Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-10-10
THE LURAY CAvERNs

Oh these suDterraneOus wonders would prove
interesting to your many readers, | having
had the pleasure of visiting them, will now
endeayor to give brief description of their
sublime grandeur.
These caverns, near the pleasant little vii
lage of Luray, Page county, Va, is beauti-
iully situated between the Blue Ridge and
Fort mountains, the lofty peaks of which
are lovely to behold. Under large hill,
near the village, are the caverns, aces
slble by descent of a flight Of sixty
steps. Passing through horizontal aper-
ture about forty feet long, four high,
and eight wide, you enter large room
which rises abruptly to the height of TWEEN
ty-five feet, eighty wide, and ninety long.
| This is called the "Grand Entrance Room.b
in which stands massive formation. called
"Washington's Pillar" the base of which is
fifteen feet, surrounded by the most hanI-
some drapery. On leaving this room, pass
ing through spacious aisle, called "Steb-
bins Avenue, one would be fascinated with
the grand formations therein. At this point
"Cannon-Ball Room" must not be overlook
| cd, which is noted for its formations resemb-
ling cannon-balls Here also the Cleaning
| Tower" is seen, its diameter being about
eight feet. From this quarter, aided by
| torch and guide,you are led into the "Cbrys-
tai Lake Room" in which is found a beatiti.
full lake perfectly clear, forty feet long, ten
wide and eight deep. In this room also is
found Grape Spring." at the bottom of
which are formations very closely resemb-
ling grapes. You would be fnreibly struck
with many other curiositias which | will
not attempt to describe for fear of doing them
injustice, leaving this room for the readers to
| picture up in their own imaginations.
| will next attempt to describe the new
] wonders that would offer themselves in an
adjacent room-spars formed into trees and
shrubs would present a kind of petrilled
grove, all being snow white, one rising above
another as if to boast its supremacy. The
room is called "'rhe Flower Garden" and
would torcibly remind you Of stereoscopic
view of one. In passing this sublime spot
one would be tempted TO walk in and ex-
anime the objects which Natures hand had
so gracefully placed there in utter darkness.
Then passing along you next would come to
u reservoir OF muddy water This Is called
Muddy Lake" and is traversed by an art-
flcial bridge sixty feet long. There is also
over this bridge a natural bridge several feet
above and crossing at right-angles, but rath-
er too inconvenient and dangerous for a pass
way. Near the shore of this lake is room
in which would be seen formations very
closely resembling fish of all kinds, which
seem to he pctrfed to the walls of the cave
At little distance you would readily call
them fish, as they have that sleek and slyery
hue Of fresh fish. This room bears the name
of "Fish Market"
BY ascending flight of steps you would
next he introduced into "Elnns' Ramble.n n
large room about two hundred feet square.
This borders ON an opening called "Pluto's
~ l.a,,s 1. 4 a. q
and seventy five deep, in which stands lof.
ty column, called the "Spectrc Column" and
is perfectly white. Such an aspect would
surely make giant shudder, vet it Is grand
10 behold. Enticed BY eaperness for n
glimpse OF "Chrystal SPRING. with its con.
crcted walls and luxafinns surroundings.
your eye would be Immediately attracted
from all other objects by its niaeen anna.
This spring il about fourteen feet Ia three ~
feet wide and two feet decp. anrg, ON the
orally found full of the purest lirnnlains
water. In consequence Of trying
isfy the eve your attention would ~ q
drawn 10 a handsome stalagmite.
to the altitude of twenty feet. III, ,w.,
called "Proserpine's Pillar" Near thies,nn,
lar is II little cave called "Obcron's GronrnbI
Leaving all of these lovely works of n,cing
behind, you would next be led into a i
room, called "Giant's Hail. Let Won eproy
this room i'm what mood Won may the sc,v
ry will Law hold upon Won as with The hal
Of a giant such n multitude of formotieE
from the most frail To the hugo and massi,ra,
columns having for their bases MANY sou o,b
feet would present Themselves IN mn]tim
the awe stricken sensations which Won wo,sto,
most asslredly undergo. Close Ia the 0ceI
trance, were YOU To cast mn an eve. IL wo,. tn
be met by the majesty of two stately n d
umns. one being n stalaomitc and tho otbali
a stalactite. which have been formed ne,. {
together and are becoming united Inv netri ]
faction. forming what Il called Tho 1npuhl,
Column" whose total height il about 6ftv
four feet. having n diameter Of fifteen foot n
Titania's veil. n handsome staloctite il
worthy of notice. and ovcrhangs n nrivot
apartment. called "Tader's BatL9 Room y IN U
floor of which is covered with water ono
foot deep. Also i'm this hall Is Gound tbi'
"Fallen Column" with diameter of twef lha
feet and twenty.three long This colunr I
despnates the noe Of thc cave N como . .
tent ne since il bas G,llcn from, tho roor on
the cave il has ceased nefrifvinp and hoe LA
come somewhat demolished nv old noe y
Taking leave of tbese quarters Won womb
soon Imagine Yourself thrust into n hall.
room ne Won w9uId ton uf,c,n an arttffs' ;.l
pavilion. sixty feet sonare and n CEILING tI,af
could not be Touched with n radius M d
Hall, and AZ one end Of which il aCasl.ct
Spring" six feet long. two wide and three
deep. and AT the bottom are the most bcanti.
full connections that the cayerns posscgs