The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-06
THE GROWING STONE OF NEW CASTLE
A Spring TrickIes Over ~ and Petrihes
Each New Growth OF Moss.
from the P,usburoh Dispatch


New CASTLE, Juno 27.-In deep. dark ra.
vino, fow miles. from this city, In North
Beaver township Lawrence county IL nhe-
Fifty H years ago OF when It was nrst noticed an
Inverted wooden pail would almost cover H.
n Td taen rs tsa sr or ors in creumierence aud
weighing not less than fifty tons; During tho
summer months 1t Is covered WIN uehse. rich
moss two or three inches deep, through which
the water from n spring trickles continually.
The wonder maker Is the little, spring. so
dipped from 1t would drain 1t dry. But i works
in n manner very different from the dripping
S,ons in IN VIII GHFT9 and Tes It's
ders In stalagmtos and stalactites.,
The outer formation OF this rock has limo
Ctone appearance, but once remove the NOSE
and chisel into the gritty. surface and the real
beauty and pecultarity OF the rock is seen. A
discovered, and about the coils Is stone as hard
as RdRmant. On cutting further in, this cell
like substance Is found to continue, but It
seems to have been transformed into trans
This remarkable petrifactlon has boen
spring. upon the moss. The water seems to
have tho singular properly OF turning into
S Wh f Gy any e nst Is Of Eas
acid taste. and Is doubtless heavily charged
with mineral snbstanees aI'ho rh thus , lar
marRable fact about it IL that It accn%m-
rishes so much in SO, short z time. Tho
and the lapldescent quality of the water
has operated year after year upon the layers
stohe o and t addng t to What was at rst
rock, until to-day there Is this great boulder OF
mences to 5olidify at the roots, and tho petr-
faction follows closely on the track OF the
tho S work OF the coral Insects. As It progresses
tho dark green OF tho vegetation becomes yei.
llowish,, then changes to brown and darkens as
The moss is not all that is perPetuated in
stone blythe action Of tho wafer. PlantS leaves
twgs, every vegetable substance that has iall-
en- on tho rock and lain there has boen Inn reg-
mated with It, and. as by the touch Of on mex
tum upon stratum OF the moss stone has grown
over them and many such objects are now to
be found Dramatically sealed deep In the heart
To tho mlneraloRist the rock ia a, mine
treasure and delight. No one ever ehlselt Into
and twiHs petrlfed among the moss and secur.
Ing many fine specimens to rejoice his h eth
d So SySg eis ar ssy Gers
not another such curiosity known IN the word:
Tho people in tho neighborhood have long
spring. SIR, William AlIsworth first discover
ed it nearly fifty years ago. Then the rock was
climbed UP the side OF the bank until II is par
italy above the level Of the spring ana has
turned tho water OF the little brook that comes
down the ravino somewhat out OF Its course.
Mr.. Answorlh and some OF his neighbors in
tend to try the experiment OF fastening frog
water will have q chance to act upon II, ard see
whether 1t will I'll up animal tissues with Its
mineral burden as 1t has done the vegetable
ones that have come in continued contact with
1t. Thoy firmly believe it will. and there seems
little reason to doubt 1t.
It has buiided have been little known outside
the Immediate neighborhood. The little ra-
vino where it is situated puts down through
rough and broken country near tho Beaver
River and the wonder is difficult OF access:
This comparative inaccessibiity has saved 1t
In In Dn raids
tiers and prevented the accumulations from
being greatly disturbed.
Now and then tho curious have visited Il
and specimens of the strange formation have
been carried of. but the boulder shows no np-
parent diminution. The wltor still works Its
miracle OF uetrifaction, and will douttlc- 8
continue to do so as long rs it has chance to
act upon any living tissue.