The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-08-27
A BOULDER THAT GROWS.
APAIL COULD COVER 1T ONCE, BUT
NOW 1T IS TEN FEET HIGH.

NS W \ 40 4AzEN II LIZA AAANHas
odd Properties of Spring Which
Trickles Over it and Petrifles Ev-
erything Touched by the Water.
In deep, dark ravine, few miles
from New Castle, Penn, is phenomenon
in the shape of a growing rock. Fifty
years ago, when 1t was first noticed, an
inverted wooden pail would almost cover
it. To-day 1t is great boulder, ten feet
in height and fifteen feet or more in, cir
conference, 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 the
water from spring trickles continually.
The wonder maker is the little spring,
so small at this season that few pals of
water dipped from it would drain it dry.
But it works in manner very different
from the dripping water in caves that
carries burden of limestone in solution
with it, and leaves its wonders in stalag-
mites and stalactites.
The outer formation Of this rock has a
limestone appearance, but once remove
the moss and chisel into the gritty sur
face, and the real beauty and popularity
of the rock is seen. A cellular forma-
ton, like mammoth sponge, is discov-
cred, 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.
This remarkable petrifaction has been
wrought by the action of the water from
the spring upon the moss. The water
seems to have the singular property of
turning into stone everything that is
brought in contact with it for any length
of time. 1t has an acid taste, and is
doubtless heavily charged with mineral
substances, although thus far it has never
been analysed. The most remarkable
fact about it is that it accomplishes so
much in SO short n time. The moss grows
luxuriantly in the dark hollow, and the
lapidescent quality of the water has
operated year alter year uron the layers
of moss, turning them into honeycomb
of stone, and adding to what was at first
n small rock, until to-day there is this
great boulder of petrifed vegetation. A
in the spring it commences to solidify at
the roots, and the petrifaction follows
closely on the track of the growing moss
like the formation of coral on the work
of the coral insects. AS it progresses
the dark green of the vegetation becomes
yellowish, then changes to brown, and
darkens as the rock grows older.
The 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 has been impregnated with it,
and, as by the touch of an inexorable
fate, been turned into stone by 1t.
Stratum upon stratum of the moss stone
has grown over them, and many such
objects are now to be found Theoretically
sealed deep in the heart of the rock.
To the mineralogist the rock is mine
of treasure and delight. No one ever
chisels into that flinty boulder with
out coming upon leaves and twigs
petrifed among the moss and securing
many fine specimens to rejoice his heart
and make envious less fortunate mortals.
Those who have visited it thus far say
there is not another such cusIosity known
in the world.
The people in the neighborhood have
long known of the remarkable qualities
of this spring. Mr.. William Allsworth
first discovered it nearly fifty years ago.
Then the rock was ten feet or more be-
low the spring. Now it has climbed up
the side of the bank until it is partially
above the level of the spring, and has
turned the water of the little brook that
comes down the ravine somewhat out of
| its course.
Mr.. Allsworth and some of his neigh
bors intend to try the experiment of
fastening a frog or some other creature
in such way that the water will have a
chance to act upon it and see whether
it will fill up animal tissues with its
mineral burden as it has done the Vege-
table ones that have come in continued
contact with it. They firmly believe it
WILL and there seems little reason to
doubt it..
Heretofore the spring and the wonder
full rock it has builded have been little
known outside the immediate neighbor-
hood. The little ravine where it is stu
ated puts down through rough and
broken country near the Beaver River,
and the wonder is difficult of access.
This comparative inaccessibility has
saved it in large measure from the raids
of relic hunters and prevented the ac-
cumulations from being greatly dis
turbed.
Now and then the curious have
visited it, and of late a few geologists
have studied it, and specimens of the
strange formation have been carried off,
but the boulder shows no apparent dimi-
mutton. The water still works its
miracle of petrifaction, and will doubt
less continue to do so as long as it has
chance to act upon any living tissue