The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-10-11
MYSTERIOUS MOUNTAIN LIGHT
Has Baffled Solution of Thousands Of
Observers.

Linville Falls, N. c., Sept vThe
mysterious Brown Mountain light,
which has baf1ed solution by thous-
ands of observers during the past
six years, las been working over
time the past few weeks in an eff
fort to put to shame those who have
confidently asserted that it was moth
ing but a locomotive headlight.
During the days following the
great flood of last July, Agent Gallo
way of the Southern Railway at Nor
canton, was one of a party at Low
ems hotel at Cold Spring, on the turn
pike from here to Morganton, as no
trains were then running on the
Southern from Hickory to Asheville.
During that time the light was seen
almost every night, playing above
Brown Mountain. Not only were no
trains running, but the roads were in
such condition that no automobiles
. could run at night, hardly in the day
time. This fact alone proves con-
clusively, say those who have watched
the light most closely, that it is i'm
possible for any kind of headlight to
have had anything whatever to do
with it.
For some time past the light has
been seen in nightly and continuous
performance, with much greater fire.
quency and over a much wider range
than ever before. 1t is now viewed
with wonder by people from several
points of view, one of the best being
from the famous Jonas Ridge Bald
Ground, four miles .east of this place,
altitude 1880 feet. No one has been
found with the temerity to offer any
explanation, plausible or otherwise,
for these mysterious and brilliant
fireworks in the heavens.
An observation by the writer and
others from high point near Loven's
hotel at Cold Spring on Sunday night,
the oath, revealed better demon
stration by this phenomenon than has
been described before least more
extensive in number of appearances,
duration of some of the illuminations,
variety of manifestations and in the
wide range of the location of the
lights, as we'll as in the nature of the
different appearances of the un-
known marvel.
Beginning at 6.55, Eastern time,
the first flash of light appeared be-
tweent the electric lights of Lenoir
and the northeast emf of Brown
Mountain, and it looked like the flash
of a headlight, either of railway
locomotive or of big touring car.
It lasted only about five seconds,
when it faded out. In few minutes
the ball Sof fire rose above Brown
Mountain for two or three short
flashes and was gone.
After a short interval the most in
teresting and convincing exhibition of
all was given, when from toward
the southwest end of Brown Noun
tain the light rapidly ascended to a
great height, probably is degrees
above all the mountains to be seen
from this point, including the South
Mountains, 80 miles away. Descend
ing, the fiery globe described an arc
and slowly disappeared, this display
lasting for about Is seconds.
The doubters who had maintained
that this mysterious light was moth
ing but headlight gave up at this
point, admitting that Locomotives
nor automobiles don't travel up into
the sky and then down." During the
hour of observation the light made
its appearance ten times, all but one
rising from some point behind Brown
Mountain, here and there, but not in
continuity, but jumping back and
forth along the horizon Of the noun
tain, which could be distinguished in
the clear night.