The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-09-19
Reported Discovery of Ice that Never Melts.


A correspondent of the Nashville Banner re-
ports the following curious and sensational
statements concerning the discovery in cave
near Linden, Perry Co., Tenn, of remarkable
phenomenon in that locality. We give the
letter of the correspondents
LINDEN, Tenn, Aug. 81, 1872.
There has has been the most remarkable and
extraordinary discovery made in our county
that you or any one else ever heard Of Some
ten DAYS since T. NJ Brashear our late repre-
sentative from this county; Major ]. L. Webb,
our excellent Sheriff, and J. P. Wilson, our
efficient Tax Collector, were together at Major
Webb's, and for recreation took walk in and
around his farm when coming to the hills on
the south of Major Webb's place, they ap-
preached the mouth of a cave i'll the side of
the hill, from which in wet weather stream
of water usually flowed. Feeling very warm
they concluded to enter the cave to cool off
little, and upon entering the mouth of the cave
were surprised at the unusual coldness that
peryaded the cavern. Thinking there must be
something in the dark recesses of the cavern to
produce such unusual coldness in the atmos-
phere, they concluded to penetrate still further
into the cave to see if they could not clear up
the mystery. Procuring lights, they entered
the cave, and after proceeding some seventy
five feet, upon turning an angle, they beheld to
their astonnishment the whole interior of the
cave festooned with the most beautiful stalag-
mites the eye of man ever beheld. Holding
up their lights, they gazed upon the beautiful
sight with pleased astonishment, and upon
nearer approach they found the stalagmites 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 the place, each of the gentlemen broke off a
lump OF this strange wonder and started to re-
turn Before reaching the mouth of the cavern
their hands were so chilled they could scarcely
hold the strange substance, and upon reaching
the outer air they laid it down upon the ground,
thinking it would soon acquire the temperature
of the atmosphere. 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 know of no other name
by which to call it. Arriving at the house,
they placed the crystals on table, and waited
patiently to see if it would melt, or even turn
warmer After waiting some half hour, and
finding that it still retained its former coldness,
one of the party suggested that they should try
it in a pitcher of water. This was done, and
to their Infinite astonishment the glass pitcher
in which it was placed was soon covered on the
outside with moisture, similar to that produced
by ce Not being yet satisfied, they concluded
to drink of the contents, and the question now
was as to who should give the first trial. Mr..
Wilson at length said as he was the youngest,
and consequently the stoutest, he would try it,
and he thereupon drank 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 writer OF this
that it was equal to the best ice-water. AT
dinner they tried it in milk, and it soon made
Mrs Webb's excellent buttermilk as cold al
most as ice itself. 1t produced the same effect
upon butter as ice, and still retained its origi-
nal frigidity. A number of persons have since
visited this wonderful cave and carried off por-
tions of this rock, which they are using for all
the purposes of ice, and it sustains no dimuni-
ton in bulk or loss of coldness. Strange and
improbable as all this may seem, yet it can be
certified to by numbers of our best citizens
DIR. Black is using it in his practice, and it
proves an excellent annsthetic, having the
same effect as ice when mixed with salt. MIR.
Thomas French and Colonel Waggoner, hotel
keepers in Linden, used it in their hotels du-
ring court week, to the astonishment OF their
guests. Specimens will be sent to our State
geologist for analyzation. If any one doubts
the above plain statement of simple facts, they
are referred to T. NJ. Brashier, G. Fl. Nixon,
John A. Pitts, Major John L. Webb, Joseph
Wilson, Thomas French, Captain Easley, Pro-
fessor in the Academy, and a number of others
of the most reliable men in our county.
Respectfully, r. A. S:
by the first conveyance to your place.