Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-07-24
BIG BONE AND ARCH CAVES

In travelling through the State of Tennessee las,
Ia the editor was induced TO visit those natural Gu
riosites. lhcy are situated ON the Cumberland
Mountain, on the line between the counties of White
and Warren, l3 miles S. W. from M'Aiinnvilc and
| rs from Sparta. The mouth OF the Big Bone is in
W hte and the mouth of the arch is in Warren nbou
hOo Yards apart on the surface, under the surface 10,
they unite) three fouiths of mile. The first named
OF ihese caves was discovered in 1906, and was soou
ai,er soiu ont IN shares for sixty thousand dollars
nc skeleton oil an animal of immense size was found
near the mouth, supposed TO be of the Cat species
y" he ribs of which when placed in the back bone
tie lower end ON the ground. admitted who is
hVe ieet nine inches high walk in the hollow
width OF the ribs between and inches-holIow of
the back bone which contains the marrow between .
ana inches IN dlameer-sockcto of the bone working
III Tie shoulder blade six inches-tusl between and
inches diameter, similar to a dcgs-claw ~ inches
round, and from point to point inches hollow one
inch diameter-weight 10 10 lbs
In tins cave I" was dug up in the salt pctre dirt six
rect DeioW me surface scoup nett made OF bark
Unread, amockason and mat fthe same materials
WIN feathers worked in, presenting good workman
snip, III which mat was contained human bones The
heu mockason and mat nouldered immediately after
exposure To the air. In the left branch of this cave
about 200 yards from the mouth, immense uuan titles
OF leather-winsed bats were seen, and number of
rafs oil unusual size But excrement was found cx-
tending about 800 yards in length from TO 10 feet
deep, and an average offve feet WIDE 10 which fire
was applied several years ago with view of disco
Vering the apertureS of the cave, by the smokc-the
OBJECT was not attained but the fire continued 10 burn
Tor nine months, 10 the great injury of the then pro-
pretors-it finally cxtinguishcd by excluding the
air and smotherng ii.
The Arch Cave was discovered in l9ll-and in +
or years, about 9, 000,00 lbs. salt petre was made
from IT. These Caves were purchased in 1911. by
Colonel Randolph Ross, of Rockbridge county, (Va0
Tor 10000, by whom they still owncd--and in
iuliilIlug contract for powder during the late war
col. H. cleared $4,000 principally by working these
Caves and they yet susceptible OF furnishing salt
petre to almost an incredible amount, should the de-
mand Justify its manufacture.-There are several
branches TO the Big Bone Cave, from one of which
the dirt has been collected for about half a mile-s
branch has been explored several miles three men
We're engaged three days and nights in it, and repre-
sented that they had explored il 10 or IL miles but
col Ross thinks they mistaken rs to the dis
lance, owing TO the difficulty of the passage In ma
ny places the explorer has to crawl for one or two
hundred yards at a time. The curious would be well
rewarded by visiting these Caves-at some places the
ceiling IS as smooth and regular as if art have been
employed, and columns of various shapes and dimen-
sions rising up--rooms branching off, &c
The facts as TO the Bones, Bats, SC saws col Ross
have from three respectable persons, whose vera
city cannot be doubted"
The above hastily sketcheG description of these re-
markable natural curoses is founded partly on pcr-
sonal observation, bat chiefly on notes furnished bv
col Ross himself the proprietor, who is dcscrvedly
distinguished for his enterprise and interchangeable n-
dustry. RgieioH Star