The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-04-08

knows how many % her countes) ABOUT ~
miles sopth of Louisville, on the Nashville u
Southern railroad,
This road DROPS YOU al that God 'orsAkrh
place known as Gaze City, nine miles from
Mammoth Cave. From here you are ooIl@'
ed 10 endure the hardshps Of nine mile
ride OYER one Of ,ho,c corduroy roads III I
-,ckety old stage thar looks rs though II was
constructed about the time Daniel Boone
first settled in Kentucky, and seems 10 nave
been in active service ever since VIVA us
ere machine" by the time Il fellow reaches
his destination he feels he is considerable OF
mammoth cave himself; at least he tee's mol
low, which WAS my experience.
Cave City is no shakes at ALL and Is IN
babited by about four hundred souls, OF the
lean, lank and lofty specimens 50 peculiar TO
the soil of old Kentucky.
There is one hotel in the place, and that OF
such architecture that n person ""uIo iee'
chilly with the Thermometer 81 IN the shauc'
II has neither the comforts OF a city tavern
nor the elegances and refncnen's OF cour'
| try hotel Il is even poor for country VII
| lage, and the charges are fixed at only three
dollars per day.
! Omnibuses are advertised TO leave for
Mammoth Cave on arrival Of all trains; but
this IS false for the landlord at Cave CITY
plays draw with the proprietor at NAM
moth Cave, ana by their deal you are oblig,
cd to remain at one place or the other over
night.
This ancient "Carryall," before spoken or
is the only mode of conveyance to be had,
for which you are charged the exhorbitant
price Of three dollars. Ifyou don't like this
YOU can walk, unless you choose to straddle
mule, which can be furnished you by out
siLers at two dollars head.
| 1t might be well to state here that mules
are a staple article or animal in old ken'uc'
ky No well regulated family is without
one aud some have as many as two! A mule
| ia very tame if you understand the mature OF
the baste," but as our experience with the
"aoimIle" was limited, we declined the invi.
tation extended to us at Cave City, and took
our chances IN the bus, which perhaps &C.
counts for our being on terra fraa, for If we
had done otherwise We might be resting be-
meath the sod of "old Kentuck" with stalac.
lite from the poor mans misery for a tomb
stone.
Arriving at Mammoth Cave Hotel we found
1, to be long struggling pile Of wooden
buildings, most of which seemed to be in the
last stages of decay and sadly in need OF re-
pairs. Part of 1t (the main building believe
they call ~ is about three stories high, and
from its style of architecture ~e should judge
tina, the builder had in his minds eye the
balmy days when Adam was boy. A wing
Joins this, which fronts upon lawn where
tall forest trees have been allowed TO stand
in their natural attitudes, presenting the only
attraction to the visitor. The wing is a long
row of cottages with a continuous platform,
extending the entire length, which answers
for promenade. We are told that hotel is
capable Of accommodating five hundred Wis.
itors. In this case the landlord must be well
supplied with beds, or perhaps those fortu
nate enough to be there with such rush
can appreciate the fun of sleeping three in a
bed. But the fear OF meeting such rush
need keep none of the readers Of the FREE
TRADER from the Mammoth Cave, as the
number of visitors annually only averages
about two thousand the greater part OF whom
are Ken,uckians and Tennesseeans and a few
foreigners. The cause Of this is bad manage
Iment and the want of a little energy and life
infused into IT.
With some live man at the head OF II, and
an outlay Of few thousand dollars, this place
might be made the most attractive spot upon
Gods green earth; and, instead Of two thous
and visitors year, as it now is, the numbers
would be counted by the tens of thousands
for, in the words of Col. Sellers, there's Eail
lions In it"'
OF the hotel can only say for il, as did o
the one at Cave City, "it mas neither the com
forts of city tavern nor the elegance OF |
country hotel" while the charges far exceed
the accommodations IL may be considered
"illigant' by some of the lesthery ken.uck
lans, but 1t would be better for them to lie
somebody that has crossed more than on,
wooden bridge sound It's praise.
Our party numbered three US We stooC
waiting on the porlico for the guide, prevl
Gus to descending TO thls Underground woriu
The party consisted of Mr.. l.. A. Lyon, Pres
of the Shawmut Insurance Co, Boston, Dir. J.
Amca, jr., of Ames Iron Works, Oswego, N
Y, J II. Hammond, of Chicago, and "ol'
Mat" the guide, with his bundle OF torches.
After leaving the hotel we soon enter
rocky ravine IN the forest. cross a rusti
bridge, down a deep flight Of steps and alon
subttranucaA passage, and soon We fnun'
ourselves amidst the habitations of solitude
Here the change Of seasons is unknown, an
day and night, morning and evening are III
same; for here there are no variations of ten
pcraturc, no water, no light, and the tire
great forces OF geological irausformatlo
never operate.
Taking each ligh;cd lamp, we were 500
on our Journey of exploration. The cave wa
dark and rs silen; as the chamber Of dealt
Our eyes blinded by the sudden change trCI
daylight TO darkness, We could hardly sc
foot before us, and fnI few moments wer
ltumbiing over stones and masses oi rubbish
Our hrst halt wac in "the NarrowsH il