Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-03-22


Covered cavern in that neiehborhood
Ab5us six miles southeast from Newmarket
Station, in tie foothills of the Masanutton
| rsrga and on tho land of Mr.. Reuben ZiIkle, o
farmer OF independent means, Indications of
cavern have been noticed for years. A few
weeks ago hlr. I'rke aud one or two members
OF his family were strollipg about the plac,,
a1d removing & o toW stones that they thought
might cover an aperture, revealed q Jagged
oDehlog dcconding almost pependiculary.
tiavlog procured lights, they descended. and at
the depth of thirty feet found themselves in q
rcomy chamber. Exploration hes been vigor.
ouSly prosecuted by MIR. Xjrke and his two
dato penetrated to tho dstar CO of nearly mile
n direct line.
Tho descent into the first chamber is now
madc easy BY means of wooden stairway. This
apartment is about 100 feet 10 leugth, and lis
ceiling, which is twelve or fifteen feet high, Is
studded With purs white stalactites Of nam.
mary Or beet shaped form. A side room, ff
teen feet vide and high. With a smoothly
archcd ceiling, extends from this for consid.
eraba distance. IrGc ,edDg through long
passage varying from three to four feet in
%ldth nGd from hvc to seven 10 height, and
c;csslng at ric chs aogles long, low gallery, then
going through larger passage aud making q
sharp turn, the stcond hall is reached. This is
twenty-five to l!ty feet in height. with smooth
walls. Stepping then to much lower level,
rocm is entered which is Of very irrepul,r
torm aud cnmbered with ouormous blocks of
Took which have fallen from The roof. In the
ceiling is a udo Gssure extending upwards out
OF sight. On leaving this scene of chaos the
COURSE Is to q level tWonty feet higher through
gu lltticato fystem Of chambers, tho largest
forty TO sixty feet aud fifteen feet high.
Dosccndiog from thouco over succession OF
shallow basins which in rainy seasons arc filed
with wather, you como first to q hall 100 feet ic
eogth, With a smooth vauited ceiliue, nnd from
this pass into grand chamber 500 feet iarc,
fifty feet wide and thirty feet high, with floor
covered With angular masses OF stone. An
apartment following this is about f,rly feet
high, 800 cet long md forty feet wlGe, and
this Is succeeded BY room 100 by fifty feet aad
fifteen feet high. From this beautifully
archod passage leads to chamber fifty by
h'ty feet and thirty feet high, in which QUO Of
the wonders of the cave is to been secH. The
floor is divided by er immense assure, which
extends 10 semi circular furm tu IL. y. *
apartment. A stairway baq been consrnr,cd
to the bottom Of tho fssure, fifty or rixiy r,cr
below, where is found a stream 0! pgl:uc q
water five or six feet in width.
The next chamber, clled tho diamond
room," because of the brilliarcy of Lbc igcru--
tatiocs on its walls, is 225 feet long, G!ty feet
wide, and forty or fifty feet high, with level
ceiling, and following this is G msgrif,cct Asil,
400 By 100 feet, and from thirty to forty feet
10 height. At one end of this apartment is .
pit fifteen or twenty feet 10 lcngth or depth.
This Is the iartbost point to which q path has
been opened and any ono can comfortably go.
With great difficulty person can crtop over
steep and slippery surface between tho nit
and ono OF tho walls, and then by crowdng
blmsolf through small opening can reach 90
other interesting feature of the cavern. This
is gallery formed 10 a perfect circle, 300 or
400 tcet 10 circumference, with a floor cs level
as that of a ball room. and ceiling six or eight
feet high. arched with tho utmost accuracy. At
point nearly opposite the ootrauco arc two
wells, with perpendicular walls loading 10
lower level, and hore exploration in this drec-
| tion had stopped. From tho bottom of the hi.
betore mentioned narrow crevico leads to a
series of low chambers 100 feet below tho gale.
ry, which have not yet been investigated. The
formation Ia this cave comprise all Of those
| which are common to tho other caves of Vir-
giDia The resembanocs 4sJtatuary sro pu-
| melous. ln one of the chambers is O staIrc
| lite, brown 10 color; With figure 10 putc whito
of the exact form Of mouse upon it. The
characteristic feature is the presonco of a vast
quantity of fine. perfectly limpid crystals, GOV
ering large SECTIONS of tho walls and Aoor-
Ba1tmore Bulletin.