The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-11-14
THE LURAY CAYERNs.
Exploration of wondrous Caverns In
Virginia.

Exploration of wondrous Caverns In
Virginia.
Correspondence of the NeU York Herald.
LURAY, Page County, Va, Nova.
The exploration of the caverns which
take their name from this little village,
and which are now destined to become
famous as one of the worlds wonders,
still continues. Each day-almost each
hour-develops some new wonder, and it
remains an open question whether the
beautiful mountain county of Page is not
the upper crust of vast succession of
subterranean mysteries. On every side
of the already discovered and explored
caverns is found passages and outlets to
as vet unknown regions, and most Of
which are SO far impossible, owing to the
lack of means and the absence of neces-
sary machinery with which 10 operate
and open them up. It is more than
probable that the proprietors, with an
eve to their own interests, will confne
their operations below to the limits of
the thirty eight acres which they were
lucky enough TO purchase when one Of
them, Mr.. Campbell, first discovered the
ssrabbit hole" at the base of Cave Hill.
And, by the way, it is more thar likely
that the fortunate discoveries and adven-
turous explorers will encounter consider
able trouble in maintaining. their right
and title to the cavernous property which
they bought at q commissioners sale, for
even now the former owners are exhaust
ing all the legal talent of the county in
an endeayor. to regain possession of it.
Of course the lawyers will encourage
them in this effort as long as there re-
mains a-chance to get a retainer and a
prospective big fee.-
THE CAvERNs.
The new discoveries are located under
knob or spur of the Massannutton
range, about one mile or. little over
west of this village. The entrance,
which has been sunk to depth sufficient
to admit Of putting in an ordinary door,
is on the east side of the hill, and The
main cavarns, after running north for
about four hundred and fifty yards, turn
off in northwesterly direction, extend
ing probably over mile as far as ex-
plored. The descent to the door is some
thirty feet in daylight, and as many be-
low in the darkness when standing on
the floor of the vaulted and extensive
ante-chamber, as it has been appropri-
ately called. This compartment is about
eighty by one hundred feet, with the
rugged ceiling ranging from thirty to
forty feet, and is decorated with masses
of s.alactites and a large column in the
centre. reaching nearly to the roof IL by
25 feet in extent. 1t is very handsome,
but as if designed for the'purpose Of an
ante. chamber, does not compare with the
gorgeous draperies and magnificent spec
tacles in the rooms beyond.
THE SOUTHERN TIER OF CHAMBERS.
Excepting the faint ray of daylight
that penetrates from the doorway, the
darkness is intense, and candles, tie only
artificial light yet within the means Of
the proprietors or the resources of Luray,
are brought into active requisition. Each
visitor, guide and manager is furnished
with a"dip," and the party starts on its
tour of explanation. When first went
in the party consisted of about thirty
persons, all natives but your correspon-
dent, who caused considerable sensation
with the locomotive headlight which was
kindly furnished me by Colonel E. T.
Smith, one of the superintendent Of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. A loco
motive headlight had never been seen in
the Luray Valley before, and this avant-
courier of railroad, which they have
been vainly expecting for years, was
hailed with delight, not only as o good
omen Of future railroad, but as curl
osity scarcely surpassed by the caverns
themselves. Leaving the ante-chamber
and proceeding to the left through low
arch, thepsrty passed successfully through
an entire suit OF beautiful chambers re-
splendent and dazzling with stalacta of
every possible shape and color. In many
instances these chambers resemble grot-
toes, and the floors are as much objects
of curiosity as the walls and ceilings,
from the fact that the stalagma is just as
grand and beautiful as the stalacta. The
main curiosities, however, in this range
are the blacksmith's shop, SO called be
cause of the close resemblance of two
small stalagmites, located near an appa-
rent CRATE for furnace, bear to anvils.
The shape is almost perfect, and black
ened incrustation, evidently the result of
some mineral in the earth above, in the
white stalactites strengthens the illusion.
Tn another chamber is small statuette
which the enthusiastic imaginations of
the natives have tortured into model of
Napoleon. / cannot say that the like.
ness in this instance is as good as that in
the case of the anyils in the blacksmith's
shop. Next is the "Oratory," where the
luted columns of an immense sheet of
stalacta surmounted by g canopy looks
exactly like an organ in a church, the
colors. only differing, and being more
brilliant in the light of our candles than
can possibly be described. Then comes
low.arched passages leading to four unex-
piored rooms beneath this range. In
another chamber is an exact picture of
an eagles wing, and all of them are COW
cred with the most brilliant stalactites of
every color. At the further end of this
tier is large chamber, in which is a
curiosity named the Leaning Tower, and
which also has miniature lake with
clear water. The Leaning Tower is q
huge stalactite fifteen feet in diameter
and some twenty-five long, which has
broken away from the dome and now lies
in an inclined position. From the Pc
culiar formation at its top this may have
happened some thousands Of years ago.
This ended the southern range, and re-
turning to the ante-chamber, where two
muscular mountaineers were employed to
carry the headlight, we set forward to
explore the wonders TO the west and
northwest.
THE WESTERN RANGE.
The route in this direction is impeded
by chasms, gullies aud hills; but with
singular ingenuity the proprietors have
already bridged over the former. and
made the ascent and descent of the latter
.;o- by couo forta hle wooden stairways