The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-09-20

From a long aud we'll written account,
published in the Connellsville Monitor, of
the recent visit of the Pennsylvania, Ohio
and West Virginia Press Association TO the
world-renowned Mammoth Cave, in Ken
lucky, we make the following copious ex-
tracts:
s"The entrance to this cave was at one
time through what is now known as Dick
sons Cave, entrance to which is located
about half n mile and its terminus within
a few feet from the present entrance to the
Mammoth Cave, which was formed by The
falling in of the cave at this point, leaving
an entrance to the latter cave willie it EN-
tirely closed up the former. The voice of
a person at the eud of Dcksou's Cave can
he distinctly heard at the mouth of the
Mammoth Cave. Just within the entrance
each person was furnished with lamp by
one of the guides. Taking up the line of
march we passed through the iron gate, "A
few rods from the entrance, thence through
narrow walled passage appropriately
called The Narrows,' emerging into
large chamber called The Rotunda,' the
ceiling of which is one hundred feet in
height, and its diameter one hundred and
seventy five feet. The floor is strewn with
the remains of vats, water pipes and other
materials used by the salt-p petre miners in
1S12-14, the wood of which shows no signs
Of decay. To the right leads off an avenue
of about half a mile in length, at tie Ell,
trance of which small cottages were Quilt,
a number of years ago. for the occupancy
of persons afflicted with the consumption,
under the impression that they would be
benefited by the uniform temperature of
the cave. The idea was the result of Il to-
tai misconception of the nature of the dis
ease. Instead of improving they grew
rapidly worse. Three of them died there
and the majority of those who remained
any length of time died shortly after quit
ting the cave. Passing on to tue left under
huge oveIhanging cliffs, which closely re-
semble the cliffs of the Kentucky river,
after which they aie named, we enter the
Methodist Church. which is eighty feet
in diameter and about forty feet high
Here, from ledge of rocks about twenty
five feet in height, constituting natural
pulpit, the gospel was expOunded more than
sixty yeas ago, and the benches, or logs,
occupy the same positions as when first
placed here. A short distance further and
the Giants CCffiu' is reached. l. is a
huge rock detached from the side of the
avenue against which it rests, and at the
point from which it is viewed presents
striking resemblance to a gigantic coffin.
A short distance beyond the Giants Cof-
fin several curious figures distinguish
dOle Ou tue CtulilSS-lilSb3 thO hRuIO VI gu
ant eater, then we'll defined group of fig
ures termed the Giant, Wife and Child
These are in a sitting posture, and the
giant appears to be in the act of tossing the
child TO the giantess. Still further on the
I figure of a colossal mammoth is dscerna-
BILE. These figures are composed OF black
gypsum, which rests on background of
white limestone. After commenting upon
these portraits of nature, we passed on to
the Star Chamber which is one of the
most attractive parts of the cave. 1t is
sixty feet in beight. seventy in width, and
about five hundred in length. The ceiling
IS composed of black gypsnm, studded with
inuumerable white points, which by the
dim light presented a striking resemblance
to stais. In the far extremity of this
chamber large mass Of the gypsum has
become detached from the roof, leaving
bare a large white spot, which is called the
comet. The guide here took our lamps
and descended behind ledge of rocks, by
which cloud was made to pass over the
ceiling, aud so perfect was the illusion that
it needed but the flash OF lightning and
the roar of thunder to convince us that a
storm was approaching. The guide then
disappeared with the lamps through a low
er a-chway, leaving us III total darkness.
but at length reappeared at the other ex-
tremi.y of the chamber, holding the lights
in advance, which, as he slowly elevated
them, produced the illusion of the rising
sun. From the Star Chamber we pass
ed through the FLOATING Cloud Room,
so called from the resemblance which its
ceiling bears to floating clouds. Next we
enter 'Procter's Arcade three quarters
of mile in length, one hundred feet in
width, and forty five in height. The walls
are vertical and look as though they had
been chiseled out of the solid rock. From
the bend emerge into 'Wright's Ro-
tunds.' This chamber is four hundred
+ feet in diameter aud from ten TO forty five
J feet in height. 1t is wonderful that the