The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-09-03

cO0l burned our IrOfn D6ueoSn tno cinys
nov baked into scorin and melted into Gin
ders, It broke into small divisions and fall
promiscuously down into the pits thus
formed. Volcanic ash Is found scattercd
over tho Little Wolf mountains and the
eastern portion of Montana. Il must have
drifted with the wind from powerful erup-
lions In tho Rocky mountains, a. there are
no indications of any volcanic action In
the vicinity Of the ice well. The Little
Wolf mountains are merely o rough range
Of buttes apparently Of the Same origin a.
all the bad Land buttes. Their SUBMITS,
towering above all the ether buttes, have
given them the name Of mountains, but
they arc only Of slightly over 1000 fest a.
titude. II leo were to be put into tho well
during the winter, It would keep through
out the summer nearly as well as Il stored
away in ordinary icehouses. By chance na-
ture has formed almost the identical con-
ditions that man has mnde uso Of to pro
serve Ice throughout the hot weather. Tho
shaft is the cavity in which to store tho
Ice. The volcanic ash, filling into the open
space between the loosely piled rock, serves
tho purpose of sawdust In keeping out tho
warm drafts Of air. Tho altitude and tho
north slope are favorable to the preservs-
ton Of tho Ice. Tall, dense forest prevents
the heating Of the surface rock by the d.
rect rays Of tho sun. Tho rocks are too
porous for the water to soak up, 20 to
speak, from beneath. The facts are that In
many places near the tops Of the buttes,
ON the sides where the rocks have fallen
loosely together, they arc perfectly dry for
many feet below the surface, being mois-
tened by the winter snow and rain a. u
may fall and run down from above.
During tho winter the well Il nearly
filed with snow. Enough water from ths
carly spring rains finds its way through
between tho rocks to mix with tho snow
and freeze into ono solid mass Of Ice. The
ice In tho well 10 formed by the cold Of
the winter season, bus docs not begin 70
form somstimes till tho winter is half
gone.
In turn, IL Is melted by tho heat Of tbs
summer, but does not begin to melt until
tho summer is half over. In the early
part of tho GUNNER 1t is still freezing In
the well, and during tho hrst half Of the
winter IL L. still melting. Tho well acts
a q refrigerator. Il receives the heat
Gowly and then gives 1t Of Just as slowly.
II the earth received and gave Of heat
readily, tho hottest weather would bo In
Juno and tho coldest In December-in
facs, the seasons follow nearly month
behind tho sun.
Il Il o fact that II ON ahot day you walk
RAPIDLY into tho cave to where the loo Is 70
feels as though o strong current Of cold
air were blowing against your faoe. The
sensation is 80 decidedly real that is 70
ouires careful demonstration TO prove 10
the contrary, and even then 1t almost
seems as though tho demonstration has
been o mistake. 1t can be easily tested BY
using smoke, or better still, rafhsf
heavy colored glass. Again, II one should
stand without the entrance to the cave ON
a very warm day near enough to feel any
draft that may be stirring, mono can be
felt coming from tho cave. II ons should
stand directly above the Ice well on hot,
still day, even putting the face down to
tho very opening into the well. no upward
drsft of COOL air can be felt, but 60 down
into the well and ono would state positive
" that there was IN upward draft Of sx-
tremely cold air.-Boston Advertiser.