Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-19
ICE FORMS IN SUMMER.
A Remarkable Phenomenon in Side of
Pennsylvania Hill

a Pennsylvania Hill.
Coudersport pa Corr. New York Tribune.
One of the most remarkable freaks OF
nature to be found in the United States. IL
not In the world. exists about a half hours
rae east OF this place. near little hamlet
known by the name of Sweden Valley 1t
is called the ice cave" Some years ago
while excavations were going on In the
construction of a railroad, a short distance
under the surface of the side hill Ice several
lncheS In thickness was found in crevicas
In the rock in midsummer. Later 1t was
discovered that on large portion Of the
side hill facing the north, along which the
railroad was being built, ice was to be
found only few inches under ground la tie
in the summer
Some persons. thinking the phenomenon
indicated the presence of some sort of min
eral in the locality, began excavations In
tne SIDE NIL. An excavation nearly twenty
feet deep was made directly into the hill
and about ten feet from the surface of the
ground down to the level of the excavation
niiolhg zee ana a peculiar formation of rock
but no evidence of valuable mineral A
shaft was then dug at the back part of the
excavation about eight feet square and
eighteen feet deep AS warm weather came
on ice began to form along the sides of the
shaft from the water which dripped down
the sides of the shaft until the work had
to be abandoned. The singular feature of
the freezing was that on the hottest days,
fastest, some mes an inch or more i'm
day. 1t continued to form until about the
middle or August, when the freezing stop
pea. and by November l the Ice had nearly
an disappeared. There was no appearance
OF Ice again until the following April when.
as the weather began to get warm the ice
again began to form. increasing In thick
ness as the weather grew warmer until
by the middle of July the ice was fully
eighteen inches in thickness in places in
the well or cave. Angleworms. lizards, &C.,
would be frozen into the ice as they at.
tempted to crawl down the surface
This Ice formation extended to within q
few inches of the top of the excavation.
often being several inches thick when the
summer sun was shining directly upon il.
current of cold air is constantly coming
from the mouth Of the excavation in hot
weather, and is greatest on very hot DAYS.
when the outside air is dryest. A thick fog
at times forms over the mouth of the cave.
caused by the cold air coming in contact
with the warm air outside. At the present
time ice is to be found in the cave more
than a foot thick. all OF which has formed
since April last. When the Thermometer
stands at 80 degrees outside. the air in the
cave. only eighteen feet from the surface
stands at the freezing point The sharp
srines of the forming Ice can be seen al
any time in midday or when the sun is
shining outside and the thermometer is at
the highest point 1t reaches in summer
Another remarkable thing Is that the cur
rent Of cold air appears only in warm
weather, ceasfng as the weather gets
colder.
The mayor of one of the large manufac-
turing cities of England visited the place
two years since, and when asked what he
thought OF 1t said: IT am generally cred
tied at home as a truthful man, but il /
went home and told what have seen here
The whole thing is apparently directly con-
trary to nature"