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KS HOW LIVING Fulton county will I mm tlmt wo crlul r litrnl iitiwn tlinn ' oilier tmprr III till HI Kvmurky I THE HieKMHN COURIER. n -tt A BLUE MARK HERE mrnn tlmt your nub Kerlptlon hm exnlml Konrw promptly if you wnnt tho pnper to rome tnyounftertliln montli ivBftlstng is the Team that Pulls the Commercial Ulagan up the Hill of Success. The Courier has a Spankin' Good Team. Crease thB Rxles of Your Uagon, Old Man, and Let's Hitch Up VOLUME 60 HO. 6 jr.BT TAPr.R IN WESTERN KENTUCKY HICKMAN, FULTON COUNTY, KENTUCKY, THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1908. . WHOLE NO. 2404 ESTABLISHED IH THE TEAR 1830 ifcytye Story of 5l?e Si f Reelfoot lale How the Awful Antics of Nature in 1811 Horrified Early Settlers, and Its Final Consummation, Told by an Eye-Witness 77ie IjAc 45 Appears To-day, the Most Unique of alt Lakes. Remains of a Virgin forest dire or vtstoie. lve miles from Hickman is ly the most interesting body ler in existence. It is intereit- h from a standpoint of origin ; appearance today, lhere ther like it. ' following letter, written in to the Rev. Lorenzo Dow, lly describing the horrible ake of 1811 and the conse- sinking of Reelfoot Lake. the country over for its ity as a fishing and hunting was recently found among letters. As will be sien days it took weeks and es months to receive .a letter Veing mailed. The article especially interesting now, .of the recent decision of the rts of West Tennessee de tain parties, who claimed ; purcnaiea me i-anc, inc ' drain Reelfoot Lake and th soil underneath into The letter is as follows : Brother: I have just re our kind letter, written e or four weeks ago, re- me to giye you a discretion of the late horrible visitation of providence, and the sinking of Reel foot Lake, in this section. "The morning of December IS, 1811, was cloudy and a dense fog prevailed, and towards nightfall the heavens showed signs of distress. On the following morning, the 16th, about J o'clock a. m., we felt the shock of an earthquake, accompani ed by a rumbling noise resembling the distant firing of a cannon, which was followed in a few minutes by the complete saturation of the at mosphere with sulphurous vapor. The moon was shining brilliantly, but the sulphurous vapor caused the earth to be wrapped in absolute darkness. The wailing inhabitants, the stampede of the fowls and beast, the noise of falling timber, the roar ing of the Mississippi, the current of which was retrograded for a few minutes formed a scene too appalling- to conceive of. Then until daylight a number of lighter shocks occurred, one that was more violent and severe than the first one, and the terrot which prevailed. after the first shock was now even worse than before. The people fled hither and yon, supposing that there was less danger at a distance from the river, which was boiling, foaming and rearing terrifllcally. Men, women and children gave up in despair, some praying and others fainting, so great was their fear. "There were lignt shocks each day until January 23, 1812, when one as hard as the first occurred, followed by the same phenomena. From this time until Februray 4 the earth was in continual agitation, visibly waving as a gentle sea. That day a shock, almost as severe as the others, that it was called "the hard shock." The earth was transformed into total darkness and the chickens went back to roost, the cows mooed and the frightened horses pitifully neighed. At first the Mississippi river seemed to recede from its banks, and its wat ers, gathering up like a mountain, leaving for a short period of time many boats which were passing down the river, on the bottom of the river during which time the crews escaped to land in safety. The river rose 10 to IS feet perpendic ularly, expanding, as it were, at the same time the banks were ever flowed with a retrograde current. The river falling immediately, re. ceded within its banks again with such violence that it took with it whole groves of young cottonwood trees and much cattle and stock. "A great many fish were left