The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-11-05
"REELFOOT" RE-
suit CATCLYSM
VANDALS MuRDEREDRANkIN
Enlighting Comment on Scene OF
Excitement-Waters of Lake
of Earthquake Origin

"What gave Reelfoot lake its name?"
was question frequently asked, and if
Echo had been around, then Echo
might have answered "What?" as the
most sane answer to be found in books
or heard from the lips of those who
make a speciality of knowing such
things. The most probable answer
thus far furmised is that the solid
ground which was precisely where the
lake is, reeled under foot while the pro-
cess of lake-making was going on there,
for Reelfoot lake is of earthquake orig
in, and the quakes which shook it into
existence occurred during the years
lS11-12.
A popular notion is widely extant
that the whole event was of brief
period; grand shaking up, like that at
San Francisco few years since; but
that is erroneous. There is tradition
that one man was swallowed up or
swallowed down by the small cataclysm
and the question was asked scores of
times last week, "Who was that man?"
He was probably born of some lively
imagination, long after the event that
gave him birth. Certainly if ever there
was such man he must have been
"slow coach, " for two years ought to
have given him time to get off from a
danger-threatened area only about
eighteen miles long and from three
fourths of mile to three miles wide.
Water of the Lake Has interstate Character
1.-THE Mississippi valley is low,
swampy and level" asserts compe-
tent authority, and continues: "Reef-
fool lake, lying in this valley, was
formed during the volcanic convulsions
of 1S11-12, when Reelfoot creek, which
then emptied into the Mississippi, was
damned up and its water spread over
tract of country from three-fourths of
mile to three miles wide and eighteen
miles long, forming the present lake,
which finally forced an outlet through
Obion river"
If those newspaper editors who have
been under the impression that the
Reeho hoot lake outrages occurred in the
mountains of East Tennessee will take
map and glance into the extreme
southwestern portion of Fulton county,
Kentucky, they will find the northern
portion Of Reelfoot lake, and by glanc-
ing down the line few miles into Ten
nessee, between Lake and Obion coun-
ties, they will discover that the water
of the lake has an interstate character.
AS has been shown, it forms a connec-
ton with the Mississippi river, and
who knows but that for this and the
interstate reason, the United States has
very material, direct interest therein?
Indeed, according to Mr.. William NJ.
Hewitt, a Chattanooga bridge contrac-
tor, the said United States have long
exercised, and do now exercise, author
ity and jurisdiction thereover. AS, fol
instance, any bridge built there must
be under United States regulations,
with draw-spans and other govern
mental requirements.
Probably no section of Tennessee is
or ever was so profusely and wonder
fully timbered as was that in the imme
diate vicinity Of Reelfoot lake. Years
ago nearly all of the land environine
the lake belonging to Robert l. Ches
ter and Gen. William Common. They
sold it out in parcels to suit purchasers
most of whom bought on account of The
timber A large per cent. of this was
used for cooperage purposes, and by
ersburg is TO this day one of the leading
lumber markets of West Tennessee.
Fish of ReelfOOI in Many Markets.
How the fishing and hunting interes
grew up after the timber had been il
large measure removed, and t1nally be
came the livelihood resource of IA larg,
population, just as are the fisheries O
the northeast, is well known to many
people who know little in detail there
of. Fish from Reelfoot lake are chosel
and much sought after in the cities o
Tennessee, including Chattanooga; an,
they are sold in several of the larg
northern cities Chicago being posi-
sibly the most important market.
In GEOLOGY of Tennessee" may b
seen the following statement regarding