Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-11-23
CLARKsvILLE. TENN. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER %. Il
subserranean Palace i'm Virginia.
n V Iarald

subserranean Palace in Virginia.
NY Herald.
LURAY, PAGE COUNTY, Va. Oct.
Is. 187S.-A cave of vast proper
tions has just been discovered about |
one mile west of this town, and /
aboat three hundred yards north of /
the Newmarket and SperryviHe
turnpike. At this point the land
rises suddenly some three hundred +
feet, with a width varying from O.
quarter of mile to a mile and
half, and running north in more or
less broken ridges for several miles
] toward what is known as the Fort
Mountain, small spur of the Mas
sanutton range. This land is of
rather poor quality, but has been
more or less under cultivation for
| years. The south side or larger
knob of this ridge has always been ..
known by the name of ttCave HILL" !
from the fact of small cave having . |.
been discovered there, probably a ;
century back. This cave is of small !.
dimensions and not very easy of !
access, there being an almost per- :
pendicular dissent of over seventy =
feet. The interest in this has long :
since worn out, and of late it has '
been seldom visited. However, g
this has been the key to the discov- I,
cry just made. I
HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED. o.
In the town of Luray, which is
just one mile distant, resides a pho
tographer by the name of B. p. :,
Stebbins. Stebbins removed to this - =
place few months ago and opened ?.
his small gallery. He was mode "
rately patronized, but was not grow " "
ing rich, and had plenty of idle q, q,
time on his hands. Being of a u
somewhat romantic nature, he was bl Ii
IN the habit OF spending a portion of =; ~
his time in roaming through the -
adjacent woods and fields. On one :.
of these expeditions he came across -, ~
the small cave | have described. "a "a
This led him to thinking and ex- -;
4mining further. He finally came 90 90
TO the conclusion from the topo- ~ ~
graphy of the country, and other AZ
that there must be other eii
caves in the vicinity. With this in O.
mind, he proposed to several par Ra
lies in town to make a thorough lo m
;earc1, in hopes of discovering an 0n On
j.
Wo young men named Campbell. w
Ons Of the Sheriff of the county, 20 20
William. These parties in one of oo 20
heir expeditions stopped to rest in nv nv
little clump of underground on IA
he east side of the ridge, in the a9P
middle of which they discovered eti
What they supposed to be a rabbit VI
lOle. They commenced digging, ~ ~
nd as they pulled out the earth 3n oL'
nd stone the the hole became u nc
arger. They worked at it the rest 10 10
f that day, and then went home ttl'
With the understanding that they ,'.l pu
rere not to say anything to any 'a gu
nybody, but were to meet there es esa
arly the next morning. This un- Io Iol
erstanding was faithfully complied eo elo
nth, and the next morning, bright aii'
nd early, found the explorers on %. 20.
he ground. They went to work &c PC
,ith renewed energy, and before 80 -.
light saw enough to convince them I7i. tei.
nat their work would not be in ia. lls'l
ain. The next day, after hard EN- elll
lbOr, they reached what they an, am
bought was the mouth Of q small wv
ave, the opening being about two a. a.
nd half feet square. This they tea es
uickly enlarged. Then lighting a pea p
Juple of candles they proceeded to ~
lter. To do this they had to as ou. 'Sa
me STOPPING posture. After a ,ii'' ,ii''
w steps they found they could III, ~
raighten up. ~ "a y
THE ANTE-CHAMBER. Iool
AS their eyes became used to the 9th
Dom, and the faint light of the
indies shed their rays on surround n
g objects, they found themselves -
an immense vaulted chamber ~, ~
)out ninety feet square, with ~ 90
eight of thirty-fve or forty feet. US u2
hey were utterly astOnnded, but oe0 of
'esSed on the in search of further oa,e VI
,enings, which they found on aIils Jrs
Tery side. After an hour or two e,,S
ent in this way they saw that the Ho,, M1
SIX of discovery would occupy huii h,,Il
lys. They, however, saw enough nt'o oua'
show them that they had a small eES 'E;
rtune within reach. They held q W WI =
found that the land on as as =
hich their their cave was situated ss. siT
as to be sold at the next term of l!it :,
the Circuit Court, September %, Iiu, :,
hich would occur in a few days. - =
ley determined TO say nothing of aoo :
hat they had discovered, but pur- a Ile7
ase the tract, which contained We We
Out thirty-eight acres. Accord W. W.
gly when the sale took place they u u
/ it in at $500, which was cOnsid- 90. q ~
ed fair price by the uninitiated. W. w
fter this they went to work in W. :"
rnest, and have added daily to po"
cir discoveries. ,o on
UNDERGROUND WONDERS. 6nr
y our correspondent having an diffe
vitatiOn to visit the cave, in COM cane
nv with Judge Stewart, of the unp;
ge County Court, and several ours
lies, proceeded to the place of in and
est. After a good view of the khed
scenery, we descended mas
the entrance of the cave. Here bies,
, found Mr.. Stebbins, the Messrs. our
mpbell, and several maSOns and made
rpenters, all busily employed fit huge
Ig up the entrance. Mr.. Stebbins feet
d Mr.. Campbell accompanied Us, the
d after each had been furnished as Il
tn candle We descended the Stril
stairway q distance of mos
rty feet to the entrance proper, then
lich is now about six feet high by thro
rec in width. This has recently char
en- improved by a door frame
d door, The entrance is sur
)unted by a massive rock made Le
nature into a well-fnished arch thro
". After entering the door we foun
,pped to light our candles, and low
en- proceeded downward about ten somt
t more, when we came to level our
or. Here we found ourselves in prise
immense room nearly one hun petr
ed feet square, with a height of inc
)bably forty feet. The ceiling as !
Is Of smooth limestone, save pray
lere large masses of stalactites exai
ng here and there in clusters. conc
nOng these stalactites were three ther
mense clusters, resembling as skel
any magnificent chandeliers, so it is
rfect were they in construction; the
: main one dropping a distance Of the t
elve or fifteen feet from the cell take
Z. The walls Of the apartment sma
re termed of every conceivable cons
or of stone, shaped into all kinds calle
futings and cOlunns, the whole waite
yered with brilliant gloss. In abor
2 centre, facing the entrance and
bedded in the rock Of the floor, p,
a double figure, as of two persons n
sped in each others arms and in IhS
topping posture, The features Of ouIs %
e, though indistinct, would seem l1len