Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-06-21
THE WONDERFUL FORMATION
In Silver Springs, Located Six Miles
from Ocala, Fla.


this spring is the extraordinary trans-
larency Of the water, in this respect
SURPRISING anything which can be
imagined. All Of the intrinsic beau
ties which are invested in 1t, as well
as the wonderful optical properties
which popular reports have ascribed
TO It's waters, are directly or Indirect
ly referable to their almost>perfect
diaphanity. On a clear, calm day,
after the sun 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 beauti-
full beyond description and we'll CAL
culated to produce a powerful inn
preston upon the imagination. Every
picture and conf1guration OF the bot
tom of this gigantic basin Is as dis
tinctly visible as If the water was re-
moved and atmosphere substituted
In It's place. The shadows Of our lit
tie glass-bottom boat, Of overhanging
heads and hats, Of projecting crags
and logs Of the surrounding forest,
and Of the vegetation at the bottom,
were distinctly and sharply defined,
while the constant waving of the
slender and delicate moss-like algae.
by means Of the currents created by
the boiling up Of the water and the
swimming Of numerous fish above
the miniature sub-aquaous forest,
impaired living reality to the scene
which can never be forgotten. And
II we add to this picture, already
sufficiently striking, those objects be-
meath the surface Of the water, when
viewed obliquely, we're fringed with
rrismatic hues, we shall cease to be
surprised at the mysterious phenom-
ena with which vivid Imagination has
invested this enchanting spring, as
we'll as the wonderful properties Of
Its waters.
On bright day the beholder seems
TO be looking down from lofty airy
point on fairy scene in the immense
basin beneath him-a scene whose
beauty and magical effect Is vastly
enchanting by reason Of the chroma-
tic tints with which it is invested.
Florida should see that every man,
woman and child in the State be ac-
quainted with this wonderful forma-
ton and the beautiful colorings in
the bed Of these springs. And the
trip down "Silver River" is some
thing that no resident Of Florida, or
tourist who visits the State, should
miss. The most Wonderful thing
about Silver Springs is the many
rooms or springs, ranging from ten
inches to eighteen feet wide, through
the solid rock, and each one from
thirty-eight 20 ninety feet deep. And
all are named--Jacob's Well, The
Ladies' Parlor, The Shell Room and
The lFlorida Snow Storm, 'etc. The
shell room Is about fifteen feet across
and the volume Of water coming up
from below Is about eight feet wide,
and the white shells are kept in a
whirl all the time. The ladies' par
lor is about as large as the she'll
room, with all kinds Of moss fringes
covering the walls. Added to this,
there are all kinds Of ferns, flowers
and vines looped together as COM
pletely as II done by deft fingers.
The Florida snow storm room is al
most square, 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 as
TO send this white substance all over
the room and almost to the top. It
is as white as the drifting snow-in
fact, 1T looks exactly like a real snow
storm.
In going from one room to another
in this spring the water is not over
four or five feet deep. I am sure the
whole formation In this spring is q
solid rock. Nature has a thousand
ways and means Of rising above her.
self, but incomparably the noblest
manifestations Of her capability Of
formation and color Is in this won
der Of wonders.
There are nine Of these rooms,
which range from thirty-five to ninety
feet deep. Some Of the most wonder.
full formations are here--formation
that can be seen in no other body OF
water. The Bridal Chamber is the
most beautiful, think. After going