!>
Is
W
p_ VOL.
XXXVIU, NO. 3
Brown Mountain Light B<
Is Again "Solved"
1? CtoloRiit Says It Is Train Headlights, , ;in
But Mountaineers Have Their j q
Own Explanation ' j jni
I w<
(Rupert Gillett in Winston-Salem;
Journal j
Blowing Rook, Jan. 29.?The'
Brown Mountain light is not t'e
Grown Mountain light.
' . It is the Adams Mountain i gl:t.
. ' 'jf And m? the argument goes merrily1 '
* on, despite the scientific ihyestigU- ( 1
lions of several years ago which were
thought to have sett'ed the matter 'al
entirely But ii is not settled for ,n;
the monntnincer.s some of whom still ; !?t
hold to !. : belief that the pl.enome- 'hi
r.on so ciearly visible over Brown ?"l!<
Mountain ftvm Blowing Rock is a th
supernatural manifestation of weird
portent.
4-u..:*. ?w?.? * - *
J 1.1 liup.- LIICU M'lUUll.lU ?.V# .RAV'lJl ""
the scientific explanation is that the
scientists do not agree among them- hi
selves as to the origin of the light, hil
The U. S. Geological survey, for ex- . co
ample, gives one origin as a result of
of its investigation, and the National v*h
Geographic society attributes the su
light to a wholly different cause. ft'
One old mountaineer told the cor- .
respondent confidently that the light '-e:
is on Adr.ms Mountain and that it pr
comes from the window of a negro's shi
house, which is the only habitation in tip
the vicinity. When he was asked why Pr
the light appeared to move errati- j co
cally, the mountaineer replied that' co
9/J-hc pines swaying in front of the te?'
yhouse produced the optica) illusion of cd
a moving' light. tci
The explanations of the Brown j'in
Mountain light are a? numerous as; mi
th< investigator?, for# no two have'
ever agreed on the same cause. The . in
National Geographic society, for ex- tio
r?mp?e. explains the light a.*- similar
to the Andes light, which is an elec- M<
Itieal spark of great magnitude, like
a spark jumping from "positive to
negative poles. Mountain peaks act
as the poles, hut in the case of the . is
Andes light the spark is silent. j <>vi
Other investigators have attributed E*
the light to sources similar to St. in
Elmo's fire, the light seen at the tops sio
of masts by sailors and so named l?e- bly
cause they believed thai when the
light appears their patron saint, St- Git
Elmo, was protecting them against ?
gtOl'RIS. '"ar
Phosphorous, phosphorescence,' P<?*
will-o'-the-wi.-p. radium emanations. Mo
chemical reaction between hydrogen thr
sulphide and lead oxide, (he lights of
whiskey tlill- on the mountain, and tie;
mirages have been suggested as pos- ton
* fible causes of the light, but all have ?
been discarded for various reasons. on
George Rogers Mansfield, invesfci- hig
gator for the tj- S. Geological survey, ?hn
studied all of these possible causes
and rejected them one after another,
because in each case I ho conditions
were unfavorable; there were no
marshes to produce phosphorous, ^ .
phosphorescence is too weak to be ,J*
seen so far, the sulphur and lead on co1
Br.nvfl Mountain are too far apart to
react on each other, there are not co*
..MAiiivX c*;ilo ..I, f V, o, m/.Kiif;iiit If. r.rn.
dure the light, St. Elmo's fire do- J
ponds upon a solid conductor, the P0-1
Andes light is different from the
Brown Mountain light, radium ore
does not produce such an effect, and '-v-i
mirage is a phenomenon of the day C01
time. ' ve!
