, 1869-12-09

Dr.. AmaA Htssetn:
DE1n sln: reply 70 yoar 9utsssons, that have
gypsum. and hare exain.ued some specimens Of
that mineral that hare teca hnbccfed 10 the action
Of water. Certain points attracted ny attention
that mas be Of interest to you.
GJTAum, subjected to the action Of running
water. u rap!dlJ carried away By II, particularly Il
The water Is lei to Iall ffom BtuAll height upon
the stone. On one piece that lad been expert.
Eented upor, and which MAS submitted to ny in-
4pecuon. The watef fell from hetghs OF alx inches
IL continuous trorR striking the stone al = point
stone. 10 a. to cover and protect the surface *.
cept !of Email SPACE where the drops fel1. and
harnX trench cut out Of one aide to allow the
Idly where they struck, and the water carried
away the 81 Jpa.uu from tho surface nver which It
run n raas.ug on. The clay WAS wet, and wherever
ton Of the water could be seen upou Il.
The claJ could not have rrevensc'l the water
reaching all parts Of the stones surface, but It
dld Preveat sny apparent action upon IT. The
whole 8tone must hare been constantly wet, ou;
undeF the clay the water changed ta; very slowly.
8Aany years nRo dug veil. IN which loond a
sustsee 81 n' tbe sround. The roct rescheti about
one.half the way scfoss the we'll and back Into a
balk 70 an unknoKn distance. Wafer IA = small
quantity WAS found ntnc or ten teet abore thls
g1psum rock. and In Larger quantity near the top
Of the rock. The veil was SUNK ayc feet down By
the kIde Of the rock 10 tecure full supply Of
water-4 part of The reck Was cut od 20 as to
walled up, the gypsum rock serving for iounda-
to1 Tor ahoui one haiti the circle untef the wall
or len feet above The fock. In uues OF drought
the wafer in the well IL SHALLOW, sad only rcac1ca
part Of the height Of the rock.
water, where 1t certainly had been from the be.
EsnnlnE Of III existence. There Is 10 land within
! mue, that i rot 1lzher At iss surface, than the
quarter Of mile south Of the we'll, over tot.
ton about twenty feet higher than the bottom Of
the well: and on The north Of Il, aaother brook,
about On leTe1 Win the upper show q water Il
the welt These streams are the drains of twc
Ealless, between which u tho ndge of land whers
think that there can be no doubt, tbs, :hs
water from these tKo brooks passes through the
sheIy foek. Of which the ridge is composed, and
Now 1ny did i nas rssolys Sc g aa1,ns al tie % pas
JeAFs. W answer to this question u, the wate'
DID not Change. .-...
found surrounded With wafer without being dis
solved ont IheJ would only show thik: when tht
wat1r g not changed, It's ac:1oa is Dot suticien
Les q !eter to ne plaee.and nasefl1 in which
n!s bsct vu = low a. the bottom Of he onon
hspe, one hundred yardE. Above and below blu,
for considerable distance, TIERS Il Ter1 littlt
current tn ihe creek, the ground being EeJ ieFea
ssAtue wa the deposit OF frcanera, and hAd snf
Hcent tenac1ty to prevent any rapid chsase Of III.
w1teE that It al tines COVERED The 1gure
| pcaIs to nc, cunnfns this view. Along inc lei
Acs there ate extensive Atrzs1oEs, d7e, q thlot
to the fact that there was lsile gravel anont
the allu1tum. thai Cd at eoue Places a!low Of :
mcre frequent change Of the wa:er, than the uo1'
tenacious earth allowed II other places
From what now know - TO the ta2ldity With
| which sJps1m difRotrea into wAter, running aut
at2gnant IN not able to form any opinion "a I.
| tts eotrhtIty In clay, mud and gravel. do no
/ think the experiments thai hare cpma - M no
.a s sa5 sS5sns & q ensase sSs Ro ~, ss
u which he Eas found, and Kept wet oJ the sAu
water taken from the pit he wAs taken from. y
1y ss9 ennos ens f " fnt sTsn 1sD;1 II. III
expect, even Win .he most carefully conducse
s.asSe L. as % nady "a BED ed = Mn lie &c s1ac:nea
| suggested BY a learned Professor, who, tnougn b
has devoted nucn time 70 the Investigation. h
snch W Is nase named, q avoid el7or.
| have examined the E1rf3ce Of the Cant. N
| observed the suau 1ncensationa that bare attract
faee wnere shszded, apparently pJ the water, 4n
| hAye been unahae 70 md A1J resemblance *
| tween thele. The small tndeut2dons caooo
lie apPeaianee u beng N their original ooua
Tne cut question a4ked my1elf, On looking Z
u. IL @ eoiposes q II II !: rnis fues:oa nas neTer -
satixfaccns!1y answered me by any chemical zuA!y
| aA. 1t "a called Ypsum-b0t to1s Il not quite 81
1 t4fAct1y In this age Of science.
CleAye.audt At1etsloSg, which studied vac
| boy II school. GaIs gypEum "ts 9o1tdnA cor
| tauIrased By &n1an quantities Of c4foona1t 6
lie ea,s sulFtale OF AIae te5psau5 4 composed 6
nme 8. k1lpauzc acld ~ water =. 4 AM.7ate
specimen ct CuondsEa Yielded WsfEeu NNe >:
| s1lpnu11c &c3d r., w1tEf H. In compact FHfe1
GenhA1d found lime -. sulpanr ACID ~ VI
When eorfMer that this k:atoe xaa constant,
vet ~ pouring water On u tor kssefA csIA
~.lh new water every night" COMMON gJp911
iuses one-seStuteeath Of LII weight N 9nF15
houH when exposed 70 w1tef -aae p.ee
e1ptuDenttd rroE, cot perhaps haF1:K M$e
proportional surface than has the Gi2Et- Au K
10 akt II he n Ike OnoedAsa EJps2m. why did nt
In some plaees u least, IN appearance, the par
that were found Abf1ded By W1scfs .-.
| r hen nf1t saw the Giant, <earpred the orts
!or thnt e rAun Ike II eon.d MT be found II IN
vicinity. is1iI entertain this view, and conAdi
| al experiments made On 0rdudax2 gypsum 70
Of little value Id solving the apeauun OF the Z
bosJ rnEor row says the Michigan g7psu
would anSwer for the image. This cannot Den
furtner than 10 EsJ, thas hare apedmen n 2 2
/ cabinet from that Stxte, Which Is mote Unlike II
Giant, By sa1, than u our 0nondAZa rocks
/ cooaidcr all outside speculAtious Idle OF Fnss
| Tou have the Gans. .and CAL mats experiments {
Professor HAll, Or sons other competent tua
Bur 70 make any r1tRTe*5 toKafds taEssaeto
| conclQaton, It appears to ne, thAt you must %
tec1 1pe part experimental upon, 70 eIacu! y
tane cnEtittocs IN al respects, tha ION taord
e1,s: n connection with the Giant where he i