Daily Republican., 1879-06-11
vlRGINIA,S WONDER.

In the BOwen9 OIL GOS EuStu-AVw s"e
wonderful Lurey cave was Dis
coyered-The Energy Of the ''Cave
Rats and their Reverses--A Re.
publican Correspondent Explores
the Cavern What he Sees.
staff Correspondence OF the Republican.
LuREY, PAGE Co., VA, June 9th, '79.
Two of the most celebrated men to.
day in this part Of the country are B. p.
Stebbins and A. g. Campbell. Through
a tortuitous combination circumstances
these men have discovered one Of the
greatest wonders, and thereby added to
Americas prestige as country favored
in natures prodigality of all things
marvellous,) that has, been discovered
anywhere. 1t is a cave. The world
looked at the Mammoth caverns OF
Kentucky and turned away awestruck,
fully satisfied that nature In that at
tempt had exhausted itself. This new
discovery, which by the way, is only
short distance from this town, surpass-
es Mammoth cave in all except immens-
ity.
These caverns of Luray are simply
grand. 1t Is the rule in instances like
this for beholder to go into raptures
over what seemeth to him an unusual
evidence of natures munificence. In
this instance he is completely at loss
for an expression. Never in his life has
he been impressed with the extreme
poverty Of the English language as
he does while standing before the
grand, yet fanciful, the massive, yet
delicate pieces of handiwork as they
have been moulded and dropped from
the hands Of a divine creator.
There are no exterior evidences about
the G., We which would go to indicate in
any L, amer the existence of such in
describable evidences of magniticence
as are hidden away in the INTERIOR
The spot is nothing but a hill, a hill of
the scraggiest and most unsightly kind.
Upon the top and running down the
opposite side is thick growth of
woods. On this side there is a corn
field. "But how was the cave found
and where is it ?" you increduously
inquire.
TO answer: Luray is town of abo ut
eight hundred inhabitants, situated in
Page Valley, between the Massaanut-
ten and Blue Ridge ranges ofmountains.
1t is d country seat of one of the quiet.
est and best behaved counties in Nir-
gina. West of this town about mile
is q high prominence known as Cave
/ Hill. 1t has been known by this name
from time immemorial. On the wooded
side of this hill is cave known as
Rutfner's. The entrance to it however
is dangerous, and the sights to be seen
do not warrant the loss of so much
labor or the discomfort Of fatigue.
There are few limestone formations
but of an inferior kind.
The opening was known to the Indians
MANY years ago, and in latter years
afforded admirable shelter to pursued
fugitives suffering from the privations
of war. 1t has a few chambers, which
because of the fact of their having been
occupied as lairs for wild beasts and
rattlesnakes have not been explored
until here lately. These subsequent
explorations failed to bring to light
further digres sions under the earth,
and so the oft repeated conjecture that
Shuffner's cave was only the gateway
to labyrinthine galleries and passage
ways, ceased to have thought.
The Southern branch of the Shenans
aoah divides the Massanutten noun
tains from the Blue Ridge. On the
Massanutten side of the river the
mountains are of slate, while on the
Blue Ridge side they are, more partic.
ularly the foothills, of limestone tor
nation. OF such is Cave Hill. This
in brief is description of the exterior
of one of the most remarkable wonders
of the world; now as to the discoverers.
B. p. Stebbins is q photographer,
born in New York State. He came late
y from Easton, Talbot county, Mary
land. In following lis avocation i. e.
travelling from one place to another
taking photographs and pictures, he
rame to Lurey. While here his mind
became fired with the ambition to dis
cover cave. lie had been previous to
this close student of caves and the
manner of their formation. lie stud
led the character of the land and from
evidences that surrounded him he be-
came convinced that the foot hills and
some portions of the Blue Ridge noun
tains were fairly honey-combed with
gloomy caverns and unfathomable
gulfs.
In many places he came across un-
hatural depressions in the earth's sur
face, which strengthened him in his
convictions, and he determined to inau-
Eurate a thorough investigation. While
IN Luray he became intimate with a
young man named A. G. Campbell. To
his friend he made known his ambi-
on, and they both set out in a thor
Pugh exploration, agreeing between
hem that if success rewarded their ef-
orts they would divide whatever profit
accrued from such success.
Many times did they dig, and as
nany times failed. Day after day they
wandered the mountains striking a
tone here, disturbing. the dirt there and
rawling into every aperture that would
meet their gaze. Sometimes they would
hee with such success as would in
luce with the belief that their labors
we're about to be successful, but they
ltter many hours work would arrive at
liberalization that they had been rur-
uinga deception. They received no
ympathy from the people, and as they
you'd plod out on their weary labors
hey would be saluted with the oppro-
Pious term of "cave rats"
They Vere monomaniacs upon the
ubject and were treated as lunatics.
he gentlemen persevered however {;
nd now what change The people
Rlute them very respectfully. "Cave