The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-28
WONDERFUL WATER.
Spring that Turns Moss and Frogs into
Stone.

"A spring that Turns Moss ana Frogs into
Stone.
North Beaver township, says the New
Castle (Pa.) Guardian. is the possessor of a
wonderful phenomenon, which heretofore
has never been chronicled in the newspa-
pers. This is no less than veritable grow
ing rock. Not a boulder with roots deep in
the ground and branches that reach out into
the air, but one which has in half century
sprung from diminutive, lapideous sub
stance that patent bucket could cover to
one that would weigh fifty tons or more.
This remarkable curiosity is in deep ra-
vine. through which ripping cascade,
known as Leonard's Run, gurgles
its winding way through pre-
cipitous country to the Bea-
yer River. The rock is about one mile and
Cling houses known as West Moravia, on
the Erie and Pittsburg railroad, about six
miles south of New Castle, and is situated
on the farm of w. s. McGinnis. 1t pre-
sents to the view Of the curiosity seeker II
strong precipice about 10 feet in height and
some 10 feet in circumference. cropping out
OF the high bank of the ravine. It is coy
cred in places to depth of or inches
with deposit of dense moss at this time of
the year, and dripping wet from the con-
tents of spring at the summit which
trickle down over it. At the first view no
one would take it for anything but forma-
tlon which contained considerable lime
gritty. surface after the moss is re-
phosis reveals itself. Under the outer layer.
which hrs been hardened by contact with
the air, it is discovered that the substance
is honeycombed like a mammoth sponge,
call
as adamant. Dig further in, and this cell
ular substance continues, but it seems to
have been calcined into translucent tint.
There are tons upon tons of this, and it is
as heavy as granite, yet every
ounce of it is undoubtedly petrified moss
and other vegetable matter. The explana-
ton of this wonderful petrifaction is
found in the spring which saturates it. The
spring, which at this season of the year
would be drained dry if a couple of pals of
water were taken from it, has the singular
quality OF turning every vegetable-and for
all that is known to the contrary fish or ami
n s ssone This anss apaesoe nas' qu aRGp
of the water has year after year
operated upon the layers of moss which
have accumulated on what was once
small bowlder, until the present conglom-
Grafton of rock is the result. The moss
grows very rapidly and profusely in the
:
and the rock has added to itself, month
after month, and year after year, like
rolling SNOWFALL, until it is now one huge
mass of petrified vegetation. The water
which produced this has slightly acid
taste, not unlike that of some of the cele-
brated medicinal syringe. It's action is re-
complishes. In but few days after the
moss begins to grow it commences to solid
lily at the roots and the petrifcation fol-
lows Immediately in the track of the
growth. changing the dark green of the
herb in its progress to color resembling
balmed in this manner, but plants, leaves,
twigs and other vegetable matter are inn
pregnated with the memorable fluid, con-
verified into stone, and strata upon strata
placed over them until they are hermetie
ally sealed up in the interior. When the
geological explorer, with his hammer and
these strong twigs, leaves, ETC., and thus is
his heart rejoiced by adding many fine spec
linens to his collection. The persons living
in the vicinity have such confidence in the
petrifying qualities of the spring that, by
way of experiment., some of them are going
to fasten frogs in such way that the
water will drip over them and turn them
into stone. The first to discover the spring
and its singular properties was William
Ellsworth, who saw it fifty-three years ago,
At that time Mr.. Ellsworth AYERS the rock
to which such accommodations have been
made since by petrlflcation was only cou-
pie of feet high and with width of about
the same. Then it was ten or more feet
Immediately below the spring; now it has
climbed up the embankment until it is
above it a couple of feet and has turned the
waters course. Biologists who have visited
it say that such another curiosity can not
be found in the country. Although many
q 3npoo nf fEn forp, hnxy
been carried off it shows but little percepti-
BILE diminution. 1t is saved, no doubt. from
the hands of relic hunters by comparative
inaccessibility and the fact that it's exist
ence is little known outside of the rural
neighborhood in which it it is situated.