The light is variously described? ?/
sometimes red, sometimes yellow,! t,rr
sometime^ bluish, sometimes with a
halo 'around it, and sometimes like y
1 the star of a skyrocket. It appears ^
^ between seven and eight o'clock of ?
evenings, and again about ten o'clock. ^
Of late years it is said to have been
visible much more often than formerly,
hut it is known to have been
seen foT half a century. Jn
Mr. Mansfield, after a careful in- ' '
vestigation of all the suggested causes ?
and after observations covering sew- Ljl(
eral Weeks, hit upon an explanation5
that was as plausible ns it was simple. >,,j
It was this:
Brown Mountain is lower than
Blowing Rock, Lovens, Gingcrcakc scj
Mountain and other points from ?jg
? UinC 0.n l.rkf o-iri Lo coan Ri>\rr\i\11 %
"-"v ' r ?~f ne.
Brown Mountain Beg the Catawba (0
valley, with a number of torvns, all re,
electrically lighted, highways along ^;|
which automobile headlights can be t|?
seen at all hour;, of the night, espe-.jj,
< ally before midnight, and railways ?0j
with powerful locomotive headlights.
The observer at Blowing Rock, for po
example. looks over the top of Brown f,i:
Mountain, which is low enough to al- ag
View his line of sight to strike the plain ;^v
of Catawba valley. What he sees, t},
Hg|:
ATA1
A Non-Partisari Ne"\
BOON!
3WIE'S EVOLUTION BILL I
INTRODUCED IN ASSEMBLY I
The North Carolina Bible League's
ti-evolution bill, prepared by Tam
Bowie, the league's attorney, was
troduced in the legislature last
?ek by Representative Poole. The J
ovisions of the bill are as follows:
t bill to be entitled an act to pro- j
hibit the teaching of atheistic evo- \
lutiou in certain schools and col-|
leges in the state of North Caro-1
Una:
"he general assembly of North :
irolina do enact:
"Section 1. That it shall be un- j
.vful for any pr > cssor. teacher or J
>tructor, to teach in any school, col- 1
re or educational institution within '
e state of North Carolina, receiving 1
from the stater any doctrine or!
eory of evolution, which contra-}
:ts the divine origin of man or of 1
^ universe, as taught in the Holy
ble:
"Provided, however, that nothing
this act shall be construed to pro-!
:>it the teaching in said schools,
lieges or educational institution,
ail useful arts and sciences, proled
the same arc not taught in j
ch a manner as to contradict the
ndamcntal truths of the Holy Bible.
Section 2. That any professor,
tchev or instructor violating the
ovivions of Section 1 of this act
ill) be guilty of a misdemeanor and
or. conviction shall be fined or imispned
in the discretion of the
urt and in the discretion of the
art may be disqualified from .
telling in such schools, colleges or j
Ideational institutions upon such i
ms and conditions and for such a
nc as the court in its discretion
?y order.
"Section 3- Thai this act shall be
force from and after its ratifican."
c
t
DUNTAIN CITY ROAD I
BUTLER'S CHIEF OBJECT
Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 28.?There ^
one chief object for which 1 am
ir here this time," said Jenator E.
Butler, of Mountain City, today,
speaking: of his plans for the ses- p
n of the Tennessee general assem- ?
j t<
'I want a road from Mountain d
y to Eli/.abethton." e
Senator, Butler is working inces- . i
Uly to get this road. This pro- b
sed state highway would connect |j
untain City and E'.izahcthton, two (,
lying eust Tennessee towns and p
nil) triri-pi-Rc m* touch I hvnp pnun- : I'
?Carter, Johnson and Washing- 1
4
Senator Butler is seeking' state aid.
this project through the state J u
hway department and believes j S
I he will get it. - j ;i
V. O. L. BROWN SUCCEEDS | s1
WOOSI-EY AT GREENSBORO ; i
jrcensboro News, Friday : Rev. 0. |jj
Broun, of Cedar Falls, Randolph! ?
iiity, has been appointed . pastor. rj
Bethel and Grace Methodist Epis- jj
>al chnrcht's in the local district to | ^
coed the late Rev. J. E. Woosley, S1
was learned last night. The ap- p
htrnenl was authorized by Bishop e
D. Mouzon yesterday and will te iy
eetive at once;
Vlr. Brown is u young man and reitly
graduated from Emory uni- A
gdty, Atlanta. He has been pastor v
the Cedar Falls church for some h
ic, and will move his family here s
once. Mrs. Brown, who is active- [_
connected in church work is a .\
ightOr of Prof. B. B. Dougherty, p
the Appalachian State Normal !
