Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-03-09
A PRANK OF NATURE.
Ono OF the Strange Sights OF
Long Island
Shelter Rock 10 an Object of Great In
forest to Residents and Visitors
Its Peculiar Position and
Formation.

Nature played some queer pranks
when she formed Long Island. Evil
dences of these are the peculiar TO.
Biography of the island, its still more
peculiar position upon the map, and
its striking outline, which, with its
topography. make it resemble great
leviathan with protruding backbone.
There is in this neighborhood one more
striking freak-a gigantic rock in
place which is, for miles around, al
most totally devoid of stones Of any
kind. This great rock is called Shelter
rock, and is on the road between this
place and Manhasset.
There are some geologists who claim
that Long Island was the result OF Il
great seismic disturbance which shat
tered it from the mainlaud-now Con-
necticut and Rhode Island. Others
hold to the opinion that it was a float
ing mass of lava which settled here
IN the plastic period of the earth.
Shelter rock could owe it's existence
TO either Of these processes. 1t could
have been hurled here from some stony
portion of the country by a power so i'm
mense as to be almost inconceivable.
or it could have fioated here upon q
sea Of lava when the earth was with
out form and void"
William Chester owns the land upon
which this interesting stone stands.
He keeps a stock farm, and his sheep
nse the rock for shelter. 1t was from
this fact that it got it's name. 1t is
about 80 feet high, so feet in width
and rs or 80 feet in length. Upon the
top grow bushes of purple and white
lilacs, twice the height of q man, and
their roots extend down into crevices
In the rock, On its south side 1t shelves
out toward the top, leaving beneath
o sheltered territory where flock of
sheep can find protection during
storm.
There Is on the west surface of the
Iock large hollow niche where a man
could sleep with plenty Of room. Great
cracks, showing the strains which have
been upon it at different ages, radiatc
through 1t in all directions. Liohens
and moss cling to it. Besides the lilac
bushes upon it's top several good-sized
maple trees grow. The roadway from
here to Manhasset passes directly by
the east side of the rock.
There Is but one rock like Shelter
rock in all this region. That is what is
called Kidd's rock, near Sands point,
where, legend says, the great pirate
captain buried some of his much
sought-for treasure. Kidd's rock, how
ever, Is small. Shelter rock has been
for years the subject of much specula-
ton and study. Classes Of students
from St. Paul's school at Garden City
have made a critical study of it. Min
eralogists and geologists from other
institutions have examined It. Among
them was Prof. Reis, of the Columbia
college school of mines, who examined II
In the interest of the Columbia depart
ment of geology and minerlogy.
Those who have dug down in the
earth alongside the big stone have been
unable to reach it's bottom. 1t must
extend downward for many feet; in
fact, 1t is thought that only small part
Of the real stone can be seen. In West
chester county there are many rocks
similar, but none so large. There was
smaller one not far from here, but that
was broken up some years ago to make
stone walls. 1t was once suggested that
Shelter rock, which is of a good quality
of gray stone. be broken up and used
for macadam roads. An engineer was
sent here and made careful measure
ments of the rock. Guessing at Its
depth, he estimated that 1t contained
enough stone to macadamize all the
roads in North Hampstead town and
many more besides. Chester was Of
fered handsome sum for the rock, but
he refused it.
Not only nre there no other big stones
In the neighborhood of Shelter Rock,
except Kidd's rock, but there are but
few stones of any kind. The immediate
neighborhood Is entirely free from
them, but it seems as IL all the
stone thereabout had been solidified in
10 one great mass.
1t has been suggested that the top of
the big stone be leveled off and the rock
used as the foundation for a meeting
hall, or a memorial building of some
kind. This would probably have been
done before were it not for the owners
unwillingness to sell. The old meeting
house formerly used by the Quakers of
this village is but q short distance away,
No one has ever estimated the weight
of Shelter rock, but the number of tons
must be pretty well up in the thousands.
To blast 1t to pieces for road-making or
wall-building would require many
pounds of dynamite.-N. Y. Times.