The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-05
AGE OF THE CARDIFF GIANT.
Gypsum and Its Soiubiiity by Water C0nsid.
cred N Bearing Upon the QuestiOn-I1etter
from Mr.. George Geddes.


the only geological map OF that county which has
ever been made aud that this map was authorized
experience as an agricuturist, both Scientifically
and practically, am led to ask your opinion upon
topic OF interest to me and to the pupc-I refer 70
the soiubilty Of gypsum BY water
will be frank say. that my motive IN Obtaining
your views upon the subject at this time has refer
erence to their bearing upon the antiquity or recent
ness Of the so-called Cardln giant. You are doubt
less aware that paroles. for sundry reasons have
bed or muck and clay, to . short period. and the
theory most relied upon to effect this end =,
advocate os ths heSpy makes days SIX
hours and thirty-One minutes q SUFFICIENT time to
liqufy his entire body corporate, while others have
adduced a similar range OF facts ~ to show he
would have been carried away into the surrounding
SOIL and as fertilizer thereof IN the short space OF
two and one-haI days. Under such representations,
or mlsrepresenatons. feel that your opinions and
such facts as yon may choose to give win be OF
great interest TO the pubic. With high esteem,
aiD' '''' '''p''''D''' '0D' 0' a. WEsfcorr.
FAIRxouNr, ONoNDAaA COUNTY. N. Y.,l
Nov. 20, 1859.
DE. AMOS WEsTcoTT:-
DEAR SIR reply to your questions, that have
gypsum, and have examined some specimens OF
That mineral that have been subjected TO tre action
OF water. Certain points attracted my Afternoon
that may be OF interest to you.
Gypsum subjected 10 the action Of running water
Is rapidly carried away by It, particularly II the
stone On one piece that had been experimented
upon and which was submitted to my Inspection,
iinuous drops, striking the stone at point that
was nearly surrounded by clay placed on
the stone 50 as TO cover ana protect ros e s e
and having trench cut out or one side 10 allow
the escape Of the water. The drops excavated
away the gypsum from the surface over which It
run in passing OF. The clay was wet. and wherever
1t covered the stone 1t protected It 80 that no action
Of the water could he seen upon II.
The clay could not have prevented the WAFER
an action IL.
must have been constantly wet, put under the
clay the water changed but very slowly 3 y,,., ,.
rock OF gypsum, about iorty-ive 1eet below the
surface OF the ground. The rock reached about
q bank TO an unknown distance Water In small
| quantity was found nine or ten feet above this
| gypsum rock and IN larger quantity near the top
| Of the rock. The well was sunk nve feet down
by the side Of the rock to secure full supply OF
The bucket to pass it, then the wen wns walled up,
the gypsum rock serving for foundation Tor about
one-haif the circle under the wall, and the water
the rock. In times OF drought the water IN the wei
shallow and only reaches part OF the height OF the
| TN, rock, you Will observe, was found in the
water, where 1t certainly mad been from the begin
| nlng Of its existence. There Is no land within q
4 mile that Is not higher at It's surface than the
bottom OF this fifty feet well: small brook runs
OF ee hane er taR ne e bottom Of
the well, and on the north OF 1t another brook,
within fifth OF mile, RUS on bottom perhaps
the well. These streams are the drains OF two val
eys, between which Is the ridge OF land where the
well was sunk.
| think that there can be no doubt that the
water from these two brooks passes through the
shelly rock, OF which The ridge Is composed and at
ali times Kept This gypsum rock hooded. Now, why
did it not dissolve during all the past yearsf MY
70 as Examines o. aut SsU1
found surrounded with water without being dis
Du, tnsy mSud only show n the
destroy the form or substance OF the rock.
Let us refer to the pace and material IN which the
His back was as low as the bottom OF the Onon-
| daga creek, which was distant from him, perhaps,
| 100 yards. Above and below him for q considerable
distance there Is very little current IN the creek.
the ground being very level as the creek runs.
The earth tnat enveloped the statue was the deposits
OF freshets. and had sufficient tenacity to prevent
any rapid change OF tine water that a. all times coy
the action OF the water on some parts, 1t appears
to me, confirms this view. Along the lett side there
are extensive abrasons, due, as think, to tho fact
| that did at some places allow OF a more frequent
| change Of the water than the more tenacious earth
From what now know as to the rapidity with
| which gypsum dlssolves in water, running and
its soubility in clay mud ana gravel. I 40 not
| think the experiments that have come to my
notice settle so ANYTHING IN on thus point ~. piece Of
| in which he was found, aud kept wet by the same
| water taken from the pit he was taken from. we
| might by having Sufficient time given us. form
some satisfactory opinion as to the rapidly with
| which he would waste away; put should hardly
expect, even with the most carefully conducted
tests that we should be able to d the tlnle the
statue lay Ia his muddy bed with the exactness sug.
devoted much time 70 the mas not con-
| sdered II necessary TO take precautions such a.
! have named 10 avoid error.
| have examined the surface OF the giant ana
observed the small lamentations that nave attracted
| SO much notice. have also observed the surface
| where abraded apparently BY water, AMI have
! been unable 70 lind any resemblance between :
them. The small indentations cannot find, except
ON such parts OF the surface bear the appearance
of being In their original condition.
The rs! question asked myself on looking at the
III n has bssn sa
tactorily answered. me by any chemical analysis. 1t
is called gypsum but this Is not quite satisfactory in
Cleayeland's Mneralogy, which studied when o
boy ut school, says gypsum "ls sometimes contami-
mated by small quantities OF carbonate OF lime,
alumine, slick and oxide OF iron" page 204). He
says suphate OF lime tgypsum) Is composed OF
specimen OF Onondaga, yielded warden lime Sal
sulpkuric acid 81, water d. In compact variety,
Gerhard found lime "a, sulphuric acid Az water Is.
When consider that this statue was constantly
by pouring water on 1t for days crafty
visitors, and was for several weeks flooded with new
seventeenth Of Its weight in forty eight hours when
exposed to rain water''-the piece experimental
face Than has the aian am LED 70 AK n ne "a ike
Onondaga gypsum why did not the surface SO often
weL change and approach, In some places AZ least.
waterP
When first saw the giant ventured the opinion
that gypsum like IL could not be found IN TINS
vicinity still entertain this view, AID consider
all experiments made on Onondaga gypsum TO be OF
little value In solving the question OF the antiquity
OF the giant x
Busy rumor now says the Michigan gypsum
would answer Tor the image. This cannot deny.
further than 10 say that have specimen in my
cabinet from that state. which is more unlike the
giant by far than Is our Onondaga rocks.
consider all outside speculacions Idle or worse.
You have Inc giant, aud can make experiments on
a part OF his substance under the direction OF Pro-
lessor Hall, or some other competent man. But to
make any progress towards satisfactory conclusion
It appears to that you must subject tue part
perinented upcn to exactly the same conditions. In
ali respects, that you found to exist IN connection