Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-24
Another remarkable Cave Disc0v.
cred.
IRaltimorta Rnllefin

correspondent writes from Newmarket,
va. the following description OF a newly dis
oo sSnn, cavern In that neighborhood:
Anout SIX miles southeast nom Newmarket
s.alon, IN The foothills of the MaSanutton
range and on the land of Mr.. Reuben Zirkle,
Ia a OF independent means, indications OF a
cavern nave been noticed for years. A few
weeks ago Mr.. Zirkle and one or two members
VI Iis Iamliy We're Strolling about the place
anu a,,Gh peenoxlng few stones that they thought
mght cover an aperture. revealed a jagged
opening descending almost pependicularly.
Having procured lights, they descended, and st
slle uep.n Oh Ihlrty feet found themselves In
rOomy cnamoer. Exploration has been vigor-
ously prosecuted by Mr.. Zirkle and his two sons
j. c. and A. E., and they have up TO this date
direct line ~
The descent into the first chamber is now
made easy by means OF wooden stairway.
This apartment is about 100 feet In length. and
its ceiling, which is twelve or fifteen feet high.
is studded with pure white stalactites of nam
mary or beet shaped form. side room. tif-
teen feet wide and high, with a smoothly
arched ceiling. extends from this for a consid-
cradle distance. Proceeding through long
passage varying from three TO four feet In
width and from i've to seven in height. and
crossing at right angles long, low gallery.
then going through larger passage and making
a sharp turn, the second hall Is reached. This
Is TWENTY-FIVE feet wide 200 feet long. and from
twenty-five to fifty feet high, with smooth
walls. Stepping then TO much lower level a
room Is entered which is of very irregular
form and numbered with enormous blocks OF
rock which have fallen from the roof. In the
ceiling is wide tissure extending upwards ont
OF eight. On leaving this scene OF chaos the
course is to a level twenty feet higher through
an intricate system OF chambers. the largest
forty by sixty feet and fifteen feet high.
Descending from thence over succession of
shallow basins which in rainy seasons are tilled
with water, you come first to hall 100 feet in
length. with a smooth yaulted ceiling and from
this rass into grand chamber 500 feet long.
nifty feet wide and thirty feet high with floor
covered with angular masses of stone. An
apartment following this is about forty feet
high. 300 feet long and forty feet wide and this
is succeeded by room 1903 by fifty feet and tif-
teen feet high. From this beautifully arched
passage leads to a chamber fifty by iifty feet
and thirty feet high, in which one
be seen. The floor is divided by an i'm
mense assure, which extends in semi-circular
form to the next apartment. stairway has
been constructed to the bottom OF the assure,
fifty or sixty feet below where is found
stream of pellucid water five or six feet in
ROOM" because OF the brilliancy of the incrus-
tations on its walls. is 225 feet long, nifty feet
wide, and forty or fifty feet high, with a level
ceiling, and following this Is a magnificent
hall, 400 by 100 feet, and from thirty 10 forty
feet in height At one end of this apartment Is
apt fifteen or twenty feet in length and depth.
ms THIS is the farthest point to which path has
been opened and any one can comfortably go.
With great difficulty person can creep over
steep and slippery surface between the pit
himself through a small opening can reach
another interesting feature of the cavern. This
is gallery formed in perfect circle 800 or
4C0 feet in circumference, with a floor as level
as that of ball room, and a ceiling six or eight
feet high, arched with the utmost accuracy. At
point nearly opposite the entrance are two
wells, with perpendicular walls leading to a
lower level, and here exploration in this d.
rection had stopped. From the bottom of the
pit before mentioned a narrow crevice leads to
series OF low chambers 100 feet below the
gallery, which have not yet been investigated.
The formation in this cave comprise all OF
those which are common to the other caves of
Virginia. The reSemblances to Statuary are
numerous. In one of the chambers Is Stalac-
tite, brown in color;with figure In pure white
of the exact form Of mouse upon it. The
characteristic feature is the presence of a vast
quantity OF fine, perfectly limpid crystals, COW
ering large sections of the walls and floor.