on the banks, being unable to keep up with the water, and an old canoe, antique in construction, was washed ashore. The river was a mass of floating wrecks cf boats, and it is said that one was wrecked in which there was a lady and six children, all of whom were lost. "In the hard shocks described th,e earth was horrible lacerated the surface was from time to time cov ered over of uneven depths by the sand which issued from the fissures, Tnerc were two the past winter, which were made in great numbers all over the country, some of which closed up immediately after they had vomited forth their sand and water. In many places, how.ver, there was a substance resembling coal thrown up with the sand. It is Impossible to say what the depth of the fissures or irregular breaks were. The fite of New Madrid, Missouri, was settled down at least 15 feet, and not more than half a mile below that town there does not appear to be any alteration of the river, but back from the river a short distance the numerous large ponds or lakes, which covered a greater part of 'the country, were totally dried up. The beds of some of them bulge above their former banks several feet. 'The most remarkable feature of all the entire disturbances which was not generally known for some months afterwards was the discove ry of a huge lake on the Tennessee side of the Mississippi, upward of 35 miles long and from one-half to eight miles in width. This lake was later called Reelfoot Lake. There are places in it the bottom of which has never been found, though many efforts have been made to ascertain the debth of these place. "The lake has communication with the Mississippi river at both ends, and it is conjectured that it will not be many years before the principal part, if not the whole, of the Mississippi will pass that way. In the last year or so an herb, re sembling moss, has literally covered the surface of the lake, and during the winter months wild fowls, such as'i'ucks, geese, cranes, etc., winter 'on the lake and eat this moss as food. Peer and other animals seem to enjoy it. "It is said that where the lake was formed was a vast area of fine timbered lands, and in place only Walnut Log Hotel In Keeping With its Rustic Surroundings. The Only Hostelry on This End of the Lake. the tops cf the trees can be seen. The lake runs north and south, and each end has a neck shape, widening out about the center, or nearer the northern terminus than the center. The water in it does not seem to rise or lower to any marked degree, and the lake is destined to Decome the great hunting and fishing resort of the West. "It is said that where this lake was formed was formerly the In dians' hunting grounds and also where they held their annual war dances ; but since the terrible visita tion of the earthquake it is a rare thing that one ventures in that vicinity. By some method, known only to themselves, they marked a warning on the trees for other In dians to keep. away. "Most of those who fled from the vicinity during the hard shocks have returned, but always become greatly alarmed at the slightest trembling of the earth. We have since their commencement, in 1811, and occas ionally, feel light shocks. Hardly a week passes but we feel one. much more severe than we have felt them for several years before. Since then, however, they are light er than ever, and as the months and years pass the inhabitants are be coming more reconciled to the sur roundings. N "One circumstance worthy of mention is : This section was once subject to severe thunder, but for a long time previous to the first shocks there was no thunder at all and but very little since. 