Vool, Boone. f.
A canal between the Rhone river
1 Marseilles, the dream of south- r
1 Fiance for more than 400 years,
> at last been completed.
i
irefore, is the light of the towns in
s valley, locomotive and automoe
headlights.
In support of this theory, Mr.
insficld said he studied the railway ,,
icdulcs and traced several of the
hts observed directly to locomotive i
!!<1 lights. Others were attributed ^
automobile headlights, and the
ft t,o the flights of the towns in the
tawba valley. He points oyt fur-?
L:r that no one has ever seen the I
own Mour.tain lights when he him- h
f was on the mountain. j ^
But your true mountaineer will j j
t accept this explanation; he hasjj
> own theory, a?*l he will defend it j v
ainst all coiners. Moreover, noj?
o of them agree on the cause of j j
R light. - | j(
UGA
vspaper, Devoted to the I
!, WATAUGA COUNTY. NORTH <
Death Claims I
rr"v "
Above- Ro' ih- Advent Gbrisiiart
hureh, ejected during the yearns pasoral
e of Elder Baldwin. (Below) ?
Uder R. N. Baldwin.
OUR OUT OF TEN IN
U. S. WORK FOR LIVING|
Lest than lour out of every ten!
ersons in the United States in 1925'
ere working for a living, according
a survey made by the National lnustriai
Conference hoard. The othr
;-ix either were living on the reirns
on their investments* or were
eing Supported by others or at pubc
expense. A decline in the number
f gainfully occupied persons in proortion
to total population in the
ir.ited States occurred bef .wee n
910 and 1920, and a further dor
line from 192Q to 1925.
Taking enrollment in schools, cob
>ges and uoiver.-.ities in the United
tates in 1920 as a measure, the
umber of pupils siid students enailed
in the various educational itiLitut.ions
in 19S>5 exceeded that to
e expected on basis of population inrease
by about one and a third vnilon.
This accounts for a large pro- |
ortion of the increased proportion of J
lose not gainfully employed. Imrniration
restriction has resulted in a
- i "-"V.- ; f/T-'- ' t
liift of the ryverage population, re-i
mi uik in a larger proportion of aged
er&ons, and has had similar infl'unee
upon the proportion of gainiul/
occupied adults.
Washington, Jan. 31.?Two more
Lmcriean destroyers have .Jeft Ghing;
fatao in Southern China for Shangai.
They are the Noah and the
tewart. Following the advice of
Iriitcd States Minister MacMurray,
.merman citizens in interior Chi-1
use cities whose safety liad been I
lenaced by movements of Cantonese
orces, have started an evacuation to
lie coast; Admiral C. W. Williams, in
ommand of the Asiatic fleet, today
?ported to the navy department. |
"Not at Home"
"Ah, old fellow,' said a man meet- j
rig a friend in the street, "so you !
mre married at last. Allow me to!
ongratulate you, for I hear you have j
n excellent and accomplished wife." j
"1 have, indeed," was the reply, j
Why, she is perfectly at home in lit-j
rature, at home in music, at. home in!
i t. at home in ciMwwt?
O...V.. * * OUVIt, 3IIC ;
s at home everywhere except?" ;
"Except what?" |
"Except at home."?fcabor.
The tomato is the only new salad;
rgredienl added by modern times.;
?fte Egyptians used onions and gar:e,
Cor.iucius liked cucumbers, the
Persians rised lettuce and radishes
nth a sour wine dressing, and the j
meat Chinese mixed with their sand
mustard, watercress, nasturtium
eaves and hard boiled eggs.
