The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1910-07-29
EARTH VANISHED
AS IF BY MAGIC

ne bdlleSNllc D"'t - =
prints an interesting story OF one OF
natures strange freaks in Alacl""
county. That paper says
Another sink on Aachua lake. just
across from the chain of sinks Sou'n
of the city, developed some time during
Wednesday night, and as result 'nr
trains over the A. {. l.. were alh9''e"
after the Leeburg-J Jacksonville tfaI'.
which reached here Thursday morning
at o'clock.
1.-The first report that reached the
city was brought by Conductor tI'H-
erick, who wa advised of the trouble
by Section Foreman Thigpen, "'lo
made the discovery early in the morn
ing on his way to the south end OF his
section.
when Mr.. Thigpen first discovered
the new sink it was not more than ten
or fifteen feet in diameter, but it spread
very rapidly during the morning hours
and by the arrival of the Leeburg pass
enger train it had grown 10 about forty
feet, one large chunk of earth follow
ing after another in rapid SUCCESSION
and the ground cracking for space
of several feet around the entire hole.
AT about the noon hour the place
presented rather interesting scene,
for at this time the great loads OF
earth were rolling in at intervals, and
. with them the water would boil and
sizzle as though it was hot iron being
struck in place. The great pool also
resembled the waves of the seas for
during all day il was in motion, some
times being greater than at others, and
up to last night the earth was still fall
ing.
Following the report of Conductor
Frederick, Roadmaster Robinson had
his entire wreckng crew on the JOB,
and it is well that he did. for the ground
had cracked up to the railroad track,
every one thinking it would be only a
short while before this would follow the
same course as the land that proceed
ed it.
"An additional cavein developed
within few feet of the track, sinking
to depth of about ten feet, but Road
master Robinson and his large gang Of
section men, including the roadway
train, had this space well filled at late
hour last night.
He stated that to guard against fur
Their probable loss to property he would
place a man there at all times to keep
a careful lookout and report any new
development that might occur, so there
will be no danger to traffic and trains
be operated just the same as though the
Landslide had not developed.
Reports from the place last night
were to the effect that the hole had
covered distance of l25 feet running
IlOTtH dlu SOulI, WHlle lIOIU tIle east
to west bank the distance is fully 100
feet.
"This sink developed some two humid.
red yards this side of the one that oc-
Cured there some few years since,
when local freight train with many
cars fell to the bottom of the place, but
fortunately, there was no water in this
one, and it was easily filled in, and is
used today the same as the old road
bed.
Just how deep the water in this
new place is, cannot be estimated with
any degree of accuracy, for during the
forenoon large tree that was fully
thirty or more feet tall was in the mid
die of the place, and in the afternoon it
had disappeared, as though nothing but
a bottomless hole was there to receive
anything that came its way.
"There are a number of old sinks in
the vicinity, but the new one, which is
between the road through the hammock
and the railroad track, is larger than
any of the Others"