Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-07-28
The Wonderful Formations in
Silver Springs.

Silver Springs.
The most remarkable and interest
ing phenomena presented by this
spring is truly the extraordinary
transparency of the water, in this
respect surprising anything which
can be imagined. All of the intrinsic
beauties which are invested in it as
we'll as the wonderful optical proper
ties which popular reports have as
cribed to it's waters, are directly or
indirectly referable TO their almost
perfect diaphanity. On a clear and
dalm day, after the u has obtained
sufficient altitude, the view from the
side of the small glass-bottom boat
floating on the surface of the water
near the center of the head spring, is
beautiful beyond description, and
well calculated to produce a powerful
impression upon the Imagination.
Every picture and coniguration of
the bottom of this gigantic basin is
as distinctly visible as if the water
was removed and atmosphere substi-
tuted in its pltce.
The shadows Of our little boat, of
over-hanging heads and hats, of pro-
|jecting crags and logs of the sur
rounding forest, and of the vegeta-
ton at the bottom were distinctly
and sharply defined; while the con-
slant waving of the slender and del
|icate moss-like algae, by means OF the
currents created by the boiling up of
the water and the swimming of num-
erous fish above the miniature SUBJ
aqeous forest impaired a living real
ity to the scene which can never be
forgotten. And if we add to this pic
ture, already sufficiently striking,
those objects beneath the surface Of
the water, when viewed obliquely,
were fringed with the prismatic hues,
we shall cease to be surprised at the
mysterious phenomena with which
vivid imaginations have invited this
enchanting spring, as well as the won
derful properties of it's waters.
On a bright day the beholder seems
to be looking down from some lofty
airy point on a fairy scene in the i'm
mense basin beneath him; a scene
whose beauty and magical effect is
vastly enchanted by the chromatic
ltints with which it is invested.
Florida should see that every man,
woman and child in the United States
is acquainted with this exquisite
beauty of the wonderful formations
and the beautiful colorings in thesbed
of these springs; and the trip down
Silver River is something that no res
|ident of Florida or tourist who Wis
its the state should miss. ~
The most wonderful thing about
Silver Springssis the many rooms OF
springs ranging from ten to eighteen
feet wide, through the solid rock, and.
each one from thirty-eight to ninety
fleet deer. They are all named-Ja-
cob's Well, the Ladies' Parlor, the.
Shell Room and the Florida Snow
storm. The Shell Room is about four
teen feet across, the volume of wa
ter coming up from below is about
eight feet wide and the white shells
are kept in a whirl all the time. The
Ladies' Parlor is about as large as
the Shell Room, with all kinds of
moss fringes covering the walls. Add
ed to this there are all kinds of ferns,
flowers and vines looped together as
completely as if done by deft fin
gers. The Florida Snow-storm room
is almost square, about eighteen feet
across and ninety feet deep. In the
%crevices of the rock at the bottom,
something like white chalk is boiling
up, and the water comes with such
force az to send this white substance
all over the room, and up almost to
the top. It is as white as the drifting
snow, in fact it looks exactly like a
snow storm I have seen in the noun
tains. In going from n room to an
other in this spring the water is not
over four feet deep. I am sure the
whole formation in this spring is a
solid rock.
AS I have stated before, the spring
is as large as a city block. There are
nine of these springs, or rooms, which
range from thirty to sixty feet apart,
and from forty to ninety feet deep.
.. .uopdarfu fOrmQ-I