The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-08
60: e: s;:ii'*$;''sn 6 .',', TOWN
OF OUR CAROLINA
Johnston Swept Away in
1852 by a Terrific
Hurricane.
WEIRD SCENE AT NIGHT
Years AfterWard a Dim and UnearthIy
GIimmer Reveals to Terrcr
Stricken Negro Spectral
Looking Shapes Afloat
. There.
There.
(By Andrew J. Howell, Jr.)

There once existed on the western
bank of the quiet New River, in south
eastern North Carolina, a town which
met with a strange fate, and, were it
not for the historic proofs of the va
rious circumstances connected with it's
existence, the many traditions regard
ing it would doubtless be met with
fair questions as to their truthful
ness.
This town, Johnston, named in hon
or of Gabriel Johnston, the Governor
of the Province of North Carolina,
was the seat of Onslow county. 1t
was founded by settlers who had been
attracted to the locality by the valua-
| bic resources in turpentine and othe:'
| products. 1t was making rapid pro-
gress in it's growth, when in Septen-
| ber 1852, a terrific hurricane Swept
away all it's houses and the inhabi-
| tantS, with doubtless but one Oh two
exceptions. are said to have perish
| ed. Not a Vestige of Johnston now
remains; and where the larger part
of the town was, is supposed to be
covered by the river.
Quaint traditions as to an immense
! treasure lying undisturbed at the bot
| tom of the river have been held by
| the inhabitants of the section; aud
| the negroes there have found many
| things around the site of the destroy
ed town to fill them with @Lpersti-
| tous awe.
/ The place where the toWl was Sit
uated has been known ever since rs
Town Point Farm" plantation
| whose career has been cheCHeFed by
| widely varying phases of fortune.
One night one of the young negroes
of the place was following, through
a thicket, a path which led for some
distance along the river, and nearly
parallel with it. The night was clear,
and, while the stars which were shin
ing brightly, filed the more open
places with a dull illumination. yet in
the woods, where the o,erhanging
trees shut out all light, the Garn1ess
was rs intense as it well coul1 he.
The man was Whistling very loud
lyi a tune, either for his own amuse-
ment, or to make a show Of bravery
that would repel anything that might,
perchance, molest HIM IN his walk
through the darkness. The woods on
either side of the path were very
thick, and the gloom surrounding him
was most uncomfortable; but, as he
reached an occasional opening, he
found consolation in the thought THAI.
in a short while, he would be out
into the brighter and more invitn:;
field.
AS he pursued his way, the path
suddenly made bend, which brought
him very near the river, and to d
point at which he could see distinctly
the dim outlines of the trees on the
other shore, and observe the ripping
of the water as the reflection of the
stars played upon it's surface. He
slackened his pace in walking past the
opening; and as he still looked to-
ward the river, his eyes fell upon
something which utterly appalled, him.
There, not very far distant, was
dimply seen something moving slow
ly and noiselessly on the water whose
form he could not, despite his best
endeavors, distinguish; for, as he
watched, it changed its position sew
cral times, and assumed such curious
shapes that he was filled with open
eyed amaZement. Then, there fol-
lowed another, and another, object
very similar to the first.
He stopped, too much overcome
with surprise and fright 10 know
what to do. What could the weird
appearances be? AS he boldly en-
deavored to regain his composure, and
to exercise his reason ht solving the
mystery which confrCntei him. the
thought suddenly flashed upon him,
With t,lrifying effect. hat he was
beholding the spirits of some of the
inhabitants of "Ole Town, moving
about upon the surface of the water
which had so cruelty drowned them.
He had the confirmation of his own
eyes to the many uncanny tales that
he had so often heard in the neigh
borhood as to the supernatural sights
to be seen around the spot where the
old town was forced into it's watery
grave many years before! Horrible
spectacle!
lie stood transfixed with fear not
knowing which way to move nor
what to do.
All at once, there appeared around
point projecting out into the river
lurid light, which filed the water
and shore about it with fantastic
shapes, and revealed the moving OBJ
jects to his eyes too plainly as human
forms, with faces of such startling
hue, and appearance so strange and
weird, that the indecison which had
before held him to the spot was com
pletely broken and he started up -he
path in a run into which he threw all
his powers of locomoti0n. His every
nerve was strained to the utmost in
his endeavor to move as fast Us pes
sible. AS he ran. his fancy pictured
to him the forms of the strang OBJ
iects he had just seen on the river,
following him with quick but noise-
~, CooopJ