The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-12-24
W0nderful-.lf True.

A startling and highly important piece of
news comes from that land OF wonder, whisky
and Extraordinarily. 1t is nothing less
than the discovery Of another cave, beside
which that hitherto known as Mammoth
shrinks into lilliputlan proportions. The sto-
ry OF the discovery is told IN the Grayson
| 1dr0cdte, a weekly newspaper printed in the
town of Leitchfield, Grayson county, and
whereof |. L. Mcclure is the responsible edi-
tor Not IN size alone is this cave marvel ;
| its contents are even more so, although the
readers of The Gruphic will not be overmuch
surprised, remembering as they do that more
| than year ago we pointed out the extreme
probability that the ancient Egyptians were
merely branch of some prehistoric race that
pcopled this continent and which left indubi-
table marks OF its presence at scattered points
from Peru to Alaska
! This cave Is situated on the farm of Mr.. Ev.
an Rogers, and to be exact on all points, It's
existence was unknown until Dec. of this
year, 1881 Mr.. Rogers house is about one
mile from the Leltchtield postoifice, the Gray
son AdUor0tG informs us. a huge mountain
rises Immediately in the rear of II, and In the
side of this mountain are numerous small
caves. One of these last was used by the
i family for the storage of milk and butter, be-
ing conveniently near the house 1t was
/ found too small, and Mr.. Rogers resolved to
enlarge it by blasting out some OF the rock at
the back, and while engaged in SO dong he
found that there was a vast opening separated
! from his little cave by very thin wall OF
alabaster rock. covered with CalcareOus form
alton" Mr. Rogers proceeded to investigate,
and was greatly astonshed to find before him
an immense cave, with avenues at least one
hundred feet wide"
Mr.. Rogess, ii seems, Is not selfish man
and he lost no time IN communicating the
good news to his neighbOrs. He hurriedly
saddled his horse and rode into town, there to
tell the tale to the astonished Letchfelders.
Torches were prepared, and almost the entire
adult male population, including the county
Judge and the postmaster, proceeded to make
an immediate investigation. Entering the
cave" says the veraciOus chroniclor "they
were at once greatly impressed with its grand
eur and sublimity. For three long hours they
explored its spacious avenue amidst Its won
derful formations without meeting barrier to
their progress, until they came to wide, deep
river, which they found contained vast schools
CT eyeess fish and other slghtless wonders OF
the marine world" 1t was now late In the
afternoon and they retired, determined, how
ever, on a thorough exploration on the day
| following.
The party of the next day was materially
augmented by straggers from the surrounding
country. 1t included the county surveyor,
who measured the distances. The main av-
enue was found to be fourteen miles long, or
4 five miles more than that of the Mammoth
Cave, which is not far distant A river both
long and wide, and deep enough to float a
small class Western steamboat, was also dis
covered Beautiful staactte," reports the
Adrocote "gllstening like great diamonds, are
pendant from above, while ponderous stalag-
mites and pillars of alabaster rear themselves
like 80 many beautiful monuments below"
This is not all, however The most wonder
full part is still to come. "a pyramld-an eX.
act fac simlle of the great pyramid OF Egypt
was found IN one of the chambers of the cave,
together with Masonic altar and other Ma
SONIC emblems-also number 0I well-pre-
served mummIes which were rSposing In
stone collins which we're evidently construct
ed by great sculptor. as they are fine speci-
mems of the seulptor's art, and are covered
with beautiful Masonic emblems." This 49,
indeed, marvellous and we'll worthy the atten-
ton of the Grand Lodge The account further
says that there are evidences on all sides that
the cave was the abode of a prehistoric race
which the Advocate thinks, as The Graphic
does also, was identical with the ancient Egyp-
! tian race.
Whether this wonderful cave and its attend
ant big river and pyramid and mummies and
altar and Masonic emblems Is not the latest
manifestation of the effects of Kentucky whis-
ky on the Kentucky imagination remains to
be ascertalned Leltchfield is on the line of
the Paducah and Ellzabetbtown Railway, and
the facts should be easily verified.-Grophjc.