DEM(
Best Interests of Northwes
:AROI.lNA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY
Popular Pastor
Rev. R. N. Baldwin
Dies at Lenoir Hospital
Popular Pastor of Advent Christian
Church Di?d Monday Afternoon;
Burial in Kentucky
CAME TO BOONE YEAR AGO!
| Handsome New Church One of His 1
Great Accomplishments
1
Elder R. X. Baldwin, pastor of the
Boone Advent Christian church, died
I at the Caldwell Hospital, Lenoir,
Monday afternoon at G oVock. following;
an il-ness covering a period
of a little more than two months, .
having been taken to Lenoir two
j weeks ago. Mrs. Baldwin and b. hy
j were with?him when death came. >
Mr. Baldwin came to Boone a lit
I tie move than a year ago fi cm Aujijf&sla,
Cia., find took the pastorate of.
the Boone Advent Christian church, i
since which time he had devoted h's
I best energy to the upbuilding of that
| denomination. Largely through his
efforts the handsome new church
building in the eastern parL of tewn
i wi's completed durincr his naatornt.0.
! e having eyen done much manual
i.bor on the edifice.
Klder Baldwin had spent the major'
pi.rt of his for.y-three years of life
in church work, interspersed sometime
wit!- journalistic endeavor. A
well educated aiul ambitious man, lie
war always one of the lending factors
in civic movements, having been
especially prominent in connection
with the local Chamber of Commerce.
The esteem On which he was
held by ihis organization was evidenced
by a beautiful floral tribute
for his funeral.
Deceased was very prominent in
the Advent church work, having
been secretary of the Piedmont Conference
and chairman of the yfays
a.ud means committee of that body.
Elder Baldwin ha<i made a host
of friends during his brief sojourn in
Boone who are grieved at his death.
The town as a whole arill tlio
pool M' Cor lire loss of his efforts,
along: lines looking to the growth
of the town and the betterment of
the community. ^7
A number of local citizens went to
Lenoir Tuesday, some of whom will
ktfly accompany the remains to
Pinevilie, Kentucky, where interment
is to be made amid the scenes
of his childhood.
Gastonia, Feb. 1.?A dispute that
began here early today whePn three
women stepped from the bus owned
by t'phriam Huffstetler, 50, into that
of Carroll Clemmer, driver for the
Inter-Carol in as Bus company, ended
tonight when Huffsletlev lay dangerously
wounded before the door of
Clemmer's home on the main street'
of Dallas- HufisteJer is held under
$*2,000 bond in a Linoolnton hospital. !
His face is badly lacerated and his
body torn in several places by buck
hoi froru a shoigtin fired by Clemmer.
George Huffstetier, son of the!
bus owner, and J. C. By num. a neighbor-are
held without bond as accessories.
Washington, .Tan. 31.?Computation's
by the government's census < x
uerts indicate that the population of :
continental United States on Juiv l.i
l?2?t wili be 118.028,000. That isj
an ir.creaw of 3 ,492,000 over the;
L^trm&re for July !, 1020 and an
increase of 12,017,'J80 over the fig-',
ure for January 1, 1020, when the
last actual census was taken.
To the destruction of the city of
London by fire in 1666 may be
' traced the present system of five insurance.
The first fire insurance
company was formed at that I'ime.
)CRA'
t North Carolina.
r 3. 1927
WARRING FACTIONS IN CHINA
PREPARE TO DECIDE MASTERY j
I
Peking Jan. 31.?The northern!
and southern governments are pivparing-ior
a supreme struggle to determine
the mastery of ill ChinaEach
has begun aligning: its forces j
i'oi a c ampaign ir? the basin of the ;
Vaiigtse river, with Hankow, in central
China r*s the focal point
Marshal Wu Pei-Fu. considered ,
one of the ablest generals in China,
has been received into the northern
alliance of war lords and with Gen.
