Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1913-09-19
RETURNED FROM VACATION.
DR.. Riley Pleased With Magnificent
Scenery Of West Virginia Brings
Souvenir Of a Rock That
ScintilIates.

DIR. Elihu s. Riley, who left here
August on his vacation, returned on
September u. During his trip he
visited Burlington, New Greek, Elk
Garden and Hartmonsville in Mineral
county. w. Va. a I'd Dobbin and Twin
Mountains in Grant county, in the
same State.
DR.. Riley took many trips in the
mountains and scaled = number of
heights in the Alleganies. Most of
the time was spent in and on the
mountains. The Mount Breeze Hotel,
where be lodged in New Greek, is
on the spur Of the Allegauies, with
the New Greek mountains imme-
diately before the sight. The seem
cry there is magnificent.
The hotel is located on the North.
weste rn Pike. and hardly the pass
that carried all the trade to the West
before the days of railroads This
section literally flows with milk and
honey. Hartmonsville 10 immed ate
ly on the summit of the Alleganies 8.
with beautiful views, and within easy
reach of delightful strolls amongst
the curious rocks and ridges of this
mountainous country.
During his vacation, including trips
to post, church, mountain tops and
social visits, DIR. Riley walked 27s
miles, the sum total including in it's
factors some days of ten. twelve and
fifteen miles walks. The last trip
was made to the BLACK Rocks of the
New Greek Mountains. This is a
lofty site, of which the inhabitants
of the eighborhood stand in awe,
and who never wish to be on or near
it when storms are in progress. be-
C luse it is so often struck by light
| ming.
The cliff rocks are exposed and
from immem )rial time the lightning
has thrown its bolts against il and
shivered parts Of il to atoms, and
great fields of boulders have rolled
down the mountain side, covering veg
citation, shrubbery and trees. The
/ trip had to be made under the leader
ship Of guide as there were no
paths to the mountain top. The tour
ist was fortunate in finding this post
filled in the person of Mr.. Charles w.
Thomas, a capable and experienced
mountain climber and farmer of the
| neighborhood.
The way to the summit was rocky,
steep and brary. 1t took, rests in
cluded, two hours aud twenty minutes
to reach the top and one hour and
fifty-three minutes to descend. The
spectacle was magnificent and awe
inspiring from the apex of the noun
tain. Down its side lay vast areas of
splintered rocks that had been bat
tered by the thunderbolts Of heaven,
extending from the crest of the mour =
tain to the timber-line that marked
its farthest limits of destruction.
Clear, shining fragments of rocks
lay near the pinnacle that showed the
recent work of the artillery of the
skies, which has been bombarding
this mountain for untold ages. The
whole crest is crushed and only awaits
some superior stroke to send another
volume of rocks into the arena be-
low. The view from the New Greek
Mountains of the AllegaDies that lay
but few miles dis8nt, was most de-
ightful.
DR.. Riley brought home a piece
of the Black Rocks, nam ID rather out
Of place from the lichens that grow
on them and decay, and gave the sur
face a brown coating. This specimen
was taken to capable, professional
gentleman, who pronounced the rock
as One belonging to the sandstone
species, the particular fragment being
flint. The specimen scintillates
in the sunlight with hundreds of
shining atoms, evidently bright par
ticles of flint.
The authority consulted says that
there are number of places in Vir-
ginia noted for the frequency with
which they are struck by lightning,
but no satisfactory reason for it is
known to the scientific world.