Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-09-04

ter, thus making room for more OF the
fluid Finally, the water reached large
underground cayerns and gathered there.
But it had to find an outlet, and still
crept on, making more space for ITSELF as
it came, till at last it reached the rocks
beneath between the cracks of which it
now finds an outlet When it reached
this bedl Of rock it had no exit But, the
pressure from above was too much, and
great upheavel occurred, making hill
ocIS of what was once a Hat stratum. The
irregular hole in the middle OF the spring
was probably where the grand burst took
place, the cracks and seams around being
where tie expulsiye power spent its
force Such is our opinion, but We are
open to conviction when better theory
is advanced.
The temperature of the Big spring is
about 500 f. and it doubtless main
tains that degree all the year, not being
affected by atmospheric changes.
The water at the upper and outermost
bridge or jettY varies from three 10 four
feet IN depth. Depth at the great Whirl-
pool about four feet, just below i about
six feet Looking down into the
troubled waters, people would imagine,
as the writer OF the poem must have done,
that the water was very deep; but . lead
line and tWofont rule will dlspei the
illusion.
It is safe to state that the complete
study of the natural history and botany
Of the spring would last a life time. Quite
frequently we examine under the micro
scope, minute forms of animal and vege-
table lie, found in the spring. Tie
wonders revealed by the microscope
never ceace, and every fresh collection
from the spring, when submitted to the
microscope, yields many things new to US.
The predominant class Of plants in the
spring are those known as the AlgSe,
The study of these simple plants is very
interesting; for, being tie simplest class
Of Vegetation, composed Of single cells or
Of simple cells placed end to end, for they
enable one to study readily cellular con
struction, contents and growth, thus Civ
ing us an insight into the primary stages OF
all animate growths. Some OF the Alg$e
of the Big spring are very beautiful in
color, as well as in form. Many people
wonder what use these lower forms Of
plant life are 70 such we would say,
that, much Of the aquatic vegetation is
Alge, and that active vegetation in
water aerates the same and keeps it pure.
Therefore, these Aige, many Of them TOO
small to be seen by the naked eye, help
keep the water pure: they also constitute
the pfincipei food of many species OF
food fishes, and had we time we could
demonstrate by many illustrations the
value Of these Insignificant O. plants
The crisp, green plants soabundant in ttle
spring IS we'll as elsewhere, are excellent
for salid oi greens, cooked or raw. The
Big springis an Interesting object, to Ill,
and as our thriving young city grows in
population and importance, this spring
will become q great pleasure resort. 1t
is true that its water power could lie used
advantageously by manufacturers but,
we trust tlat capitalists will respect this
one pleasant spot of ali others, leaving it
for place Of recreation to the present
and future population of Great Fails.
F. " ANDERSON