Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-29
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.

A letter from Linden. Perry county,
Tennessee, 70 a WaynesbOro paper, In
the same State, gives the following Gu
Fi0us statements respecting the alleged
discovery Of cave i'm Perry county,
containing some remarkable stone for
nations which would be Of ~incalculable
value were it not 80 late in the season,
and cold weather imminent: sSOme
ten days since, r. N. Brasher, ESQ, our
late Representative from this county;
Major J. L. Webb, our excellent Sheriff,
and j. p. Wilson, our efficient Tax-COl-
lector, were together at Major Webb's,
and for recreation took a walk In and
around his farm, when coming 10 the
hills south Of Major Webb's place, they
approached the mouth Of a cave in the
side Of the hill, from which in wet
weather q stream Of water usually
flowed. Feeling very warm they con-
cluded TO enter the cave 10 cool Ofa lit
tie, and upon entering were surprised at
the unusual GOODNESS that pervaded the
cavern. Thinking there must be some
thing in the dark recesses Of the cavern
TO produce such unusual GOODNESS in the
atmosphere, they concluded 10 penetrate
still further to see il they could not clear
up the mystery. Procuring lights, they
entered the cave, and after proceeding
some seventy-fve feet, upon turning an
angle, they beheld, to their astOnish-
ment, the whole interior Of the cave
festOoned with the most beautiful stalag-
mites the eye Of mar ever beheld- Hold
ing up their lights, they gazed upon the
beautiful sight with pleased astOnish-
ment, and upon a nearer approach they
F.rr-1 , na.sm--.eN~- - ~---a.LF. A.
hardest, ~clearest ice, and cold as the
touch Of ice-king himself. Becoming
by this time chilled through with the
GOODNESS Of the place, each OF the gentle
men broke of q lump Of this strange
wonder, and started to return. Before
reaching the mouth Of the cavern, their
hands were 50 chilled they could scarce
" hold the strange substance, and upon
reaching the outer air they laid il down
upon the ground, thinking il would soon
acquire the temperature Of the atnOs-
phere. After resting fifteen or twenty
minutes, they started FOR Mr.. Webbs res
idence, each carving, as best he might,
his lump Of rock ice, for 1 know Of no
other name by which to call il. Arriv-
ing at the house, they placed the crys-
tails on a table and waited patiently to
see if il would melt. o even turn warm
er. After waiting some half hour and
finding that it still retained its former
GOODNESS, one of the party suggested that
they should try it in a pitcher of water.
This was done, and to their infinite as
constituent, the glass pitcher in which
It was placed was Don covered on the
outside with moisture similar to that
produced by ice. Not being yet salts
fed, they concluded to drink Of its con-
tents, 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 be thereHpon drank
3 hearty draft, and declared it equal 10
the best ice-water. The other two gen
also drank Of the water, and Mr.. |
Brashear assured the writer that il was
equal 10 the best iee-Water. At dinner
hey tried i tin milk, and it soon made
Mrs. We0b's excellent buttermilk as
,Old almost IS ice itself. 1t produced
he same effect upon butter as ice. A
number Of persons have since visited
his wonderful cave and carried or p0r-
ions of this rock, which they are using
all the purposes Office, and IL sustains
10 diminutiOn in bulk or loss Ofcoldness.
Strange and improbable as all this NAV
.eem, yet it can be certified to by num-
)ers of our best citizens. DIR. Black is
it in his practice. Mr.. Thomas
french and Colonel Waggouer, hotel
in Linden, used it in their hotels
court week, TO the establishment
# their guests. Specimens viii be sent
o u State geolOgist for a-nalyzatiOn. I'll
NY one doubts the above plain state
nent Of simple facts, they are referred to
Hon. T. NJ. B~rashear, Hon. G.. II. Nix
N, John A. Pitts, Esq, Major John L.
Webb, Jos. Wilson, Thomas French,
Easley, Professor in the Acad-
my, and a number of others Of the most
men in our county.