Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-11-18
THE CAVEOF LURAY.
VirSinia's Greatest and Grand
est Natural CuriOsity-The
Wonders Of the Subterranean
Phenomenon Lakes, Cults
and Fairy GrOttOes.
OF the Philadelphia Press

Corrrspondence Of the Philadelphia Press.
Luray, Va, Nov. 6.-To look ut Cave
Hill, " nobody would suppose that beneath
It's plain-looking exterior was cave which
is destined to become one of the most fam
ous and widely known of all the under
ground phenomena of this world In the
waiting-room our party is equipped with
light-giying apparatus, consisting OF
combination of reflector and candlestick.
Marshalled by guide, we descended
through what looks like a cellar stairway.
Down, down and onward we 90 for hours,
winding through miles of corridors down
by the side of gaping chasms, then up,
way up the domes Of grand halls. keeping
close to the heels of the guide, who, when
ever striking feature OF the cave was
reached, proceeded to enchance the value
OF sight by means OF an illumination with
magnesium tape The Shenandoah Valley
Railroad Company, who now own the cave
have literally furnished it with stairwayS
and plank walks Rubber suits, or extra
wrappings are not required; there are no
drippings from above. The temperature
is pleasant, uniformly OF sixty degrees and
the ventilation excellent. Neither Is II
necessary at any time to crawl or climb
like bears or apes, but the journey
throughout is safe, easy and cleanly.
During the presence OF excursions or large
parties the caverns are Illuminated with
electric light. The roof Of the cave is said
TO average from one hundred and nifty TO two
hundred feet in thickness and to consist of
an immense bed of limestone rock, through
which tho water soaks from the surface,
each drop impregnated with limestone,
depositing it's mite thus beginning the
formation OF stalaCtites and stalsgmltes,
which it takes centuries to bring to respect
ful proportians The cave was accidentally
discovered two years ago in digging down
through a sink-holc. The only human
relic found in the cave is al encrusted
human skeleton lying in the bottom OF
pit, which has been pronounced by pro-
iessiouai gentleman to be that OF iuli
grown man. The formation OF the cave
are so varied and profuse, presenting AT
every step, from the moment you enter
till you reach its remotest limit, new OBJ
.isct. for admiration or wonder, that the
mind become confused, overwhelmed, and
unable to take in" such throng OF OBJ
iects rarely and sweetly beautiful or awful
ly grand and sublime. Indeed, its endless
yariety-no two rooms presenting the same
appearance, no two stalactltes or stalag
mites being alike constitutes one OF It's
principal charms and distinguishes 1t above
all other known caves.
FAIRT-LIKE INTERIOR.
The crystal monuments and alabs,ler COL
umns. high and vast; the crypts, Cloissers
and cathedral-Gke apartments OF this ma
iestic under world; the giittering pendants
and pearl-like formation on every hanu;
statues no bigger than a lady's finger,
others like the great giant Christopher.
Here and there YOU will find quiet pools
and peaceful lakes, which the winds Of
! Heaven have never kissed, and millions OF
] the most curious and beautiful forms which
the fantastic brain of fairies could conceive;
pputing. tricklng rills and flowers, and
piece of drapery to carved and Hused COL
umns; groups Of stRtuary and archod domeS
Of imposing dimensions, make one feel as
if he were in the enchanted abode oil tho
subterranean gods. Here pendant mi lions
of stalactites, like tapering pencils, brlstie
{ from the arching done overhead, stalag-
/ mites are grouped about ike stntuary on
every hand. One is lost in admiration
and wonder over massive columns carved
and futed, great forests OF leatiess trees,
rrnnd cathedralS with lofty spires, forts
aud castles in picturesque ruins tOaminG
cascades that seem to have been stillod for
ever by breath of everlasting frost, richly
carved pillars and pedestals, immense or
gans whose pipes are actually attuned to
some extent in perfect harmony with the
laws of musical sound, folds OF lovely drs
pery ornameuted with the tracery like fine
lace work and hung with the edgings OF
heavy silver bullion, solemn looking Gem
eterics with grim wildernesses of tomb
stones and monuments and shafts in sad
disorder, and thousands other designs
which curious nature, in this her play
ground fashioned during centuries that
we're untold ages old when Egypts race
was in It's youth Some of the
( l:.:.:s~ >A.s,l 70 BE CUT FROM THE
CLEAREsT CRYSTAL,
while others run through the various grades
/ of crystalline translucency into grades that
are Opaque, and in colors from white
J tina, rivals the driven snow through all the
tints between that and dull black. Each
J point of interest is worthy of special COM
mcnt, but we must furhcar for want Of
space, and be content with mere mention
: of each rs We pass them in our meanderings.