The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-04-29

This life of ours is. after all.
About As VIC shall make it,
If we can Danish grief AMI care,
Let's haste to undertake it.
MAMMOTH CAVE OF COLORADO.
This wonder of nature, within so
short q distance Of us, and the exist
ence of which was so long unknown,
is already attracting much attention
from students as we'll as frem the
merely curious. So much has been
written of it that it only remains for
US to summarize.
The mouth Of the cave is about a
half mile from Manitou, and was dis
covered, as almost everything else is,
by accident. Some persons were blast
ing rock near by, and noticed that the
amount of chips and stones that flew
into an almost hidden opening, had
no effect towards filling the hole, and
so they threw in a quantity of loose
stone, which gave no sound OF strik-
ing the bottom. Tearing away the
rubbish, the opening was fully expos.
ed, and measured nearly six feet in
diameter. A narrow passage, down
an Inclined plane, about twelve feet,
widsns into crevasse about two feet
wide and fourteen feet long. The
descent from this is rapid, and rope
is used to accomplish it safely. About
twenty feet below is tunnels shaped
chamber, which, running northward,
narrows to very small opening, max
ing this cave about 125 feet in length.
The opening from this on the north
being very small, we explored no fur
thcr in that direction.
Another crevasse OH the eastern
aspect of this vault divides into two
corridors. The right hand one Gf you
go through head firsD is about thirty
five feet long, and SO small as to COM
pei the utmost humility; it expands
suddenly, however, into vault of
grand appearances, more than hun
dred feet long by twenty feet wide,
aud thirty feet high. Beautiful sta
lactites on roof and walls show the
state of the cavern when water had
flowed out. OF these stalactites sew
eral fine specimens eau be seen at this
office.
From this division the descent is
made by a rope about thirty-flve feet
to another section, which is portioned
off into three galleries running nearly
north, west and south. The first ia
nearly sixty feet long, and leads to a
chamber of no particular shape, but
nearly fifteen feet square. That to-
wards the west is nearly round, hav-
ing been the principal outlet al
some time. Its course FOR nearly
twenty feet is about west; it then
takes turn to the south for a few feet
and then abruptly resumes its western
course. This gallery opens into
vault extending upward nearly sixty
feet, and below the mouth some fif-
teen feet.
The southern gallery is an exagger-
ated cleft in the rocks, about fifteen
feet from side to side, and eighteen
feet frem end to end. 1t terminates
in lofty chamber, with twelve-foot
ceiling and about 3Ox60 feet in size.
The other corridor, by gradual de-
cline Of some sixty feet, leads to
magnificent vault of unknown dimen-
sions. 1t is about one hundred and
scventy-five feet in length, and TWEEN
ty-eight feet in width, but the height
of the roof is beyond our ken.
From this vault chamber a gallery
extends some distance TO the west,
then changes its direction southwark,
and pursues a very devious course for
about one hundred and twenty-five
feet.
There are several more galleries and
chambers, and others are being ex-
plored daily. Most of them are per-
fectly dry, and so tourists will not be
subjected to the dampness SO common
in underground chambers.
Mr.. Case, the proprietor, is having
stairs constructed for the various
descents, and suitable clothing and
other conveniences are soon 10 be pre-
pared for the use of parties desiring
to visit the cave. Last Saturday about
$50 persons, some of them ladies,
went through the cavern, and many
others only wait the promised prepara-
lions for O comfortable visit to make
q tour of this subterranean WONDER
Colorado Springs Gazette.