Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-07-25
MAMMOTH CAVE.
A Second Missive- About
the CaVe---A Most Agreeable Re-
sort---FaciIities Established or
Contemplated.

your permission / Will make a second
attempt. The outline was so meager,
and the drapery so stiff and unartistlc,
some apology is due to the gay party,
whose Excursion" it proposed to
portray. Nothing was said of the
pleasantness of the Excursion Car,
which, with the lovely and jocund
faces and merry voices resembled a
well-appointed drawing-rOOm, where
q delightful reunion was progressing.
There was a general disposition to
please and be pleased. Conversation
did not seem ever to flag, and While
exceedingly animated, not once APP
preached the border of the b~Oisterous.
The Well-flled baskets were lavishly
proffered to those who had been less
amply provided, and with a constant
supply of generous ice-water, and
something more eXhilerating, the ami
nation was maintained throughout,
which at first m~anifesting itself in
groupes, became general as the differ
ent parties grew more familiar, until
the whole appeared One vast family
bent on an excursion of pleasure, with
everything like are left behind the
onward-speeding train. Col. Jones
and Capt. Speed, who, by common
consent, as well as by their official
connection with the road, were re-
garded as the guardians of the eXcur-
sion party, left nothing undOne to
make every one feel at home and pro-
vide the most agreeable and ample ac-
commodations for old and young, thus
realizing all the anticipated comforts
and enioyments which had been in
dulged. There was not a discOrdant
vOice-nO children in their nurses
arms being along to mai the harmony
with complaining cry. And thus the
hours swiftly sped, until the coUches
were spread, and each repaired to
gentle dreams, to wake up at the Glas-
cow Junction, where the eXcurslonlsts
debouched, to partake of breakfast
before avaiIing themselves of the IA
cilities provided for reaching the point
of destination. The hotel at the juno
ton was formerly known as Bells"
celebrated stand" which long had
the reputation of being the best
house on the road" between Louis
vile and Nashville. 1t has been pur-
chased by the %prOprietOrs Of the Cave,
and is in thorough repair. Close by
is the ruin, if it may be so called, OF a
large stone structure contemplated for
a splendid hotel, but which never
reared its massive gray walls above
the initial story. What may be done
with the pile in the future, is subject
Of speculation only.
The drive to the Cave was as agree
able as closely packed omnibuses
would permit, the road for the most
part lying in a tOrtuOus avenue of
trees which warded OFF the radiance
of the sun. Occasionally some of the
gentlemen relieved their confined
limbs by peripatizing, and reducing
the tedium of the tramp by plucking
the luscious blackberrieS which hung
in clusters from either side Of the
road. When little more than half
way to the end of the journey, it was
discovered that part of the iron tasten-
ingS of the dOuble-tree of one Of the
ambulances had yielded, and there
was a sudden stop, but no disappoint-
ment was OccasiOned by delay, for, as
if prOvidentially, another ambulance
was seen approaching from the other
direction, and the horses heads hav-
ing been turned, the precious cargo OF
living freight was quickly transferred
and the drive was resumed, after a de-
tention of but q very few minutes.
Nothing else worthy of note occurred
during the two hours interval be-
tween the Junction and the Cave. II
may be well to note here, that the pro-
prietOr of the Cave, with a degree OF
iiberality which will be found of rare
advantage, have reduced the fare from
the Junction to one dollar per paSsen-
GER, which had been three by stage
from Cave City, with the additional
saving of distance by the former, OF
three miles on a rougher road, and at
least three-quarters of an hour OF
time.
The Mammoth Cave derives it, title
from its immense magnitude-it far
exceeding in proportions any subter-
ranean passage yet explored, there
having been one hundred and fifty aY-
. enues already ~traversed, some OF
which, however, are not entered by
visitors, and hundreds are known TO
exist, but which have not been en-
tered. Time may yet reveal still
greater wonders than have been opened
to the view Of inquiring curiosity.
The total length of all the avenues
that have been t~raversed, IL estimated
at not less than a hundred mileS-nOt,
indeed, in one continuous line, but
branching off in every direction.
Some faint idea may be formed Of its
| magnitude, when some Of the nights
of the several dOmes, halls and grOt-
toes are understood, The highest is
known as "Lucy's Dome and while
but sixty feet in diameter, rises TO the
stupendOus altitude of three hundred
feet. "S5ella's Dome" is two hun
bred and fifty feet in hight, and GO
rims Dome" istWo hundred feet high,
being sixty feet wide, and reached by
a ten foot ladder, after passing over a
small bridge.
The waters Of the Cave are seYerally
designated by appropriate names: the
Dead Sea, fifty feet long, twenty wide
/ and fifteen in depth; River StyX, one
hundred and fifty yards long, fifteen
to forty feet wide, and from thirty to
fifty deep; Lake Lethe is n hun
bred and fifty yards in length, ten to
forty feet wide, and from three feet to
thirty in depth; Echo River is three
quarters of a mile long, varying IN
width from twenty 10 two hundred
! feet, and in depth from ten to thirty
feet; Roaring River Is half a mile
long, and in every respect resembles
the Echo river, but more noisy. Be
side these, are Lake Purity, a trans
/ parent pool of water situated under
" Vulcan's Stithy, " and Hebe's Spring,
about four feet in diameter, and a foot
and a half deep, the water Of which
is said to be charged with sulphuretted
hydrogen. We are told that fifteen
years ago there was nc sulphur in this
spring, and when undisturbed for sew
eral hours, pure water may be dipped
at the surface, while that impregnated
with sulphur remains at the bottom.
There are so many objects of curiOs-
ity that a soiourn for a month would
scarcely f%aniliariZe one with their
endless varieties. What, then, can q
railroad visit do more than to enable
the visitor to say 81 have seen n OF
the most stupendOus Of all natural
curiosities," AS an agreeable resort,
the Mammoth Cave is not eXcelled.
Half way between Louisville and
Nashville, and within easy distance OF
Memphis, its location is most eligible.
Already a telegraph line has been
completed to the Glasgow Junction,
finished ON Tuesday last, by which it
communicates with the great line of
the Western Union Telegraph, and it
is in contemplation to complete a line
of railroad this fall, for the same dis
lance, thereby rendering the place