Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-05-23


know. but whatever the process is the
aroma engendered by il is far from appetiz-
ing.
The work of blasting the huge cliffs bor-
dering Mad river, for the purpose of max
| ing the road bed of the |. B. Il W. railroad
west of the city. was the greatest engineer
ing work ever accomplished near this city.
At some points it was necesSars TO blast
masses of rock as large as the Grand opera
house building, in two, and thousands Of
pounds of powder were required for the
work. The force of the explosion upheayed
the very body of the river, like an earth
quake, and threw thousands of fish gasping
on the bank. far out of their native element.
Great chunks of rock were hurled through
the air in all directions like cannon balls.
People for half mile remained in their
cellars for fear of the flying rocks.
Many interesting relics of the great work
remain. Marks of the long drills used in
preparing holes in the rock TO receive the
powder can still be seen. high up on the
of blasted rock border the river in mlscel
IaaeOuS confusion. The rivers course has
been slightly changed by the heaps of rock
dumped into it by the blasting. This used
to be an excellent spot for fishing for bass,
but since the blasting has been done, and
the river filled with rocks, the haumts of
this shy, gamey tSh seem TO have been
spoiled. and they frequent it no more.
Local fishermen either go farther up or
down the river now. 1t is probable that
the rumbling of the trains also, has ten
dency To scare the fish from that part of
the river close to the railroad.
4 beautiful prospect of the surrounding
scenery is obtained from Anvil Rock. which
is high point of rock jutting out from the
cliffs. 1t is probably called Anvil Rock
because il looks like twenty things more
than an anvil, and resembling the gable
end of a wOOdShed as much rs an anvil. Ii
is approached through a winding passage
in the rcck. Ii is strange Ia see how soon
Nature hastens to adOrn any of her handi
work which is broken. Moss and ferns are
beginning 10 gather on the fresh surface of
the rock, and the gaping wounds created by
the tremendous force of the powder, will b..
healed by wild flowers and waving ferns.
To students of geology this locality is es-
pecially interesting, as the blasting of the
rocks has laid bare many interesting fOrma
tiOnS. There are several small caves Oh the
side of the river where the |. b. Il w. bOr--
ders the river. and q larger cave on the
other side, in which it is possible to pen
citrate to some little distance, and to stand
erect. Adventurous boys delight in ex-
ploring this cave by the aid of a tallOw
candle, step-ladder and clothes-Iine
Altogether, this locality forms a panO-
rama of beautiful river scenery, which al
most anyone would delight in exploring.
and which will well repay the trouble of
a visit.
Prof. Harrison. the art lecturer, is show
ing his art illustrations to the indianapolis
! theater gOers
Two citizens on East Main street got into
a laughable dispute the other day on the
subject of the ownership OF the sand;
thousands of loads of which were washed
dswn into the railroad cut on to East Main
street and into yards in the vicinity. Said
A.: This sand belongs to the people on
whose property it has been washed and
t Iey can sell it TO whom they please. 1t
is as much theirs as the rain which they
caught in their clStems the night of the
storm"
Said b.: You are entirely wrong, that
sand is undoubtedly the property of the
city. The citizens, on whose property the
sand was washed, have no more right to it
than they would have to a horse that had
strayed into their yard. The city's sand
was washed on their property and the city
has right to reclaim it,"
Said A.: We'll. if it is the city's prop
erty. which very much doubt, then the
city must pay for the damage done by its
property; it mnst pay for the crops ruined
and fences broken by the sand"
Said b.: Wrong again, no damages
can possibly be collected from the city.