Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-11-29

FRIDAY MORNING. NOV. 20, 1873
Local
A Charcoal and Chalk Excursion.
MIR. A. Y. LEE ON THE GREAT LURA1
CAvE-A GOOD IDEA OF TaE INTERIOR
WITH CHARCOAL AND CHALK-How
PETENCY,
&C., &C., &C.
In front of the Y. NJ G. A. rooms, Tues
day evening, light was burning in q
Transparency, showing charcoal sketch
of cave. and on it was inscribed, "The
Luray Cave, A. Y. Lee, u O'Clock. Ad
mission 10 cents" At the hour named
the charcoal had been nearly washed out
by the falling rain, for the weather was
dismal in the extreme, but nOtwithstand
ing this. some fifty persons gathered, in
Guiding few ladies, making in in. diligence
if not i'll number as fine an audience as 4
lecturer could wish. There were minis
tiers, commercial men, lawyers, editors
artists and physicians in tie number. Iu
front of the lecturers platform was a glass
case containing many specimens Of the
stylacti; es and stalagmites that had been
brought away from the .reat cave by Mr.
Lee, Oh his recent visit, a few of them
Write and sparkling. On a blackboa I'd
over the platform was tackled OVERLAPPING
strips Of yellow paper for the charcoal
sketches, about three ieet square.
In commencing his lecture, Mr.. Lee
said, Il will show you some of the effects
that can be produced with charcoal and
in less time than We are writing these lines
had upon the paper surprising sketch Of
sun rise at sea, with jutting headland
crowned with trees. in the foreground.
He then went on to give history Of the
discov ~ of the cave. 1t seems that a
photographer named Stebbins, located in
the village of Luray, IN Page county.
there Mr.. Lee shot on to the canvass a
rapid sketch, showing how the mountains
lie in the vicinity, the location of the vi
lage and the roads leading toit.) and not
meeting with great deal of success in his
business, commenced prospecting around
hunting for caves, of the existence Of
which he felt confident. In this he soon
enlisted the sympathy and the active in
terest OF Mr. Campbell. the sheriff OF the
county, and also brother of that gentle
man and his son. They visited the Ruff
ner cave, which, however, did not amount
to much. The hunt for caves became to
be regular business pursuit and the hun
tiers were often followed around by idle
and curious loungers who spoke Of them as
she sCave digger FOOLS" At last they
.carse to the promised Land (Here the
artist dashed off sketch Of the land un-
der which the great cave lies. The lore
ground is u cleared field crossed by worm
fence, from which ascends the hill under
which the cave lies and which is crowned
by trees. Bessie Bell mountain. though
higher, presents, if viewed from the East,
a pretty good likeness of the place. On
the decliyity and where it is geatlest,
were scattered depressious in the earth,
some containing charcoal, the result Of
former .,urnings of brush. AT these burn
ings. the inhabitants now recollect, the
flames sometimes were sent many feet up
nv current Of air flOm below. While
Campbell was prospecting around one OF
these sinks he felt a current OF VAIN ali
coming out from between the rocAs and
debris. He at once began to scrabble
around the rocks, and tLen disappeared
from view. The opening that he made was
about high enough for man to get in by
STOPPING. 1t was made by clearing the
debris from under thee large slabs OF
rock living on lop Of each other aud max
lug a sort Of archway to the entrance.
Going further he found that he had found
the long locked for cave. AS he turned
to 70 back he met the other Campbell vino
had also scratched his way in by smother
way, and said to him. Don't say word
we've found it, They then " ei.t out IN
to the air where StebbIns was, with some
adiers standing near, and Campbell merely
saving, well! we've had another water
haul,'' the whole party moved of. On Ing
way, the good news was secretly commu-
uicated to Stebbins. They returned at
night and made further explorations which
satisfied them.
Tie property had been sold by order OF
court for $4OO. and it was agreed that they
should keep the discovery still a secret and
put in an upset bid. This was done by
Stebbins and the property, twenty seven
acres, was bought for $500, and gooo
title secured. The survey Of the land al
tlows the new owners just good carriage
yway up to the mouth of the cave. "Thls
lis the imp ovement they have made there
ssid Mr.. Lee, dotting down cheap little
shed that might serve as way station fol
a hand car. The partnership in the ne"
discovery was entered into. Sheriff Camp
bell having one third. the other two Camp
bell another third and Stebbins the re-
naming third. The receipts some days
are as nigh as $40 day and they may av
erage SIS day.
The lecturer then carried his audience
into the cave in careful way. and With
out a bit of that flourish and ornamental
WORD painting, about 'glittering pendant
stylactites' from the 'vaulted ceiling and
sparkling fountains, which generally &C
comuanies such descrip ions. and which,
if they ever existed in cave at all, car
only be seen when the spectator has WORK
ed his imagination up into an exalted state
of deliriuoa tremens. No msp who haf
stumbled about in the mud under The drip
mig roof of Weyer's Cave and the Cave Of
the Fountains, and heard the guides en-
lare,ng upon the imaginary things the!
..re describing Can ever hear the surprising
hea;ties Of underground wonders without