The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-24
WINTER ON MOUNT WASHINGTON
pEsoRrpr1oN OF THE etrRosr wonKn

ABSORPTION OF THE "FBOsT WORK"
1tp-Iop House Correspondence Boston Journal Jan 19
The ''frost work" is one of the most re-
markable phenomena of this high altitude.
AS few have ever seen it, and as the causes
that produce it are but imperfectly under
stood, we shall perhaps be pardoned if we
present some rather crude ideas in regard to
1T. 1t is difficult also to convey in words
any idea of its wonderful form and beauty.
From the study given to it last winter, and
the opportunities we have had of observing
It's formation this, we are able to give what
seems to us a plausible, if not a correct,
theory to account for this, the most plastic of
all the handiwork of nature. At our very
first observation we see that it forms only
when the wind is northward L. e., at some
point between north and west or north and
east, and never when the wind is southwark
1t begins with mere points, on everything
that the wind reaches, on the rocks, on The
snow, on the railway, and on every part of
the buildings, even on the glass. On the
south side it is very slight as the wind
reaches there only in eddying gusts When
the surface is rough, the points, as they
begin, are an inch or more apart; when
smooth, it almost entirely covers the surface
at the very beginning; but soon only few
points eloDgate, so, on whatever surface it
begins to form, it has very soon the same
general appearance, presenting everywhere
the same beautiful, feathery-lik forms. In
going up the mountain we do not see it until
we get some distance above the limit of the
trees; it is nearly mile before it is seen in
its characteristic forms, and it is only imme-
diately about the summit it presents its most
attractive features. We notice also that it
always forms toward the wind-never from it,
and the rapidity with which it forms and the
great length of the horizontal masses are
truly wonderful. We placed a round stick
an inch in diameter, in vertical position,
where it was exposed to the full force of the
wind, and in less than two days some of the
horizontal icicles-we call them icicles for
the want of more appropriate name-were
two feet in length, and scarcely any thicker
than the stick itself. They formed on every
part of the stick that was exposed, but of
course some points were much longer than
others. They remained several days,
but with a change of wind they were
blown off. On some of the piles of stones
south of the house. these horizontal masses
are now more than five feet in length. On
the southern exposures, instead of the frost
work, there are only masses of pure ice,
which have always peculiar hue of greenish
blue. In The early part of December, when
the thermometer ranged from % deg. to
% deg, and the wind was southwark,
the ice formed to the thickness of
foot or more on the telegraph
poles near the house. These icy masses
are formed evidently by the condensation of
vapor of the atmosphere, as it is not uncom-
mon for it to be above the point of satura-
ton. The 'frost work" is also formed by
the condensation of vapor, but beside the
vapor the air must be filled with minute
specul@ of ice. AS the vapor condenses these
are caught, and thus the horizontal feathery
masses are formed. This accounts for the
facts that we have observed namely, that it
forms when the wind isnorthward, and always
towards the wind.