The daily gazette., 1878-04-24
From 1,e N. y SIN. ST..
Jerseys Wonderful Cave
Dazzling Stalactite Chambers
I'm u Rift OF the Mountains.

A MARVEL NEAR PATERSON VISITED nv
REPORTER FOR THE sUN-REsuLTs
OF FORMER EXPLoRATIoNs-A PLACE
WORTH BRINGING TO LIGHT.
The range of mountains north of Pater-
son, Nd. Is Of the blue granite forma-
lon, and from base TO summit in GER
tam places IL presents an unbroken wall.
AT some points II rises 900 feet above
the level of the ocean, and the bushv
mrs and slender pines ON top look fron,
below like clusters of bushes, seeming
ready to topple down the PERCEPTIONS
mountain sides. The fact that q hidden
cave of extraordinary dimensions ex-
tends in steep descent into the heart of
the mountain, is known to the people of
Paterson; but the busy whirr OF the silk
mills, the deep groans of the laboring
steam engines, and the ceaseless activity
of the people leave them no time to con-
slider the subject, and all they know of it
IL that they have heard of such a cave
being somewhere in the mountain, near
the Notch.
| Running alone the base of the noun
| tain, two miles from Paterson, lust across
the Delaware canal, is the Notch road.
IL Is formed of red clay, and at differ
ent points it rises and fall turns and
twists. From the mountain tops, through
| -''SN'So - ohO ioShJ OOZt SUreaInS OF
water, which increase in volume at the
base. They have washed gulleys in the
road. Here and there are pretty farm
houses and well-laid farms where yepe-
tables are raised, and cattle and chickens
thrive on the rich soil washed from the
mountains. Farmers with their wives
and children were busy in these fields one
day lately, and they, with their cows,
dogs, and chickens, looked up with some
surprise at q stranger struggling in the
mud of the Notch road.
| To all inquiries as to the whereabouts
OF the mysterious cave they returned at
first a stare, and then an impatient re-
ply. "What do we know about caves :?
10 on up the mountain. 1t may be miles
away" One old gray-haired farmer who
was busily saving log, said that fifty
years ago he visited the cave, but that
he could not find his way there now.
go up to the Notch, however" said he,
"and where the three roads meet climb
up the mountain to the right"
/ Five miles from Paterson is the Notch.
Here there are three cross roads, and
two giant bluffs that seem to defy the
climber. One is called the WeasePs
Point, the other the Robins Nest. Mr..
W. III. Piaget and Mr.. Hamilton and
their sons own the farms around. Their
houses are built of the gray-blue rock,
and two of them are over one hundred
years old.
Young Mr.. Piaget was driving load
of wood as the reporter arrived, and on
the inquiry, "Where is the cave 2" he
looked with astonishment at the ques.
ltioner.
at is up in the mountain" he said,
"way off where those clusters of pines
are, but no stranger can ever find it, anC
there is danger of his stumbling across il
and falling in"
Mr.. Piaget finally volunteered to act a.
guide to the reporter, remarking that h,
never would have believed that the exis
tence of the cave was known outside til,
Notch. Up the steep side of the Robin'
Rest Mr.. Piaget led the way. Througl
, n dense forest of trees, where the slende
naples, the gnarled oaks, the wide-sprea,
hazcls and the tall fires battled with on
another for vantage ground and wher
storms had split giant forest trees, an,
: thrown them in wild confusion acros
rocks and mounds, Mr.. Piaget carefull
picked his way. Several times he stou
ped, as if puzzled, until suddenly Ii
, seemed to recognize an object in til
, woods, and then pushed his way OF
through brars and bushes. Finally H.
reached three tall trees growing appa
rently from the same root, and then point
ng to tissure in the rock he said:
'There is the cave"
Had an earthquake at some time spli
the mountain in two, leaving narroN
passage where its force became exhaust
ed, it would have left just such u fissuro
Standing Immediately above the entranc
of the cave one looks down through
narrow opening in the rock in the YER
heart of the forest and at the summit o
the mountain. The sides of the cave ar
J perfectly straight, going to depth O
r thirty feet STOPPING low, one can see ;
doorway, as neatly hewn out of the rocl
, as if done by the hand of man. Listen
3 ing he can distinctly hear the bubblin
, of water within. The entrance is covel
, ed by thick bushes and trees tapping owe
each other.
alt was in 1871 that the cave first at
tracted attention" said Mr.. Piaget. ga
, that time a party ofexplorers came acros
1t. Obtaining ropes, torches, and Ian
L terms, they forced their way in. The
! were gone some time, and on their returl
they gave an extraordinary account of tn
2 place. They found Indian relics, consist
ing of bows, arrows, scalps, skulls, an
tomahawkS. Returning few month
afterward, they found IL board ON whic
had been cut with knives the names o
l several persons. There was the dat
June II The rest was burnt off.
"About two years ago | and numbe
OF lads from the Surrouldin5 countr
formed an exploring party. We had t
work silently for the people think aroun
here that it is fatal to 90 into the cav'
We got ropes and made torches, AM
each carried a lantern. On the day W
set aside to visit the cave we agreed t
meet around here, each carrying his in
plements. We first let down one of ou
party, a nimble, active lad, around whoI
we had throne rope. After he got dow
to the entrance there he made fast th
rope, and we all went down in India
file. Then we lit a torch and threw it i
BY its light we could see that the passag
was very narrow, and we stripped off ou
coats. To enter the cave it is necessar
. to throw your head aside and fairl
wedge yourself through. After going
short distance you enter vast hollo'
> chamber with a sandy bottom. The roc
fairly glistened with crystal stalactite
Here and there are rude benches made c
sand. clay and stone.
"LeavIng this flrst chamber, you pas
through a tunnel formed by crack in tn
d rock and enter another chamber, large
and more beautiful than the first. Tn
light of the torches made it look rs if
were of glass. From this chamber ar
three different roads, and it was froI
al