The Portland daily press., 1900-10-05
A QUEER HILL.
Ice Forms There i'm Summer and Not in
Winter
philadelphia Press.)


Coudersport, Sept. 3O.-Brief mention
has been recently made in several news
papers concerning an ice cave, or ice
mine which Ehas been discovered about
four miles southeast of this place.
About four years ago William O'NeilI,
a mineraIogist, of Potter County, felt
convinced that he.couId find silver lode
on the farm Of John r. Dodd. located in
Sweden Valley. Consulting with Farmer
Dodd, who is also a merchant and at
present the postmaster at Sweden Valley,
an agreement was reached, giving the
prospector privilege to begin operations.
The matter was kept a profound secret
between the two men, and O'Neill for
time worked only at night.
An excavatI on sixteen feet square was
dug through the broken rock on the east
side OF the hill on Dodd's farm. Numer-
GUS curiosities in the form Of rock and
bones were found in the earth which
O'Neill dug out. One of these curiosi-
ties is the elbow bone of human being.
1t was found sixteen feet below the
point where the original excavation be-
gan. Among other discoveries made
were petrit1ed piokerel head in almost
it's natural shape and size, numerous
petritied clams imprints of fern leaves
and other vegetation, all OF which are
now on eXhi bition at the ice mine.
During the summer months, within
six inches from the top surface, chunks
of ice, mixed with the rock and scanty
soil, were found. MineraIogist o NELL
found that the farther be delved into the
side OF this hill during the summer
months the colder became the atmOs-
phere, and the hotter the weather outside.
Less than three years ago Dodd and
Mr. o. Nelll determined to delve deeper
into the mystery, and, accordingly, start
ed a shaft eight feet square and dug
! down seventeen feet deeper than the
original excavation. a portion of this
work was done during the winter months
and no Inconvenience was experienced in
any way whatever. During July and
August, two years, ago the work was
continued. and by the time the delivers
reached thirty four feet in all from the
! top it became so cold that it was impossi-
BILE to remain in the cave any length of
time, and the further progress of work
| had to be suspended,
During the hottest days in August ice
ormS on the sides of the cave, ranging in
thickness from one inch to over four
feet. On the Sides it clings in bunones
11k6 uuR0 bbdldCblbSS IN an ordinary cave.
But perhaps the strangest part of the
phenomenon is that it is only during the
summer that cold prevails in this mine
or that Ice forms. This period extends
from May to October each year, while
during the remaining six months not q
particle Of ics can be found abeut the
place, Repeated tests have been made,
and it has been demonstrated to the sat-
1sfactton Of the most skepticaI that such
articles as potatoes and other vegetables,
as we'll as live snakes, placed in the
cavity on the evening OF any extremely
hot summer day and left there during
the night were taken out the next morn
ing frozen. Other tests have been made
with vegetables during the cOldest winter
weather. They were kept in the plac:
Tor weeks at time, and when taken oui
they were as we'll preserved as thOuph
they had been stored in the warmest c9I-
lar, thus proving that the place is moder
ately warm during the coldeSts weather
and excessively cold during the hottest
periods.
During the hottest summer day, when
the visitor steps through the outside door
the cold current of air coming from the
mine turns mis- breath into q dense mist
AT the northeast corner of the bottom o1
the mine was found hole about si1
Inches square, from whence issues by fa1
the larger portion OF the cold air current
1t is impossible to hold a lighted match
or other flame near this opening.
The impression prevails among scien.
lists who have carefully examined the
place and It's surroundings that large
cave or cavern exists underneath this icc
mine. Residents of the neighborhood
assert with positiveness that on FREQUENT
occasions within their recollection durins
the winter months they heard what al
first sounded like the rumblings of dis
tant thunder, accompanied Oy q might,
roar OF wind. Although this occurred
frequently many years before this ict
mine was discovered, 1t was ALWAYS con.
sldered what the inhabitants termed
winter thunder but now they fee
satisfied that the rumbling and roar d
wind was from within the earth. In fact
they recall often having been able K
Leel the ground on which they stool
tremble to perceptible degree.
NxcusabIe.