Gorilla on Droop Mountain
Thurs. December 30, 1920;
The Pocahontas Times; Calvin W. Price, Editor
The following narrative comes to the News from the borders of Pocahontas County.
______________________________
Gorilla on Droop Mountain
At the extreme eastern summit of Droop Mountain, where it begins to droop toward the Greenbrier River, is a wild and almost impenetrable jungle covered with boulders, so large and so arranged as to resemble the houses and streets in a town, hence its name – “Bear Town” – long since given it by hunters.
For natural scenery, it is doubtful whether there is another place in the state that will surpass it. From its eastern prow you can trace the meanderings of the Greenbrier for at least one half of its length and on a clear day you can see the top of Spruce Knob in Pendleton County and also Keeney’s Knob in Summers County. From this point you can see the main chain of the Alleghenies for miles and miles. Looking southward, the beautiful Greenbrier Valley spreads out before you to beyond Lewisburg, and to the northeast you can view the entire Little Levels of Pocahontas, one of the garden spots of West Virginia.
Bear Town is often visited in summer by picnic parties, because of the fact that there is still plenty of ice to be found among the rocks as late as the middle of August, and in the fall and winter, it is a great local center for fox hunters, being the natural habitation of both fox and wildcat.
We understand that about two weeks ago while Robert Cochran and Joe Hollandsworth, two of the veteran fox hunters of that section, were indulging in their favorite sport in Bear Town, their pack held something in abeyance in the thickest part of the jungle. Nothing daunted, the hunters rushed forward with all possible speed to the scene of action, but to their great astonishment, instead of a fox they saw a large animal somewhat resembling a man in appearance, except that it was covered with brown or yellowish hair, standing in excess of six feet in height, with its back to a large rock.
The dogs were attempting to close in (what were left of them) when the animal – gorilla, ape, wild man or whatever it was – would grab them and either crush the life out of them or dash them to the ground with such force as to kill them. The hunters were undecided whether to shoot or not when the beast saw them and made for them.
Cochran and Hollandsworth turned and fled with all possible speed with the animal close upon their heels, its progress being impeded by the dogs. This permitted them to clear the thicket and get away.
“Daddy” Wilfong says that when they reached his house, they were pale, excited and almost exhausted. They related their experience, declaring the animal was a gorilla, but absolutely refused to return for further investigation.
H. C. Rapp, postmaster at Julia, made a desperate effort to organize a company of men to surround Bear Town and capture the animal for the benefit of science, but in spite of all his efforts, he failed to get enough volunteers for the expedition. Cochran and Hollingsworth lost six out of eight of their fine pack of hunting hounds.
Contributor: Malcolm Hill (49662580)
SO-John Cochran (1806-1900) and Sarah "Sally" Smith Cochran (1823-1880)
HO-Emma Frances Miller (1868-1930)
Thurs. December 30, 1920;
The Pocahontas Times; Calvin W. Price, Editor
The following narrative comes to the News from the borders of Pocahontas County.
______________________________
Gorilla on Droop Mountain
At the extreme eastern summit of Droop Mountain, where it begins to droop toward the Greenbrier River, is a wild and almost impenetrable jungle covered with boulders, so large and so arranged as to resemble the houses and streets in a town, hence its name – “Bear Town” – long since given it by hunters.
For natural scenery, it is doubtful whether there is another place in the state that will surpass it. From its eastern prow you can trace the meanderings of the Greenbrier for at least one half of its length and on a clear day you can see the top of Spruce Knob in Pendleton County and also Keeney’s Knob in Summers County. From this point you can see the main chain of the Alleghenies for miles and miles. Looking southward, the beautiful Greenbrier Valley spreads out before you to beyond Lewisburg, and to the northeast you can view the entire Little Levels of Pocahontas, one of the garden spots of West Virginia.
Bear Town is often visited in summer by picnic parties, because of the fact that there is still plenty of ice to be found among the rocks as late as the middle of August, and in the fall and winter, it is a great local center for fox hunters, being the natural habitation of both fox and wildcat.
We understand that about two weeks ago while Robert Cochran and Joe Hollandsworth, two of the veteran fox hunters of that section, were indulging in their favorite sport in Bear Town, their pack held something in abeyance in the thickest part of the jungle. Nothing daunted, the hunters rushed forward with all possible speed to the scene of action, but to their great astonishment, instead of a fox they saw a large animal somewhat resembling a man in appearance, except that it was covered with brown or yellowish hair, standing in excess of six feet in height, with its back to a large rock.
The dogs were attempting to close in (what were left of them) when the animal – gorilla, ape, wild man or whatever it was – would grab them and either crush the life out of them or dash them to the ground with such force as to kill them. The hunters were undecided whether to shoot or not when the beast saw them and made for them.
Cochran and Hollandsworth turned and fled with all possible speed with the animal close upon their heels, its progress being impeded by the dogs. This permitted them to clear the thicket and get away.
“Daddy” Wilfong says that when they reached his house, they were pale, excited and almost exhausted. They related their experience, declaring the animal was a gorilla, but absolutely refused to return for further investigation.
H. C. Rapp, postmaster at Julia, made a desperate effort to organize a company of men to surround Bear Town and capture the animal for the benefit of science, but in spite of all his efforts, he failed to get enough volunteers for the expedition. Cochran and Hollingsworth lost six out of eight of their fine pack of hunting hounds.
Contributor: Malcolm Hill (49662580)
SO-John Cochran (1806-1900) and Sarah "Sally" Smith Cochran (1823-1880)
HO-Emma Frances Miller (1868-1930)
Gorilla on Droop Mountain
Thurs. December 30, 1920;
The Pocahontas Times; Calvin W. Price, Editor
The following narrative comes to the News from the borders of Pocahontas County.