'I have now complied with your request for a description ot the earthquake imperfect, it is true, but just as it occurred to the best of my memory. If you will come out here, you and myself will take a. two or three days' tour of inspection of the county most affected by the earthquakes, and especially of the: lake I have described in the forego ing. Doubtless .it has not a parallel! in history, and in my mind is the wonder of the age. "Respectifully yours, "E. Bryant. "New Madrid, Missouri." If You Don't Object to Saving Money Attend Smith & Amberg's Big Mid-Season Clearing Sale' PRICES CRACKED ON EVERYTHING lent Tax List 1907 v Tom Villon, Jr., City. tarsal July 6t W( (WHITB) non res ..SI 50 Q non res 1 50 tt non res 1 50 non res 1 50 M A 50 H 1 50 WS 1 50 iJH 1 50 , 1 50 9 C non rps 1 50 non res 1 50 1 50 Jeff 1 50 irence 1 50 fm non res .1 50 it John 1 50 w John non res 1 5Q I .... I p PM 1 o nofu res 1 50 pes non res 1 50 0 so i?o thus 1 50 IC 1 50 1 50 WL 1 50 ties 1 50 lines non res 1 50 G 1 50 Faulkner Will 1 50 Faulkner J B 1 50 Gray Arthur non res 5Q Gardner. Bph. SO Qraves J W I 5 Grigsby R G 50 Grissom W E., 1 SO Holland Monroe non res 1 50 Haynes S W non res 1 50 Hale John 1 50 Higgtns Wm 1 50 Holcombe Harry 1 50 Haskins J W non res 1 50 Halfprd J W non res X 50 Harris D D : ,i. , I 50 Ha'vnes Loh -..1 50 Hill W E 1 50 Hart Tom : 1 50 Inman E L non res 1 50 Johnson W T 1 50 Jordan George .l 50 Johnson W M ISO Johnson GW.: ...,...,...( 50 Johnson . v-HQ Johnson W P. 1 50 Jones J G 1 50 Kirby James non res 1 50 Kirk T W non res 1 50 King E L, non res ..,.,... 5Q King D, Q 50 KiHK J W Q 50 Kelly L. M non rc8 , 8 13 Knaeblc J M non res,, 1 50 Lee Harry non res 1 50 McClure H E 1 50 Morris Pleas 1 50 Minch J A non res M...l 50 McMurry James non res 1 50 Mullins G H 1 50 Malone Jerry non res , 26 5.0, Moore EH " SO Mathisfi'E ... 5,0 McCuan H. E , 1 50 Moor.e A 8 1 SO Mooney Counts non res 1 50 Moore J M 1 50 Naylor Eugene non res 1 50 Newton H E 150 Neugent J S ..1 50 Neugent A T 1, 50 Odell L M 50 Overtou J B. non re?,....... 1 50 Qwens W, E ,H 1 50 Parker S B non re , 1 50 Powell W E non res 1 50 Puckett J 1 50 Roper R D non res 1 50 Rudd C T .1 $? Roberts T G 50 Ray John E.?, 50 Red jqe....r.....'.'...'....' 50 lober'ts R .....,.,',... .1 50 RagsdaleW D 150 Robinson A G 2 44 Somers James $0 Salmon Robert.... ..1 50 Scar.ce A. J .,..,.., 50 Shelton Henry non res 5.0 Smith L N. u(tuM" 50 Taylor C non rei..wu...u 1 50 Taylor J H 1 50 Taylor W D 1 50 Taylor A M 50 Thompson Ed 1 50 Turner & Salmon ..,. 1 88 Tuner G R 1 50 Walker G B . , 5Q Webb J H 1 50 n THOMAS TAQQART In the limelight of National Democ racy just now. Cures Chills and Fever. (1. V. Wirt. NuvotfUottliea, Tetnn, tuj.V " II U lUuii liter hud chilli una feve, r tpt threw yearn, tw coulii nut lluj, ythluic thut uuuld lielp,ber llerbluu. 11U wlfo wlU V9vep liuuau without It, urnl yiinliut Mty loo much lor It." 1'rloo BX). Haiti by OuukIII'h Drug More, Inc., uliU Wright G S , l 50 Williams J W 1 50 Woodward H E,ww 1 50 West O D.v...v 1 50 Whito partis 1 50 White B a 1 50 COLORED Anderson Joe non res 1 50 Alge Hays 1 50 Brown Tom ISO Brown Dick w 1 50 Bagsby Bob non rcw,,.; 1 50 Brown Henry,. 1 50 Baalara Sain 1 50 ,,Boyd Jack 1 50 Carter Bonnelt dead 50 No name on tax book M....2 44 Coleman Milton w 1 50 Cox Jim 150 Carr Will 1 50 Cawthen Perry 1 50 Crossland J R 1 50 Clark Nelson .'. 1 50 Doyle John 1 50 Durrett 0 1 50 Enoch Harry 1 50 Forrest Chas 1 50 Freeman Bob 1 50 Franklin J M ...! 50 Ferrell Sam 1 40 Fuqua Albert w 50 George Ed ,.........t. 1 50 Gardner Richard, 1 50 Hall Doc 1 50 Ingram W W w 1 50 Jackson Will 1 50 Jones Ed 50 Jones Dave SO King Jeff 1 50 Lucas A J 1 50,. Lowry Sidney ;.-l SO McGhee Jim ; 1 50 Martin Allen 50- Martin Jack M 2 IS Mosely Prince non res I SO Merriwether Robert.1. 1 Sf Merrlwether Lem m 1 50 McCollum Will 1 S0 Maddox Arthur 1 50. McGhee LonnJe 1 50' McGhee Louis 1 SO Mitchell John non res,... 1 SO- Nailing B B Sr non res 1 50 Nailing B B Jr non res 1 SO Parker Manuel 1 SO Rice Dan 1 50 Shofner Arthur 1 50 Simms Albert non res 1 50 SUphens Silas 1 50 Stephens Roger 1 SO. Smith Mort ..1 50 Smith R S ....l 50 Talley Doc 1 50- Towers Mose non re&..w 1 50- Taylor Ed 1 CO Thomas BeU.M ;, 1 5& Thompson Sam ..1 50 Thorophson Will 1 50 Walker George 1 50 Williams Remus ,.l 50 Williams Henry I 50 Winston Jude 1 50 Wright Wallace ..1 5Q, Williams Elgin ,,,1 50 Winston James .......w,sMS0 Wiley Coleman .&jflT50 Wynn & Martin. 21 25-. 3 1 .1 f3 non res 1 50 lleliu HIUmiu. Keys Christy 1.50 1