The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-12-21
ANornrn MAmneTH CAVE.
Thirty Miles Beneath the Earth-Wonder-
full Discovery in Southwestern Missouri
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Thirty Miles Beneath the Earth-Wonder-
full Discovery in Southwestern Missouri.
[From the Kansas City Times.l
A week seldom passes by without
some new and wonderful discovery
being made in the great expanse of
country known as the southwest. Of
late most. of these discoveries have
been made in the southwestern por-
ton of Missouri and the Indian Ter
ritory, which has been for many years
only partially explored by the white
man. During the latter part OF the
war a cave was discovered near Pine
vile, Mcdonald county, Missouri, but
the times were so unsettled that be-
yond careless, superficial examina-
tion of the more accessible portion of
it no general explorations have as yet
been made. Fofs
Mr.. G. G. Carpenter, gentleman
residing in Pineyille, in company with
one or two of his friends, gives the
following as the result of an expedi-
ton made last week in search of the
wonderful.
The location of this subterranean
wonder is l6 miles southeast of Pike
vile, Mcdonald county, the entrance
is on Sugar creek, in a ravine bearing
the suggestive title of +" Bar Hollar."
You make your entrance into the
bowels of the earth through volcanic
fissure seven feet wide by twenty feet
in length you soon lose sight of day.
light and find yourself in an entrance
hall fully. 100 yards in length, which
terminates in the bat room, so named
by the explorers from the thouss nds
of bats that swarmed within its dark
and hidden recesses; thew few about
in swarms, making terrible noise in
the arched roof above. This room has
three sides, each with an aperture
opening into smaller caverns or side
rooms; the dimensions of the room
were taken by Mr.. Carpenter, and
found to be 50x130 feet the ceiling
about 20 feet from the floor. Passing
from this room, a walk of about 400
yards, through spacious hall, and
we find ourselves in Barnum's muse
um, SO called from the number of
strongly shaped stalactites found
there. This room is in the shape of a
horseshoe. Nature most certainly in
tended this room for church, since
the roof is arched in purely Gothic
style, with dome and columns, and TO
finish off and make it complete, pull
pit near the center. The walls of this
magnificent cavern are 100 feet high,
but one of the most remarkable fea-
lures about it is fountain of pure
water four feet in diameter. Turning
northward we find room 60 feet wide
and filed almost full of a glistening
formation of stalactites, which hang
in ciriously formed pendants from
the roof. To the south of this is a
room which should be named the bot
tomless pit, since it apparantly has
neither bottom, sides, or roof. The
darkness within this place is appalling
Turning to the east the party walked
distance of about a quarter of mile
when they came to flight of natural
steps, forty or fifty in number ter
minating in a wide platform which
formed the entrance to mammoth
hall, supported by Corinthian pillars
of various thickness, and endless in
number, all white as snow, and glis-
lining as though studded with dia-
monds. This hall is probably 200 feet
in width and communicates with a
number of passages leading off in
various directions, none ofWhich have
as yet been explored. Proceeding on
their way, the explorers found a river
of running water, coming no one
knows from whence, and going, no
one knows where. It is about so feet
wide and three feet deep. The party
followed its course down stream to
the fall, where the water goes roaring
over the precipice into the darkness
below. The party retraced their way
to the Mammoth hall, crossed the |
river, and proceeding on their way |
They passed room after room of end |
less shapes and full of natural curios-
tiles,
Miles of caverns were passed |
through, each having outlets into /
others, and all dark, but all full of
beauty when lighted with torches and t
lamps. A lake of pure water was
soon reached, which was at first sup
posed to be river. Here rude boat
or dug-out had been brought by a
fugitive during the late war. He had
explored the lake during the war, and
vent northward until he thought he
was coming to waterfall, when he
'eturned. Further explorations on
he lake developed that the noise was
made by huge waterfall, where the
water came pouring in from above
rhe water falls distance of fifty feet,
rhe lake is circular in shape and has
10 visible outlet for water. 1t is about {
90 acres in extent. There were eight
II ten dark passages found upon the
'ank of the lake, leading in all direc-
ions, bur the guide accompanying the
'arty lost his courage and refused to ]
o further. The party were often l
bout eight or ten miles from their
tarting point. They were in the cave
2 hours. Mr.. Carpenter says there
J another entrance to the cave 80 [
niles distant which old trappers and I
unters say leads to the lakes. Mr.. c,
J. Carpenter lives in Pineville Nc c
Donald county, and will take pleasure $
taking further explorations with any I
arty who may call upon and accom- t
any him. - ,s ..5.s /