had sunk
far below the level of the mighty Miss.
issippi. The Fathers of Waters rushed
into the sunken country, and the sue
ton was so great that for throo hours
the river ran up stream, and RATS and
boats below the lake were torn from
their moorings and wontwhirling into
the seething, maddening vortex. AS
soon as the newly formed lake was
filled, tho river went majestically on
its usual course, leaving to Tennessee
ono of the finest fishing resorts in the
country, which is annually the Mecca
of thousands of sportsmcn.
Reelfoot Lake is not the only mem
orable freak of the seismic monster Of
1911, for it sunk thousands of acres o.
land in Arkansas and Missouri, ano
formed Open Lake, in Laudcrdalt
County, about twelve milo from Kip
lev. This lake is ten miles long b,
three or four in width, and is also
great resort for hunters and fisher
men. New Madrid, No.. suffered
considerably by the quake, several Q
its score or more of inhabitants beln
killed and its cemetery caved into tn
, Mississippi River and the bodies wer
swept away by the current.
, Reelfoot Lake is known es the hunt
+ ers' and fishers paradise, and deserve
that appellation, which it has born
almost since its formation, eighty-s'
years ago. Around its borders can |
> found bear, deer, turkeys and soul
8 rels, while within its depths abound
n great variety Of fish, including bas
trout, croppies, Dream, perch, pix
: buffalo, drum and catfish. This
a there is fish in the lake known
"alligator gar," which is almost
a voracious rs q shark. It grows to Il
!, length of twelve or thirteen feet, Of
:, - has On immense head, armed wi
"a large, formidable teeth. The loss
several people in tho lake has been {
! tributed to this fish. Several yea
~ ago a young man was bathing in t
" lake, when he suddenly threw up l
- arms and called loudly for help, {
- claiming that something had hi
~ Several Of his companions, who VIZ
~ in a boat, rowed quickly to his assi
al ance, but before they could reach h
"a lie was drawn beneath the surface
10 "a the lake, and the bloody water VIII
Ill he had gone down proved that
r.. spoke truthfully when he cried Il
If he was In the grasp Of some dread
r. monster. His friends believed that
nd was tie victim Of an alligator gar,
.ht there is no other fish in the lake
~ largo or voracious. Nashville (Ten
cd Banner.