The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-03
MOUNTAIN lake
IS R[CE.D|E|::..|N||.G|:i.
Mysterious Outlets Gradually
Reduce the Area OF
Water.
LATELY STOCKED WITH FISH
They May Have Opened Fisstircs
BY Burrowiilg il, the
Bottom.
LATELY STOCKED WITH FISH
1Ea,,tor,.. corr.spondence.) !

{Editor!l Correspondence
MOUNTAIN LAIlR VA, September q
N,ountnin Lake, tho "Lake George OF
Virginia" so dear to summer tourists
from iii parts OF tho uniteh ota'es, % %
slowly but surely disappearing, ana I'M
,c.s something IS done to hold the waters
&,, ,,,o,r tnsln. II will not be long before
this beautiful little sea OF the mountains mountains
viii be nothing moro picturesque thaa'
hole In the ground. At first 1t was
s,,nposed that the surface OF the lnRe
Mad hecn lowered by the natur1l process
~ ~ cyaporatlon, but the sad truth mas
GRADUALLY forced itself upon the most
optimistic observer that the assures IN
tho underlying rocks through wn'ch INC
snring waters now supplying me 'aAo
formerly disappeared into the bowels OF
The earth and which were mysterlous's
closed about hundred years ago. nave
,,een as rnysterousy reopened, and that
tbe lake Is being gradually drained. III
rainy weather the lake rises 1901 oi
Two. hit as soon as the rains cease the
waters again recede at the rate OF ABOUT
nm inch and half day. IL inc luxe
should finally be emptied ~ "ou'u We
+ nract ica.ble, Of course. to stop tne leahs
With cement and restore the lake 70 lts
former proportions, but many arc asking
why the leakage may not be checked
now. before the waters run ONT. surely
science is equal to the task. and the gooo
offices of science should be called INTO
reuuisition, for the loss OF this lake %
Virginia, even FOR a tl1ns- "ouu oo .
public misfortune.
WITHOUT LIFE.
Until recently there was no living thing
n tho lake. but n few years ago 1t was
generously stocked with fishes. and IL IS
believed that the fishes have ourrowed
in the mud at the bottom and reopenea
the fissures q am not trying to pun)
The history Of Mountain Lake Is largely
n matter Of tradition. although there
IS In the public library of Cincinnati
.he record OF survey made by the
Tinted States government N 1Sl1, IN
which It is stated that the lake began
10 form in 1876. At the time Of the sur
yey there was no lake worthy OF tho
name, SO that In it's present appearance
1t is certainly less than hundred years
old.
Gem of the Alleghnnes.' It is situated
in Giles county, distant eight miles from
pembroke, on the Ne wFaiver division
of the Norfolk and Western Railroad.
from which at is reached by na ascending
road. 1t IS about 1900 feet above inc
level of the sea. and lies at the nase OF
Raid Knob, Nirginia's highest peak, save
ono which stands full 400 feet in Its
boots
A FAMOUS MOUNTAIN.
Dar,, naughty and solemn, no looks
down with stately. dignity on the wave
upon wave Of deep blue mountains when
rise about him-the master That IS the
view fonc OF the fancy writer's nave
not noted. however. that Old Badly Is
H. ,,p,tH n l..
son he is clothed In living green and
wears brown eyed Susans all over his
person, and he is 50 gentle and approach
able-they way to tho top Is not OF heavy
grade-that he permits young men and
maidens to climb upon his back and nis
head and sit down and kick their heels
against his ribs or his neck, and never
resents the familiarity. At some seasons
Badly may be gloomy and peculiar but
he il never naughty. It Is an injustice to
a very amiable mountain, and believe
in being fair, even to a bald headed peak.
Badly Is not only amiable, but he is care
ful. He gives his visitors very high
view of earth. From his crest one can
see the mountains OF Virginia, West Vir-
ginia and even those of North Carolina.
With a system of wireless telegraphy the
bellies Of Mountain Lake might carry
on an interesting filtration with the
bcalux in the. Land"of tho Sky" and the
messages Would be so far above ground
as not to become in ay way entanglcd
in the messages OF commerce below.
am sure that Badly would cheerfully do
his part, In spite of the charges that have
been made against him.
But let US descend to the lake. which
Is the subject OF this SKETCH" hope
however. In spite Of that suggestive ex.
preston. that am not writing an obt.
uary It is still n beauty spot Tho fame,
10
stretch Of dancing. shining water. with q
surface of over two hundred acres an(
average depth OF sixty feet, from tho
linlpid depths Of which. at the water.
edge. low hills aud pin clad peaks rise. a.
they retreat and roll away into some o
tho noblest and most commanding noun
talns OF the Appalachian system"
EVERLASTING HILLS.
1t Is all right about the shining water
hut hasten to reassure my readers tina
While the waters Of the lake nre recedlnl
the surrounding hills are neither retreat
tng nor rolling away This also Is an In
justice, There Is tradition about "skip
ping hills" but the hills Of this sectio
are not OF that family
They stand AZ sentinclS about the lax
and day and night they do their duty ar
never bulge II IS we'll that they {
not, for they are in their way, as a
tractive as the lake itself, and the era
NOES covered rocks at their backs n
objects OF notwithstanding interest Tn,
are quite shapely, in sple of the convr
zion which tore them from their origin
formation and scattered them like pc
bles thrown from Il childs hand: Tn
form castles or forlresses as the fan
may determine and tho Imagination m
occupy itac!i indefinitely with tho CO
vulson, it's origin, It's date and the mol
that II made.
There is plenty of scenery In II