Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-11-17

Since then, however, they are nghter
than ever, and as the months and years
pass the inhabitants are becoming more
and more reconciled to the surround
ings.
"One circumstance worthy Of men
ton is: This section was once sub
ject to severe thunder but for a long
time previous to the first shock there
was no thunder at all and but very
little since.
II have now complied with your re-
quest for a description of the earth
quake-imperfect, 1t is true, but just
as it occurred to the best Of my men,
and myself will take a two or three
days tour of inspection Of the country
most affected by the earthquakes, and
especially of the lake l have described
in the foregoing history, which in my
mind is the wonder Of the age.
Respectfully yours.
"E. Bryan.
New Madrid, Mo-"
In the case of Webster VS.. Harris,
growing out of the Reelfoot Lake con-
troversy, Judge McAllister of the su-
preme court, delivering the opinion of
the court, quoted from an opinion of
Judge w. H. Swiggart, giving the
origin, history and description of Reel
foot Lake. the opinion shows that the
lake is in Obion and Lake counties,
with 1000 acres or more, in Kentucky.
II covers $4,000 or 10000 acres of sub
merged land. not including the arms
or pockets, which cover several hun
dred more. 1t is Is or 20 miles long
and from two to seven miles wide.
Several islands cover about $500 acres.
The outlets of the lake are at its
southern end consisting of sloughs and
bayous. These carry its waters south
into and through other smaller basins
or lakes and through other sloughs or
bayous into Obion river, about fifteen
miles from the main body Of the lake,
and thence to the Mississippi river.
The small streams called "Reelfoot
River and Bayou De Chem" passed
through the territory now composing
the basin of the lake. 1t was on the
banks of Bayou De Chem that Captain
Rankin was recently killed by night
riders These streams come together
at a point now in the lake towards its
eastern and southern shore, three
quarters of a mile from its eastern
banks, at the village of Samberg,
where the state troops are now in
camp. and which is said to be the CEN
ter of the disturbed district. Bayou De
Chem. where the tragedy was enacted,
enters the lake near its extreme north
eastern corner and bears to the south
west and then back across the lake to-
wards it's eastern side, where it emp
ties into Reelfoot river, which enters
the lake on it's eastern shore. The
channels of these streams are still
traceable through the waters Of the
lake. Bayou De Chem Is thought to
be IL or Is miles in the lake.
There are many logs, trees and
stumps in the lake, dead cypress main
ly. The lake is subject to Mississippi
river overflowS.
The lake extends along the entire
eastern boundary line Of Lake coun-
ty, the eastern banks, according to the
government maps, forming the Lake
and Obion county lines, though other
maps place the great body of water
partly in both counties. 1t extends
north and south from the Dyer county
line up and into the Kentucky line.
While it seems indisputable that the
lake was formed by the earthquake of
nor details as to the phenomena. DR..
J. NJ. Stafford. in his Geology of Ten
nessee," says: This lake had no ex-
istence previous to the shakes of
1S11-12 It's origin appears to have
been due to the filling up Of the old
channel of Reelfoot creek during the
commissions of that period.
This damned up the water that be-
fore ran without obstruction into the
Mississippi, until it overfowed a large
area. and formed the lake as we now
find it. The waste water Of the lake
now escapes southwark into Obion riv-
er, with a fall Of at least 40 feet. In
it's course it passes through several
smaller lakes. The northern end OF
the lake projects a short distance into
Kentucky. Its length is about eighteen
miles It's width varies from three
fourths of mile to three miles.
THE violent earthquake that de-
stroyed in March, 1912, the city of Car
aceas, in South America. appears to
have had some connection with the
shocks felt at the same time in the val
ley Of the Mississippi"
Judge Joseph Guild gives a charac-
teristic account Of the earthquakes of
1S1l-12 in his "Old Times in Tennes-
see." now out of print. In this inter-
esting volume he says:
The earthquakes of 1911 commenced
on the 10th Of December, at half-past
two o'clock in the morning. and were
felt at intervals up to 1919, and as
late as July 1922. For two or three
months the shocks were frequent, al
most every day. Then they gradually
decreased in frequency and took place
at longer intervals, which continued to
lengthen until they finally ceased.
The water in the Mississippi near
New Madrid rose in a few minutes ~
or IA feet, and then fell like a tide
Some lakes were elevated as the bot
tom raised above the common surface
Of the earth in the neighbOrhood, and
still remain so. The country near New
Madrid was everywhere broken up in
burrows six or eight feet wide and as
many deep"
An historian gives what purportS to
be the evidence of an eyewitness to
the formation of the lakes as follows:
"Col Walker Of Missouri, who, in
company with an Indian, came over
the Mississippi river into Tennessee
for the purpose Of hunting on what was
then called Reelfoot creek. in Decem-
Der. 1911, stated that while there hunt
ing the earth began TO shake.
Becoming much alarmed he and the