The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-09-05
A Spring Trickies ovcr 1t and Petrifes
Each New Growth of Moss.

Spring Trickies over It ana fetFines
Each New Growth of Moss.
In deep, dark ravine, in North Beaver
township, Lawrence county, is q phe-
nolnenon in the shape of growing rock.
Fifty years ago, when it was first noticed,
an inverted wooden pail would almost
cover it. Today it is a great bowlder,
ten feet in height and fifteen feet or
more in circumference, and weighing
not less than fifty tons. During the sum-
mer months 1t Is covered with dense,
rich moss two or three inches deep,
through which the water from spring
triclles continually.
The wonder maker is the little spring,
SO small at this season that few pals OF
water dipped from it would drain 1t dry.
But it works in manner very different
from the dripping water in caves that
carries a burden Of limestone in solution
with it, and leaves its wonders in stall
agmites 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-
ered and about the cells Is stone as hard
as adamant. On cutting further in, this
cell-hke 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 &C
composites 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, turning them
into honeycomb of stone, and adding
to what was at first a small rock, until
today there is this great bowlder Of petri-
fed vegetation. A short time after the
moss begins to grow 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 yellow
ish, then changes to brown. and darkens
as the rock grows older.
The moss is not all that is perpetuated
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 mex
orable fate, been turned into stone by it.
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 f1inty bowlder without
coming upon leaves and twigs petrified
among the moss and securing many fine
speciments to rejoice his heart and make
enyious 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 neighborhood have
long known of the remarkable qualities
of this spring. Mrs. William AllswortI
first discovered it nearly fifty years ago
Then the rock was ten feet or more be
low the spring. Now it has climbed vi
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 ont OF
its course.
Mr.. Allsworth and some of his neigh
bors intend to try the experiment of fas
tening frog or some other creature il
such way that the water will have a
chance to act upon it, and see whether
it will fill Up animal tissues with it;
mineral burden as it has done the vege
table ones that have come in continued
contact with it. They firmly believe il
will, and there seems little reason tc
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 bro
ken country near the Beaver river, ant
the wonder is difficult of access. Thii
comparative iliacccssibility has saved i
in large measure from the raids of relic
hunters, and proven =; the accumula
tons from being greatly disturbed.
Now and then the curious have visited
it, and of late IL few biologists hav,
studied it, and specimens of Tie strange
fo1 nation have been carried off, but the
bofTlder shows no apparent diminution
Thu water still works its miracle of pet
rifcation, and will doubtless continue t
do so as long as it has II chance to act
upon any living tissue. New Castle Cor