Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-08-02
Mammoth Cave-Its origin, Owners
and Hfstory--A Curious VIII story.
Correspondence of the Courier.J ournal.l

Correspondence Of the Courier-J Journal.l
MAMMOTH CAVE. July %. 1863.
Mammoth Cave was originally the prop
erty of - lakewood (believed to have
been the progenitor of the family of that
name now residing in the vicinity of
Richmond, Madison county,, who at
some time previous to the war of 1872
the precise date not known-sold it to
!, Messrs. Gratz and Wilkins, of Lexing-
ton. During the war of 1872, these gen.
tlemen used the cave for the manufacture
of saltpetre, and it is probable that it
had been used for that purpose previous.
ly, as Messrs. G. and w. entered upon
the work Immediately upon securing
possession of it. With the close of the
war, the production Of "villainous salt
petre" ceasing to be profitable, Grstz
and Wilkins disposed of the property
to Mr.. Franklin CORN, now of Bowling
Green, who first opened it to the public
as place worthy of resort, though with
but few visitors and consequently limited
pecuniary success. Gorin in turn sold
out TO DR.. John Croghsn, of Locust
Grove, near Louisville, who continued the
business inaugurated by Franklin Gorin,
!. e., keeping it open for public visitation
as the greatest and most wonderful nat
ural curiosity in the known world. DR..
Croghan, dying without children, and
having, during his European travels, been
greatly prepossessed with the entailment
laws which he there found in operation,
he devised this property to his nine
nephews and nieces by q will equally re-
markable for the succinctness and lucidity
of its provisions and its singularity.
Under this will three trustees we're named,
only one of whom, j. R. Underwood,
accepted the trust, and who has since
managed the property.
By the provisions Of this remarkable
testamentary document, the trustee is
required to lease the hotel property for
terms not exceeding five years, and to
keep an agent to receive "csve fees
Chat lie, fees charged for exhibiting the
cave), whose duty it should be to provide
guides, lamps, oil, and all things neces-
sary to the safe and satisfactory exhibit
tion of the property, the profits accruing
from all sources to be divided, after de.
frayiug all expenses, in equal proper
lives. After the death of ell the nine
nephews and nieces, the trustee was di-
rected to sell the property and divide the
proceeds among the children of said
nephews and nieces.
Some of the devisees being much
younger than the trustee it is more than
probable that he will die before some of
them, in which case he was authorized to
appoint a successor with like powers TO
carry into effect the wishes of the testator.
Such briefly is the nature of this sim
gular will, the stringent provisions of
which have rendered it impossible to i'm
prove the property, as would otherwise
have been done. Propositions have been
made to erect magnificent hotel, with
all the modern improvements, costing
800, 900, provided they could obtain a
lease for twenty years, but, this being
impossible under the will, fell through.
The requirements that the income
shall Se annually divided between the de-
visees has equally prevented improve
ment. But for this | doubt not that
Mammoth Cave would be TO day, as it
should be, the most popular and the
most extensively patronized place of re-
sort in the United States or the world.
Given for the Cave the facilities of access
and the convenisuces of Saratoga, aided
and assisted by judicious advertisement
(which last, by the way, it does not have
even to limited degree, because they
now have more than they can accommo-
date during the season), aud Baden
Baden, With sll its gambling and other
fast attractions, would not hsve a greater
crowd. In proof of which assertion ]
would mention the arrival to-day of l22
guests. L'EsTRASGE.