K>ueh-Liang. son of the Manchtirian
dictator. Chang Tso-Lin, is expected 1
m> lead .he northerners' advance to-! j
ward Hankow.
\\ Uj whose prestige suffered when !
his forces were thrown back from
ila- kov last August by the Can- j
tonese and he lost much of his do- '
main in Central China, gave assurances
to Chang Tsc-Lin that he had
put down the insubordination in his ;
army, and wa. prepared to take the
field against the southerners.
The men of Shantung province are ;
arming under leadership of their 1
governor. Chang Tsung-Chang, ally i
of the northerners, who is expected!
to lead them in battle.
To meet the great force rolling j
upon them from the north, the Can- |
tonese (nationalists) are concen-;
t rating their forces at Hankow.;
Large numbers of their troov. are on j
the move from Ichang and chew here t
on the Yangtse river,
GROUND HOG SEES SHADOW
AND RETREATS FOR 40 DAYS
Those who depend solely on the
groundhog for the forty days beginning
February 2 were 'Settin' pret- '
ty" Wednesday morning, happy in
the expectation of a season of balmy
weather, for thorn was nary a break
in the clouds hovering over this section
But imagine their chargin
when shortly; before nod p., almost
within the hour, the sun blazed forth
for a few seconds, when, of course
His Hogship saw his shadow and
"" i"? iui iw-ii irin.uu lino cue innermost
rcre sfcs of his habitation, there J'
to be snug: and warm during: the six ,
weeks of stormy weather.
Some who look upon the hoi? as J 1
an pffical weal her bureau will havej'
their faith strengthened if the hi:?- i 1
/.aids ro ne while unbelievers will say |
bppeiicd so." |
ROMINGER NEWS
Uominger, Feb. 1.?-J. B. llicksjj
had about $50 worth of fine liamsi.
stolen from his smokehouse recent- j
!y. Bloodhounds were used in an' .
effort to catch the thieves hut without
success. ,
Mc. Roniinger and son, Charlie, j
and Ben Harman, of this section, are
working: in the mines of Pennsyl-.
vania. |
Rev. Raymond Cornett has been!
conducting: a series of protracted i
meetings at Piney Grove M. E. j
church this week.
Prof. H. A. Hagaman is teaching
a singing school at "Windv Gap" this
week.
Coy Romi tiger, who has beer, working
in the mines in Pennsylvania, is
at his home here a?aih.
Mr. and Mfs. Gilliam and Mrs.
Delia Harmon visited at the home of
Louis Harmon last Sunday night.
Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, Jan.
Si.-?Prediction thai the military
operations of the United States marines
in Nicrfag-ua ultimately will re?
siilt in their opening fire against the
Liberal forces was made in a stale.nonfc~?:ven
to the Associated Press
today by l)r. .Tnr.n Sacasa. 1 on 1 cf
ho Liberal government which has
been set up here. Stating that the
Conservative government of President
Adolfo Diaz, which has been
recognized by the United States,
could not exist- long without support
ui .-iiuurican rorces, i?r. oacaSH tie-p
glared that he had done everything
possible to avoid conflict with the
marine? despite "outrages" against
the Liberals. "In due course.'" he
continued, "the marines will hove to
open lire again: t the Liberals and
ki'l hundreds of Nicaraguan citizens
to support. Diaz as in liil'2."
What is said to be one of the most
sensational "rum ring" trials ever
held in a United States conrt opened
in New York Monday with Judge
Isaac M. Meekins, of North Carolina,
presiding.
