The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-05
SCII0lIARIES BIG CAVERN.
WHAT LESTER HOWE STUMBLED INTO
WHILE DTGGING OUT EOx.


Air that Make. the Lungs Crow-An Under
ground stream and Lake valley OF de
boshaphat. Fat Mans Misery, aud Rotunda.
HowE's CAVE, Schoharie CO.. N. Y, June n.
This little village Ia situated on the line OF the
Susquchanna Railroad. about forty miles from
Albany L. tcr Howe. the dis ovcrcr OF the cave.
still lives in n small farmhouse not far from the
centre. Some forty years ago when Howe WIS
still Just young man. he was ont rabbit hunt
ing. he suddenly fell into a big hole whcro the
rabbit had taken refuge. Relating this advcn-
turc to n scientific man. n short time aiterward.
he was informed that the hoch had fallen into
was doubtless sink hole" kind OF deep pit
or depression Of u conical shape. often occa-
stoned by the giving way beneath OF tho roofs
OF caves. Howe had noticed that on hot days
his cows. which were pasturcd in field bound
cd on ono side 10y the prccipitous hill in the face
OF which lies the mouth Of the cave. were in the
habit OF congrcgnting about n certain spot.
whore they would lie Tor hours. ruminnting in
contcntmcnt The rabbit hunt and the strange
conduit Of his COWS SIT Howe To thinking. But
In the month Of May. 1912. he was again out
hunting. the game. this time. being fox. He
anu MS romI9nion- had sa'rrrdfd IN ~, drlV,nE
hunter in the Lady of the Lake." they thought
him cOrnercd when
The vii, quarry summed the shock.
And turned hiia from the opposing rock.
But the equally willy Howe soon discovered
his solitary refuge" and began dig NJ HIM
out. WHITTIER h" dug him out or not cannot
not say. But he dug into The cave.
Subsequent the cay PASSED INTO Inc hnnis
Of the Hon. joseph II; Ramsry Of Albany, VINO
has done mu. n 10 make i cusily accessible, u
the public. IT, hus also built ut the mouth "a
fine little stone hotel
cool air. and was able to fully npprc int the
wisdom of Sister Howc's cows IN seeking the
hidden mouth. The guide informed me that AT
distance
Thermometer stands ut about As Fahrenheit
throughout the year SO that in summer the at
mospherc seems cool. and in winter warm. Cur
rrnta 81 air move in oppost" dir ton, 1T az.
ferent times, and ere subject to annual and
oven diurnal chqngce. During the summer
months. when the temp, nature " thout is
higher than the temperature within there
Is an outward current; during IN" winter
months. when II Is colder W h"u, IMAM wlihIn.
there t. an inward current. The same rule IL
said to he pcreertihc u the daily changes; at
night. when II is cool. there is Il current moving
in; at MONDAY. there * a current moving out.
In consequence II this cont nuolS almost hrri,
delightful. / expressed some f'ar oi taking
cold. but was assured that such thing WIS un-
persons affected with pulmonary dim uliirs
often found great benefit in breathing this air.
Apropos. the guide rrlul a "A curious tai, OF u
consumutivc in the last stages of the disease
who had been abandoned hy his physicians.
Having been informed Of the medicinal quail
ties of the air of llowe's Cave. he determined to
give i n trial as a last eort. 50 bed bedding.
Attendants, ana all IA" Ihraph"rnhlia 81 u nous -
hold were moved into thr cave. and the poor
invalid ate and slept in his SUIT rrancous
chamber. He died. however. at the end If four
DAYS. . But know he'd " died four day $
guide. finishing his story.
For the first half mil" u small stream of cold
water runs along. sonnet mes hidden from sight
and agaln appearing, pushing the narrow path
way close up tp III" rocky walls of tho cavern.
Presently W. req hrd q POINT WHORE the lite
stream wilcned and dcrloufd until the pnth
was swallow up IN i. and the straight sd"s
OF IN" cavern rose dire tly out Of thr wat q.
Here We entered Il hg boat. watch the guide
pushed along ny m.nhs oi an IRON rni l'N''i
against tn" rocks. 1nr water oi IN" lake il
very pare and cold. and this natural suit 'rrn-
railroad tank. over mile Il .-tant. and M, II Of
the houses the town. Thus Jar our torch =
by eas t. the lake, "Ths i the
only cave in me world thai is illum.n-
atcd in this way" remarked the guide. The
gas jets grow DINNER and DINNER AZ. We ap-
proarhrd the other end Of the lake. Lighting
urtorchrs. w. stepped into the Bridal Cham-
ber.' So called rom the fact that the eccentric
Howe had his two daughters actually married
there. Then, into" Harlem Tunn.l," remark;
alb" for the regularity Of lis sides. which extend
for thirty rods IN two almost parallel lin ;.
Near 10y Is pointed out n black hole. five or -iN
feG t. IN a9n wegh the Egia y oHog 1 d
hoShaphat II perhaps IN" most maEni nj
chamber in the ,4y' The top l"ins lost IN dark
ness imp.n trallc hy the weak light Of the
torches II Is customary for ~" gui,i to clam
Der NJ To the top Of the ro Ky mound That rises
In the centre 81 the chamber. and. with his
single tor 'h. 10 spread about him sirkly Light.
Not far from the Valley Il Jcho,hnphat" Is
little low room. Just large enough 10 accom-
mOdatc five or six persons in sitting posture,
whore i is usual 20 put out the Torches and
Listen. II ! may u n >, sole ism, To- the death
silence Of the grav".' Tn" guild" told Us. h"ipr
W. blew out our torch :. OF a party who, having
put themselves in darkn, -. w"rr unable 10 re-
light their torches ON account OF all the mat hes
being damp, They had about given up all hope
OF eyer finding the way ont when they w"ro
rcs'u.i by guide s,nt in Tor the pnrpo-t
Alter this story W. mad" careful cNanl'natio ON
Oi our mat hes h, fore cNt.n.ulshlug our
Thn narrow. tortuous passnge named very
RrproprIHteiy.thr Winding Way. stru X no" "a.
being The most curious part of the cav is m
cNtrl"all' tWistin@s reminding "u" o. Nire =
d"~rr ptiou Of N" labyrinth III Cr'i". TT. walls
here plainly show that they w"r" On u" hink-
of n sWlit-running stream. Whi'h went Sirug'
Cling along. igalnlns and rushing Through ~
slight shildcr wncn thought what AN nwiu
death would hr ours were the water on 80 NOR
g. take possess On of IT. bed. At the nj q tn
winding Way" We arrived at the Fat Man.
Misery Il hole or funnel about iw 'n'y-llN" f."
long and not much larger round 'han foui
almost upon one'- belly. if any more of IA" cav
Is 10 br soon. MIST visitors turnalout here an,
r'lra their st"IH, AFTER worming my WAY
not made larger. why, this Fat Mans Mis-
cry Is on" Of the grrat' - ATTRACTIONS in th'
cave. he replied with u smil those who x
up To is mouth. but have not the courage to -
through. generally MAX" u second vs. I To- th'
cuNo in ord Ia sat IS their -lIt-i t. villa
lies beyond: while tnos' who sotroupn wan
10 So, their frrnl cnus,h 10 the sul'o trap TIA
they have been IN. Ihats Way We don't ill.,. on
.."Thr No'unln. the most interesting nirn
STqGr Nv r. H. .9I H Ehg n, ,"Hn 71
ar them oil here T. yond this point the cav
has not b"cn p'n'trai"L
a Bulldog KiIis an Alligator.
F,om n. G,a,q,t.,,n o,pd
Ono Iay last week nm "A liVut ar was eoai