The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-06-03
A SPONTANEOUSLY MOVING STONE BALL.

ion, Ohio, there is monument which
has attracted great deal of attention
for some time. It consists of large
stone ball, 36 inches in diameter, rest
ing upon a heavy pedestal. This
ball is slowly turning upon its base,
revolving upon a horizontal axis
in a direction from north to south,
presumably by the action of the suns
rays.
The monument was erecteda a num-
Der of years ago by Mr.. c. B. Mer-
chant, a local banker, but it was turn
ing until the spring Of 1904, when the
cemetery employees noticed that it had
apparently shifted little. Since that
time it has been watched and meas
ured repeatedly and it is established
beyond question that the stone is turn
ing continually.
The ball was never securely fasten-
ed to the base, but there was an un-
polished spot set in socket, and it
was supposed that the friction of the
two rough surfaces would be sufficient
to prevent any displacement. At the
present time, however, the rough spot
is nearly half way to the top on the
north side, and has moved over FIVE
inches since the first of August.
There is very little chance for the per-
petration of hoax in connection with
this interesting phenomenon, as the
ball weighs 1900 pounds, and would
require extensive machinery to move
it.
A number of theories have been adj
vanced to account for the cause or this
natural phenomenon. State Geo.
logist Edward Orton, Jr., in letter
to a member of the cemetery associa-
tion, says that the rotary movement
is probably due to two causes. First
the ball becomes more heated than
the heavy base, and consequently ex-
pands more, giving rise to slight
creeping. The ensuing contraction
might not be sufficient to take up the
displacement caused by the heat in
the earlier part of the day. Second
ly, we may regard the circumference
of the sphere as lengthening out on
one side, and giving rise to pulling
stress between the ball and base upon
which it rests.
Prof. Becker, one of the head ply
sicists of the Geological Survey, and
Prof. Gilbert, who is probably the
most prominent geologist in the Sur
vey, bave been consulted upon this
question, but without very satisfactory
results. Both were uncertain as to
the cause of the rotation of the sphere
save that there could be no boubt that
it is attributable to the action of the
suns rays. Prof. Becker said that
if rotation were from south to north,
instead of being as stated by our CORES
pondent from north to south he could
more easily understand the case, for
then expansion of the sphere itself
would be on the south side chiefly, so
that leverage would be applied on that
side, which might raise the ball there
causing it to slip downward cores
pondingly on the north side. Prof.
Gilbert suggested that there might be
difference between the cap-shaped
socket and the sphere, with cores
pondingly imperfect fit and unequal
friction OH the two sides.
A large evergreen tree stands not
far from the monument, and apparent
ly directly to the south of it. 1t has
been suggested that the monument is
thus partly shaded at times, or for a
portion Of the day, and that there is
some connection between this fact and
the rotation. At present, dispite all
these theories, there seems to be no
satisfactory explanation and the phe-
nomenon will probably remain unex-
planned until it has been under close
scientific observation for a lengthy
period of time.-.Se1entjfc Ameyioan.