Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-09-14
WONDER CAVE.
startling Phenomenon In Perry
County, Tennessee.
Reported Discovery of Ice that New
er meIts(D

sensational statements concerning
the discovery in a cave in Perry Co,
of remarkable phenomenon con-
neeted with rock foundations, are
made by a correspondent of the
WaynesboTo paper, in letter da-
ted the 21st ult, from Linden, in
Perry County One Of the gentle
men cited in the correspondence as
endorsing the statements made, Hon.
7 NJ Brasher, is we'll knoWn.in this
city, where he made many acQuaint-
ances DUNG the session of the Leg
islature, in which he served as a
member of the Lower House. The
following is the letter.
Linden, Perry, Co., Tenn.
August 81, 1872. !
There has been perhaps the most
remarkable and extraordinary dis
coYery made in our county that you
or any one else ever heard of. Some
ten days since, I NJ Brashear, Esq,
our late representative from this
county; Maj. J.. L. Webb, our ex-
cellent Sheriff, and ] p Wilson, our
efficient tax collector, were togeth-
er at Maj Webb's and for recreation
took a walk in and around his farm.
When coming to the hills on the
south of Maj. Webb's place they
approached the mouth of cave in
the side of the hill, from which in
wet weather a stream of water US
ually flowed. Feeling very warm
they concluded to enter the cave to
cool off little, and upon entering
the mouth of the cave were surpris-
ed at the unusual coldness that per-
vaded the cavern. Thinking there
must be something in the dark re-
cesses of the cavern to produce such
unusual coldness in the atmosphere,
they concluded to penetrate still fur
ther into the cave, to see if they
could not clear up the mystery. Pro-
curing lights, they entered the cave,
and after proceeding some seventy
five feet, upon turning an angle, they
beheld to their astonishment, the
whole interior or the cave fesfOoned
with the most beautiful stalagmites
the eye of man ever beheld. Hold
ing up their lights, they gazed upon
the beautiful sight with pleased as
tonishment, and upon a nearer ap-
proach they found the stalagmires
to resemble the hardest, clearest ice
and cold as the touch of the ice-king
himself. Becoming by this time
chilled through with the coldness
of tie place, each of the gentlemen
broke off lump of this strange won
der, and started to return. Before
reaching the mouth of the cavern,
their hands were so chilled they
could scarcely hold the strange sub
stance, and upon reaching the outer
air they laid it down upon the
ground, thinking it would soon ac-
quire the temperature of the atmos-
phere. After resting fifteen or
twenty minutes, they started for
Mr.. Webb's residence, each carrying,
as best he might his lump of rock |
ice, for 1 know of no other name bv |
which to call it. Arriving at the |
house, they placed the crystals on !
a table, and waited patiently to see
if it would melt, or even turn war |
mer. After waiting some half hour,
and finding that il still retained its !
former coldness, one Of the party |
suggested that they should try il in |
a pitcher of water. This was done, |
and to their infinite establishment |
the glass pitcher in which it was
placed was soon covered on the out |
side with moisture, similar to that |
produced by ice. Not being yet sat |
isfied, they concluded to drink of |
the contents, and the question now |
was as to who should give the first |
trial. Mr.. Wilson stslength said as
he was the youngest, and conse- |
quently the stOutest, he would try |
it, and he there-upon drank a hearty |
draught, and declared it equal to |
the best ice water. The other two |
gentlemen also drank of the water,
and Mr.. Brashear assured the wri- |
ter of this that it was equal to the |
best ice water. AT dinner they |
tried it in milk, and il soon made |
Mrs.,Webb's excellent buttermilk as |
cold almost as ice itself. 1t pro-
duced the same effect upon butter |
as ice, and still retained its original
frigidty. a number of persons have |
since visited this wonderful cave
and carried ofportions of this rock |
which they are using for all the pur- |
poses of ice, and it sustains no dim |
mutton in bulk or loss of coldness. |
Strange and improbable as all this !
may seem, yet it can be certified to |
by numbers ofthe best citizens. DR..
Black is using it in his practice, and !
1t proves an excellent an8stbetic,
having the same effect as ice when !
mixed miJh salt. Mr.. Tho's French
and Col. Waggoner, hotel keepers |
in Linden, used it in their hotels du-
ring court week, TO the astouish-
ment of their guests Specimens |
viii be sent to our State geologist |
for analyzatiOn. If any one doubts |
the above plain statement of simple |
facts, they are referred to Hon. T NJ |
Brashear, Hon. G. II Nixon. John |