A recent investigation- shows that j
the average income of doctors in i
New* York is about $2,000 annually, j
' fwrilwVu: 1 ^
FIVE CENTS A COPY
News of a Week
At Blowing Rock
New City Hall Formally Dedicated;
Officials Recommend Stone as Best
Suited for New School Building
By RUPERT GILLETT
Blowing Rock, Feb. 2.?To the
accompaniment cf the shrieking,
uoleful voice of a fin sirer, that
awoke sleeping mountaineers far up
in the "holier ." the omplct.ion, of
Blowing Rock's new town hrJi was
celebrated Saturday -light with a
dance that drew almost the cr.tlre
population of the town am! goodly
number from Boone and other neighboring
communities. The square
dance, the Virginia reel and othci oM
time steps we/e mingled with mndorn
daric *s. Toe build I g ha a concrete
floored garage on the first
f.oor for tin: fire true!:. On t .e second
floor are the office, of he mayor
and other town officials and a
large room that can be med as an
auditorium or dance hall. Behind
he bui ling on the .ower the fire
.iron, which is connected \v:th the
alarm system. The buifdirlg was to
bo ucci'p:ed late this week, and a
formal dedication was t?? be held
Saturday night.
Two architects and the state suf
i-.-o i
-iai:.iu';:ii in gl'OUaCtS
nrd construction have recommended
* stone school building tor Blowing
ck as more suite.: to the landscape
.ituii brick or tile, the two other material.
being comidiicii for the $35,000
con|i)li(i.-.t-(', school building.
The material has not been decided
upon, however. and meanwhile the
school boil'.' is awaiting the second
v . il of John J. Blair. sL ite building
buperinlender.t. who ir, expected next
week to bring with hint xeviva' model
plan- for the building. v
With ti e first days of spring,
Blowing Rock's side streets, many
nf which are in an almost impassable
condition, w'.'-J be graded and put in
condition for the summer traffic,
Mayor George M. SuddOrtli said Monicy.
Stockholders of the Bank of Blowing
Rock held a second meeting Saturday.
but no statement for publication
was forthcoming after the
meet mg.
Mr. and Mrs; J. II Winkler are
spending a fev days at the home of
m . ur.?u-i.?. \. *
... i . i.nvivi o Jiui CIIU. : ASB6.'illii.
Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Kobison have
eft Blowing Rock after a residence
icre <>i" sevevr.l years and have returned
to their home near Rockville,
Maryland.
A. M. Critcher went last week to
Pmehurst, where Mr$. Critcher has
been visiting her son Cecil (pitcher.
Mrs. Critcher returned Thursday to
Blowing Rock with Mr. Critcher and
Cecil.
L. P. Henkel. of Stave,sville, has
recently made several husih)C*-r. visits
r?> Blowinp; Rock.
TO SECURE AUDIENCE OF
25.000 FOR COOLIDGE
Washington, .Jan. 31.?A move to
obtain a radio audience of more than
25.iW0t000 tlistcners-in,\ for President
Coolidfte's address in commemoration
of Washington before con
gi'css on February 22 was initiated
Lodav by Representative Bloom, Democrat,
of New York. The president's
address will launch formal arrangements
for the Washington bi-centennial
Celebration in 1932.
T))e New York member will attempt
to have civic organizations in
each city obtain a hall where the
radioed address may be heard.
TRIPLETT HAPPENINGS
Triplet!, Feb. !.?There was a
merry deer hunt in this section this
week, as a result of which some of
niir fihwilfi lipvt* K?i?n mlinir vrnr?i_
sdn. The hunt began late Sunday
afternoon and the deer was killed
Moday near Rev. D. M. Tripiett's..
Mr. C- C. Triplett went to West
Virginia last Tuesday on business, lie
return Friday.
Rev. IX M." Wheeler preached an
interesting sermon at Mt. Ephriam
church Sunday.
Mrs. J. A. Hartley, who Has been
ill with typhoid fever, is improving.
Mrs. Newton Greer is visiting her
daughter, Mrs. J. A. Hartley.
Simeon E. Baldwin, noted authority
on international law and twice
governor of Connecticut, died at his
home at Now Haven Sunday. Re was
87 years old.
. Ef? /JwlBfi*y^ :'Ss?B5gfc?'~L'- rPfiPii