The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-19
BEAUTY SPOTS OF INDIANA.
Places Where Nature Has Lavished Her
Gifts in Landscape and Resource.
The Hills and Cliffs of the HOosier State
Medicinal Springs and Reservoirs of
Natural Gas-Boone's Cave

Indiana is filled with interesting and beauti
full spots" said Prof John Collett to the re-
porter.
81 will try to mention few them" said the
Professor, urged by the reporter, but
they will hardly pass through my hands
without being somewhat gprinkled with geologic
dust The highest region in Indiana is in the
counties of Jay and Randolph. Here is an ele
waited plateau, and from this summit level
streams are discharged north south, east and
west-the Wabash White river, Whitewater
river all head in this locality. 1t is the healthy
home of an energetic race Of people and presents
tophograhic views, plants and trees interesting
to the botanist and scientist In this favored
region was the home Of the races that preceded
US. vestiges of their works may be seen at
Winchester and near Union City.
Richmond, in Wayne county, is a famous To-
cality forfossils Astounding in well preserved speci
mems of the lower silurian age AtCenterville the
rocks are striated by the glaciers of the great
ice age Both of these places are worthy of
visit by students and scientists The soil of
Wayne county is composed OF the decomposition
of the upper and lower silurian rocks, and here
was heavy growth of the giant trees of
Indiana
THE vicinity of Lawrenceburg presents high,
beetling cliffs, overlooking the Ohio river In
the adjoining valleys to The east are many
mounds and graves of an ancient people On
the Big Four road, at Waldron, st. Paul and
Greensburg, are wonderful fossil beds, which
have illustrated geologic science throughout the
world, and made these localities famous by their
abundance and perfection. Madison is one of
the oldest towns in the State. 1t is famous for
its abundantly productive fossil beds, and is in
teresting on account of the heavy decline and
deep cut of the j., NJ & !. road. Some of the
heaviest locomotives in the world are used on
this cut Vernon is an interesting fossil locality.
Charlestown, Jeffersonville and New Albany are
of high interest from the outcrop of three or
four different grand divisions of rocks, and the
quantities of fossils, which have furnished much
study to scientists. Here the Ohio river plunges
across its rocky bed, crowned by mighty bridges.
Once the Ohio had its channel many feet below
it's present leyel-eighty to one hundred-and
where the city of Louisville now stands.
Adjoining the city of New Albany are concal
knobs with precipitous sites mounting up to
grandest views in Indiana. The beautiful Ohio
and the distant hills of Kentucky are taken in as
picture. Bayard Taylor, the great traveller,
was charmed with this view, and declared that
it was the most interesting he had ever seen con-
bining the thrift of England with the blue
waters of the Rhine and the distant mountains.
''Cordyon, the seat of Harrison county, was
founded by President Harrison, grandfather of
our senator 1t presents many evidences of it's
early origin in the large trees in some of the
lawns, and in groves planted to protect the banks
of Indian creek. 1t became the seat of govern
ment of Indiana in 1913. The ancient capitol of
the State is still standing, and does duty as the
courthouse. The homes of several of our early
Governors were there, and the graves of some of
them are there now. Among these was Cover
nor Posey. the first Governor of the State, who
was the friend and companion of Washington.
Immediately west of the town is commanding
hill named Pilot Knob, 200 feet above the town.
From it's summit can be seen the bed of the
great glacial river, with a valley $50 feet deep
and seventeen miles broad, stretching from
northeast and southwest, with debris
showing that that was the direction
of it's current An interesting feature
of Harrison county is that its streams and water
courses as rule, flow under ground. and the
everything material, by reason of this under
ground drainage, is dry, and poor conductor of
electricity. For this reason. the lightning in
sudden transforms avoids the hilltops and is
conducted by moisture to the rivers and springs
At the fair grounds spring at Corydon man,
with his team of horses, was killed by lightning,
while the hills lowered above and around him. 1t
is claimed by pioneers that General Washington
was in this county surveyor, but I did not
find sufficient evidence to substantiate the claim
''Tho White Sulphur spring at Corrydon is
considered highly medicinal, and is largely
visited by health seekers. The 'Bottomless Blue
Spring, in the eastern part of the town. indi-
Gates the cavernous condition of the underlying
! rocks. Wells frequently pierce these hidden
streams of water, from which the usual ghostly
blind fish and crustaceans are drawn. Almost
the entire county is thus honeycomoed. A
few miles west Of Corydon, at Keers hill, is
an interesting outcrop of conglomerate sand
stone and Kaskaska limestone, rich in fossils
of the wondrous plants of the coal age and
starry pentremites of the Chester group The
water fall of the north and northwest part of
the county makes its appearance as river at
the Harrison Springs and Harrison's Mills,
northwest of town, which is one of the most
remarkable exhibitions of this kind in this
country. Similar phenomena observed at
the foot of Walnut valley, in the "Blue Spouter
Spring" in the ''Stygean river, near the mouth
of Big Blue river; in "Big Blue Springs" near
Amsterdam and at "Boone's Mill Cave Spring"
west OF Laconia. Harrison Valley is rich
sunken area, once owned by President Harrison
when Governor of Indiana Territory. Every
locality hereabouts calls up some historical
Renaissance of it's original owner. One plat is
known as the Governors meadow" another, the
Governors field" An orchard of giant apple
trees and shrubbery. planted by the Governors
own hand, survives to tell his interest in
such labors In the middle of the level
central area is basin trimmed with a
natural stone wall. two feet high filled
with pure clear water The ebullition in the
center of the basin shows in ordinary times
great discharge. In food time furious torrent
ten to fifteen feet in diameter rolls UP three to
six feet above the usual service and flows off in
a wonderful river one hundred feet wide and ten
to fifteen feet deep This is the Harrison
spring, and the site of Harrison's mill Persons
now living in this vicinity remember when boys