The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1880-01-28

I y
the purpose Of exploring the mysterious
well. The following were the.gentleppssn
composing the party; slsssrs. N ;.
Brattisghsm and Andrew Long lead
ing Manchester m erchants; Mr.. Ernst
T. Kirker, one oF-the editors. the
the Manokestsr independently IS. New
ton Griffith, Esq, OF the Adams County
Bar; Mr.hSamusl Grooms, the owner Of
the cave, and the Commercial cores
p0ndehE Tf WT%TTh T9
Arrived At the cave, il was thoroughly
explored, and then rope ladder, 100
feet long, with which we had provided
ourselves before starting out was lower
ed down the we'll, and Mr. Kirker headed
the exploration. When about fifty feet
from the top Of the well be called out to
the party about to come down. We
hastily. descended, TO find. our friend
standing at the entranceof a marrow
gallery, leading out from the well. This
gallery led back considerable distance
and got wider, debouching fnally into a
spacious chamber lgS+s ~ o.,
The distance from the mouth OF the
well 10 the top Of this gallery is forty
seven feet. From he roof OF the gallery
to the floor is ten feet six inches. AT
its mouth it measures five feet four
inches in width. The gallery is straight,
fifty feet long, has gradual descent, and
where it enters the main chamber TWEEN
ty-fve feet in width The chamber is
225 feet long, ITO feet wide, and twenty :
four feet high. The roof floor and walls
OF both the gallery and chamber are
smoothly finished. In the center of this
chamber is a sarcophagus and mausole-
um combined. The msusoleum measures
al its base fifty Aye by thirty-fve feet. 1t
is OF simple though wonderful design
and carved out of the solid rock. It's
base is paneled on-aH sides, these pan
els containing Gbae-reliefs which are
supposed to illustrate the four seasons Of
mans life-cbildhood, youth, manhood
and old age. AT the eSds Of the bas-
reliefs are tablets full Of written charac-
tiers, resembling the Hsbraic, presumed
to be memoriams Of the person or per-
sons in, whose honor the mausoleum is
erected The carving on the bas-reliefs
is OF the NEST delicate description, and
fully equal to the Grecan school OF
sculpture The limits Of newspaper
article will not suffice to ftly describe
them. From the floor to the top Of the
base is six feet. The base is followed
out at the four corners, and those exca-
vations are covered with slabs Of free
stone, accurately fitted and SO firmly
cemented that cOaichisel struck with
a hammer made little or no impression
on the cement They are OF uniform
size, measuring five by twelve feet Ia
the center Of the mausoleum rises a
couch two feet five inches in height,
twelve feet in length, and five feet in
width. On the couch is extended the
figure Of a man. 1t is probably OF life
size, and measures nine feet four inches
in length. The limbs are finely pro-
portioned and disposed in an easy and
graceful manner The arms are folded
across the breast, and the fingers clasp a
bunch of leaves resembling the oak,
reproduced with such fidelity to nature
that they look like petrfsctions, Every
vein and serration Of the leaf are perfect.
The figure is partially nude, mantle or
scarfcrossing the breast and falling over
the loins in graceful folds. The face is