______________________________
Gorilla on Droop Mountain
At the extreme eastern summit of Droop Mountain, where it begins to droop toward the Greenbrier River, is a wild and almost impenetrable jungle covered with boulders, so large and so arranged as to resemble the houses and streets in a town, hence its name – “Bear Town” – long since given it by hunters.
For natural scenery, it is doubtful whether there is another place in the state that will surpass it. From its eastern prow you can trace the meanderings of the Greenbrier for at least one half of its length and on a clear day you can see the top of Spruce Knob in Pendleton County and also Keeney’s Knob in Summers County. From this point you can see the main chain of the Alleghenies for miles and miles. Looking southward, the beautiful Greenbrier Valley spreads out before you to beyond Lewisburg, and to the northeast you can view the entire Little Levels of Pocahontas, one of the garden spots of West Virginia.
Bear Town is often visited in summer by picnic parties, because of the fact that there is still plenty of ice to be found among the rocks as late as the middle of August, and in the fall and winter, it is a great local center for fox hunters, being the natural habitation of both fox and wildcat.
We understand that about two weeks ago while Robert Cochran and Joe Hollandsworth, two of the veteran fox hunters of that section, were indulging in their favorite sport in Bear Town, their pack held something in abeyance in the thickest part of the jungle. Nothing daunted, the hunters rushed forward with all possible speed to the scene of action, but to their great astonishment, instead of a fox they saw a large animal somewhat resembling a man in appearance, except that it was covered with brown or yellowish hair, standing in excess of six feet in height, with its back to a large rock.
The dogs were attempting to close in (what were left of them) when the animal – gorilla, ape, wild man or whatever it was – would grab them and either crush the life out of them or dash them to the ground with such force as to kill them. The hunters were undecided whether to shoot or not when the beast saw them and made for them.
Cochran and Hollandsworth turned and fled with all possible speed with the animal close upon their heels, its progress being impeded by the dogs. This permitted them to clear the thicket and get away.
“Daddy” Wilfong says that when they reached his house, they were pale, excited and almost exhausted. They related their experience, declaring the animal was a gorilla, but absolutely refused to return for further investigation.
H. C. Rapp, postmaster at Julia, made a desperate effort to organize a company of men to surround Bear Town and capture the animal for the benefit of science, but in spite of all his efforts, he failed to get enough volunteers for the expedition. Cochran and Hollingsworth lost six out of eight of their fine pack of hunting hounds.
Contributor: Malcolm Hill (49662580)
SO-John Cochran (1806-1900) and Sarah "Sally" Smith Cochran (1823-1880)
HO-Emma Frances Miller (1868-1930)
Thurs. December 30, 1920;
The Pocahontas Times; Calvin W. Price, Editor
The following narrative comes to the News from the borders of Pocahontas County.
______________________________
Gorilla on Droop Mountain
At the extreme eastern summit of Droop Mountain, where it begins to droop toward the Greenbrier River, is a wild and almost impenetrable jungle covered with boulders, so large and so arranged as to resemble the houses and streets in a town, hence its name – “Bear Town” – long since given it by hunters.
For natural scenery, it is doubtful whether there is another place in the state that will surpass it. From its eastern prow you can trace the meanderings of the Greenbrier for at least one half of its length and on a clear day you can see the top of Spruce Knob in Pendleton County and also Keeney’s Knob in Summers County. From this point you can see the main chain of the Alleghenies for miles and miles. Looking southward, the beautiful Greenbrier Valley spreads out before you to beyond Lewisburg, and to the northeast you can view the entire Little Levels of Pocahontas, one of the garden spots of West Virginia.
Bear Town is often visited in summer by picnic parties, because of the fact that there is still plenty of ice to be found among the rocks as late as the middle of August, and in the fall and winter, it is a great local center for fox hunters, being the natural habitation of both fox and wildcat.
We understand that about two weeks ago while Robert Cochran and Joe Hollandsworth, two of the veteran fox hunters of that section, were indulging in their favorite sport in Bear Town, their pack held something in abeyance in the thickest part of the jungle. Nothing daunted, the hunters rushed forward with all possible speed to the scene of action, but to their great astonishment, instead of a fox they saw a large animal somewhat resembling a man in appearance, except that it was covered with brown or yellowish hair, standing in excess of six feet in height, with its back to a large rock.
The dogs were attempting to close in (what were left of them) when the animal – gorilla, ape, wild man or whatever it was – would grab them and either crush the life out of them or dash them to the ground with such force as to kill them. The hunters were undecided whether to shoot or not when the beast saw them and made for them.
Cochran and Hollandsworth turned and fled with all possible speed with the animal close upon their heels, its progress being impeded by the dogs. This permitted them to clear the thicket and get away.
“Daddy” Wilfong says that when they reached his house, they were pale, excited and almost exhausted. They related their experience, declaring the animal was a gorilla, but absolutely refused to return for further investigation.
H. C. Rapp, postmaster at Julia, made a desperate effort to organize a company of men to surround Bear Town and capture the animal for the benefit of science, but in spite of all his efforts, he failed to get enough volunteers for the expedition. Cochran and Hollingsworth lost six out of eight of their fine pack of hunting hounds.
Contributor: Malcolm Hill (49662580)
SO-John Cochran (1806-1900) and Sarah "Sally" Smith Cochran (1823-1880)
HO-Emma Frances Miller (1868-1930)
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