The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-01-05
THE CAVE QUARRY.

10 the Editor OF the Hawkins County Deparfm'n n.
Art has given to her children many
beautiful galleries Of painting and
sculpture, but only initiated her
mother, who has so lavishly thrown
open her great galleries of beauty
and grandeur around and be.
meath us on every hand. One has
only to go four miles west from Rog-
ersville, Tenn, to enter one OF her
most beautiful galleries. can call
it nothing else Deep down, hidden
in a vein of the far-famed variegated
marble Of the world, is an immense
cave or grOttO. | call it grotto. for
every indication proves that i'm the
ages of the past it was the bed of a
creek or river. The marble forma-
ton is shells, and, surely, Nature
was careful to smoothe her plastic
hand most delicately over the inn
bedded beauties. The grotto is en-
tered by gracefully getting down on
aIl-fours and raccooning it for some
fifteen yards; then it opens into a
high, narrow passage, belted on eth
er side with solid marble walls. This
passage. gracefully winding north
east, suddenly opens into an elegant
parlor gallery some fifteen feet wide
and thirty feet high. Here Nature,
in her playful moments, had dressed
the scene as If for her own amuse-
ment. At the side of this room she
has placed her royal chair of sparry
incrustatiOns above, near the cen
ter. hangs an enormous chandelier,
only wanting the oil and match to
flood the apartment with streams of
light. The whole roof is hung with
solid icicles of sparry concretiOns,
formed by the dropping of water,
while the sides are ornamented with
the busts of the ancient worthless.
But we tarry too long; the grotto
again closes into narrow winding
frescoed hall. 1t is not more than
five. feet wide and thirty high.
Here also. are beauties, but of a diff
ferent style. Through this long
winding arch, of some thirty yards,
not stalagmite is seen. But layer
upon layer of marble is as nicely ar
ranged as art conld have done it.
All these layers show deep traces of
the action of water. This hall opens
into a semi-circular chamber, which
must have been Her MieSty's music
room. In front stands large piped
organ. every pipe perfect, and reach
ing some twelve feet in height. l
don't know that it was in tune. as
we had no musician along. There
is also large drum in this room. A
large, thin slab of marble juts out
from one side some four feet, and
when struck, even very lightly, is
heard through all parts of the grotto
as distinctly as drum could have
been. We presume Madam Nature
used it to summons her subjects (the
wool nymphs) to the fairy dance.
We pursued our wandering search
on and on through the hall and room
until we came to high precipice,
where we could hear the distant
sound of water; and, having little
courage to plunge down this dark
declivity, we FASTENED back. The
Cave was perfectly dry, and showed
no indication of any water for years.
1t is curiosity; and lie who has the
courage to enter will feel that he is
well paid for his adventure.
We learn that the owner, Mr.. John
Hasson, has blasted away the en-
trance, making it easy of access.
just 60 and see. Mr.. IIasson will
take delight in giving you guides.
and when you come out be will show
you some of the most beautifully
polished specimens OF East Tennes-
see variegated marble you ever be-
held. Il.