The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-05-13
NATURAL IcK CAVE At DEcoRAn, IowI

W. Ltst HEX N Co.. DAILY Der !Jenskysf.
NATURAL IcE CAVE At DKcOaAs. IOWA.
In company with Is. Frank Jones,
Esq, Editor OF the Decorah Republi.
can, visited this great aud singulsr
natural curiosity. The mouth 0i the
cave is at the loot OF high ledge OF
limestone rock set in high Lluff or
bank OF the Upper Iowa River, north
I'll the town. Tie entrance to the
cave is from the side Of the hill, about
forty feet above the level vl the river.
An opening about ten feet high and
some Sin or eight teet wide, forms the
entrance. which dcscenis into the
rock at an angle ef about lorty five
degrees.
The extreme length OF this cave has
never yet been explored. but it has
been p.sctratci TO distance OF three
hundred feet in various directions. -
In the winter season this cave is warm
and dry, but in the summer, fall and
spring it is bitterly cold, and the tenn
perature oi cold increases To an almost
insuppor'a able extent rs il is penetra-
ted to a longer distance. In the warm
season, vast icicles are formed in this
cave by the continual drippings from
the top and the sides, and in sufficient
quantities to supply large city. At
any time in the spring summer and
fall, any one with little labor could
cut down several tons of the purest
crystal ice in y day, aud just ~ soos
almost AS il is taken out, il is replac d
ny fresh ice. At party held On the
side Of the hill bs the Decorah people
on the Fourth Of July last, over eigh
~ barrels of fine solid ice were taken
out, aud scarcely an impression WAS
made on the quantity in the cave.
The most singular feature of the
cave 10, that the hotter the
weather becomes outside. the more
intensely cold the atmosphere becomes
IN the cave Persons going into the
cave in the warm season are obliged
To put on the heaviest clothing, and
even then become badly chilled.
Can any philosopher OF Dubuque
or other cities explain this great phc.
nomena oi naturef u So, let Us hear
their explanations.
Deeorah will ut least al says have
the luxury Of plenty 0. fine ice, with.
cut any trouble to lay il IN.
puuuque Herald II. c. H..
Locomotive ExpEgiENcE -Ridin.
on the engine Of express train is cx
citing business. We made intcrccs
sion with the powers that l.e, the otl,
or day, and secured passage Tor the
distance ~ ten miles on the machine.
III interesting to watch the track
shes,l, anil imagine yourself going
down the banks from some olstruc
tion. You look at the steam guagc
aud wonder il y hundred and ten
pounds oi steam Is "A sale quantity -
As the speed increases, the sway vi
the engine attracts especial notice. -
Every little roughness VI the track ID
felt, aud the machine goes knocking
about from side to side, with force
enough 10 tear the rails from the ties
The Flat ribbon of rail, extending ~
lar before you, seems utterly Insult
cient to hold the vast, ponderous
weight oi iron upon il. For relici
from the teri ors yon have cujurci up,
you turn to the enginecr and venture
u remark. lie does not look around
his hand is ON the lever, his eye
steadily ON the track. Jus, then the
fireman rings the hell for = crossing
lou can see il swing, but in the crash
and thunder Vi your progress you hear
no sound, and then you think that the
engineer perhaps did not hear your
voice.
The fireman is constantly busy -
He piles up the wood in easy .listsncs
and then stokes As the dry sticks
are cast in the furnace, the devoui ins
fame seixcs theun with fierce avidity
eats into their substance, penetrates
their pores, and tears them 10 pieces
almost in = moment. II is Nm awful
fire, unlike any you ever witnessed.
You take another look at the TRACK
and gaiu new sensation, for wher
ever the rail is little settled the en-
gine sinks down upon it, and it seemi
= ii the wheels aud trucks were Civ
ing way, and the whole machine .
bout b. crush down in one fatal smasl
up.
These aredaylight observations, bu
the night 10 the time to enjoy . loco
motive ride. The light from the en-
gine lamp extends only Tor two o
three rails iorward--bcyond that d
ID darkness, aud you 40 plung;ng o.
into the black unseen before ypa, With
out the least possibility of u tosswsrn
ing Of any danger. You can - th'
switch lights, or that ol another loco
motive, but a log or drunken mai
may l,e on tho truck, o, = rail ma
be broken, AID you none the wise
until with one tremendous crash yol
,neet your doom upon It.
Buffalo Commercial Advertiser.