The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-22
A ROCK THAT GROWS.
Remarkable Petrifaction in a Penn
sylvania Ravine.
Dripping Water That Carries Burden
OF Limestone in Solution with 1t and
Leaves It's Wonders in Stalag-
mites and Stalactites.


township, Lawrence County, is won
derful natural phenomenon in the shape
OF a veritable growing rock. Fifty years
ago, when it was first noticed, an In
verified wooden pail would almost cover
it. To-day 1t is greet bowlder, ten
feet in height and fifteen feet or more
in circumference. and weighing not less
than fifty tons. During the summer
months it is covered with dense rich
moss two or three inches deep, through
which tho waters from little spring
trickle continually.
The outer formation of this rock has
limestone appearance, but once no
move the moss and chisel in tho gritty
surface and tho real beauty and pc
culiarity of tho rock are seen. A cellu-
lar formation like mammoth sponge
is discovered, and about the cells is
stone as hard as adamant. On cutting
further in, this cell-like substance is
found to continue, but it seems to have
been transformed into translucent
flint. There are tons of this linty rock,
for it is as heavy as granite, and eyesy
ounce of it Is undoubtedly moss and
other vegetable matter petrified.
This remarkable petrifcation has
been wrought by the action of the water
from the spring upon the moss. Tho
water seems to have tho singular prop
erty of turning into stone every thing
that is brought in contact with it for
any length of time. 1t has an acrid
taste, and is undoubtedly heavily
charged with mineral substances, al
though Thus far it has never been an
alyzed.
The most remarkable fact about 1t Is
that it accomplishes so much in SO short
time. The moss grows luxuriantly In
the dark hollow, and the lapidescent
quality OF the water has operated year
after year upon the layers Of moss, turn
ing them into q honeycomb OF stone,
and adding to what was first a small
rock, until to-day there is this great
bowlder of petrifed vegetation.
a short time after the moss begins to
grow in tho spring, it commences to
solidify at the roots, and the petrifca-
ton follows closely on the track Of the
growing moss, like tho formation Of
coral on tho work of the coral insects.
AS it progresses, tho dark green
Of the vegetation becomes yellow
ish, then changes to brown and
darkens as the rock grows old
er. Tho moss is not all that
is perpctuated in stone by the action of
the water. Plants, leaves, twigs, every
vegetable substance that has fallen on
the rock and lain there have been i'm
pregnated with and, as by me touch Of
an memorable fate, been turned into
stone by it. Stratum upon stratum Of
the moss stone has grown over them,
and many such objects arc now to be
found Theoretically sealed deep In tho
heart of the rock.
To the mineralogist the rock Isl mine
of treasure and delight. No one ever
chisels into that flinty bowlder without
coming upon leaves and twigs petrifed
among the moss and securing many flno
specimens to rejoice his heart and mako
envious less fortunate mortals. Those
who have visited it thus far say there is
not another such curiosity known in the
world. The people in the neighbor-
hood have long known of the remark
able qualities of this spring. Mr. Will
lam Ellsworth first discovered it nearly
fifty years ago. Then tho rock was ten
feet or more below the spring. Now it
has climbed ur the side Of the bank I'M
til it is partially above the level OF the
spring, and has turned the water of the
little brook that comes down through
the ravine somewhat out of its course.
Mr.. Allsworth and some of his neigh
bors intend to try the experiment Of
fastening frog or some other creature
in such way that the water will have
a chance to act upon it, and see whether
it will FIJI up animal tissue with its min
eral burden rs it has done the vegetable
ones that havo como in continued con-
tact with it. They firmly believe it
will, and there seems little reason to
doubt it.