The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-02-24
aestriptire artitles.
The Ringing Rocks.

These celebrated rocks are found on the
farm of Abraham Mench, in Pottsgrove
Township, three miles northeast of Potts
town, Pa. They cover space of three
quarters of an acre. In this tract bowl
ders are piled upon powders of all shapes
and forms, and SO promiscously arranged
that considerable agility is required to
walk over them without falling. AS one
steps from rock to rock ringing sound,
produced by the nails in the boot-heels, is
plainly heard. On rapping the stones with
hammer, quite remarkable acoustic prop
critics are revealed. Some of them give
forth rich, full tone, which would proba-
ably vie with the best bell metal if the
stones were fashioned into bells. One Of
them in particular, from its depth of tone,
is known as the state-house bell. This was
at one time among the largest of the rocks.
1t has been broken off, however, but still
has preserved its strong, full tone. The
general sound produced by striking the
smaller stones resembles that Of black
smiths anvil, some having little clearer
ring than others, and no two sounding just
alike In passing from one to another of
the larger rocks one is reminded of the
tapping of Car wheels by the train inspect
ors. Thousands of people visit this natur-
al phenomenon every summer. The rocks
themselves bear evidence of this, the edges
being battered off by hammer-strokes, and
the sides of many having names carved
upon them, some parties who were unwil[
ing to take the time or trouble to chisel
their names upon the rocks having resorted
to paint, and considerable daubing has been
done in various colors The advertising
fend has not failed to put in his appear
ance; and we are made aware of the merits
of patent medicines, of the place to buy
carpets and the like, upon every hand. We
have not heard any satisfactory explana-
ton of the cause of the ringing or bell-hke
sounds of these rocks. Some say it is ow-
ing to there being cavern under them.
This however, can have nothing to do with
it, as when the rocks are removed they still
have the same sound. One large and So
norous bowlder was taken to the Centen-
NAL, and created great deal of attention
there. Another was sent to England after
wards. There is probably metallic sub
stance in this group of powders to which
the ringing sound may be attributed. We
have not heard, however, of any geological
analysis being made. Half mile east Of
the Ringing Rocks, and in the same range
of hills, there is another group of powders
which are much visited. Here lofty pile
of rocks surmounts cavity of consider
able depth, the whole being known as the
"Stone House" Near by the stone house
is huge bowlder, some fifteen or twenty
feet high, which, from its peculiar contour
is called the clay Stack" Besides theil
acoustic qualities there is another singular
circumstance about the Ringing Rocks
which visitors rarely fail to notice. Many
of them have very strange marks, or in,
dentations. Atsome points these resemble
the tracks of horses hoof. Others are
like the track af wagon. Some of the
larger indentations are said to resemble an
elephants foot, and fac-similes Of the
human foot are claimed to be found
among the smaller ones.