Volume 13 , Issue 46

December 1884 - Virginia Hills On Fire

While I was roaming through old newspaper articles of the Richmond Dispatch, I found this interesting article dated December 16, 2884 (image2), that read, "Virginia Hills On Fire." Were the hills really on fire or had a young boy just discovered the warmth of the mineral springs in Highland County, Virginia?

The sub-heading in the article read: "Intense Heat Under the Ground - The Mountains of Highland County a smoldering Mass."

The article goes on to state, "A Louisville special says: Stories which have appeared of late of great underground fires in the mountains near Monterey Courthouse, Highland county, Va., are confirmed. Edward B. Elder, who is in this city on business, is a resident of that portion of Virginia. When asked by a reporter of the Courier-Journal! if he had heard of the strange performance nature was said to be guilty of, he replied:

"It is certainly true and is the most remarkable thing I ever heard of. From present indications I should say that we are likely to have another edition of Mt. Vesuvius in the mountains of Virginia. The phenomenon consists of fires which seem to be raging under the earth, on the top of the peaks in Highland county, and the ground for a considerable distance seems to be a smouldering mass. The first heard of it was a report brought by a boy who claimed to have walked over the place which was on fire. The country around is almost inaccessible, and it is very seldom that any one ventures so far up on the mountains, therefore it was only be accident that the discovery was made."

Discovered By A Boy

"A few days ago the boy, who was in search of some lost sheep, wandered on foot among the hill, until he got several miles from home. All at once he felt the air around him grow warmer and experienced a strange sensation as if some burning substance was beneath him. He was on an elevated plateau, probably a quarter of a mile square, on the top of one of the small mountains. At first he was greatly alarmed and started to run away. His curiosity overcame his fear, however, and he stopped to see if he could find the cause of the unusual warmth. He stooped and placed his hand on the earth and was startled to find that it was so hot as to almost blister his flesh. He did not pursue his researches andy further, but proceeded at once to his home, where he told of the strange occurrence. No faith was put in the narrative, and it was thought by neighbors that the youth was going crazy."

The news finally reached the town of Monterey, and some scientifically-inclined persons determined to investigate. Procuring the boy for a guide, they went to the place and found that all he had stated was true. When they returned they told even a more wonderful story than that told by the boy.

This produced a great sensation throughout the immediate country, and a great many persons were nearly frightened out of their wits. The superstitious were of the belief that the Day of Judgment was close at hand and began to make preparations to respond to the call of the trumpet, which they momentarily expected to wake the silence of the mountains.

As Hot As An Oven

One resident proclaimed, "I lived some distance away, but when the news reached me I determined to satisfy myself. After nearly a day's travel over the rough mountain road, which wound around cliffs at the foot of overhanging rocks, I arrived within a short distance of the region. I here left my horse, and, together with a couple of friends who had accompanied me, proceeded as best I could to the place indicated. I had heard exaggerated stories, and was almost prepared for anything; but I must confess that I was greatly startled. The earth for yards around seemed to be a smoldering heap, and was as hot as an oven. In places a hard crust and formed over the clay and large fissures made by the heat. The air seemed very dense and foggy, and in many places a bluish smoke broke through holes in the earth and spread over the mountaintops. We dug down to the depth of probably three feet and came to a yellowish sort of clay, which was almost as soft as putty. When a shovelful was thrown out on the ground it smoldered like a heap of ashes and a quantity of smoke seemed to rise from it. It was very hot and glowed with a strange brilliancy, which lasted for hours. We tried the experiment of digging down in a number of places, and always with the same results. The deeper we went the more pronounced was the phenomenon, and we found it difficult to stand over the opening."

How long this has been in progress no one knows, and the most learned are baffled for a reason. It looks as if a volcano was at work and ready at any moment to burst an opening through the earth and throw out its volume of smoke and fire. Hundreds of people have visited the place, and all have come away more mystified than ever." -- Chroniciling America   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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