The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-04-06
BILLIONS OF BATS.
Immense Gunno Deposits In TexAs Roach.
cd by Recent Railroad Extension.
From The .New York Horld.


ty.sIxth street, who has recently returned
from business trip to Texas in connec
ton with the development OF some yer,
extensive guuno deposits in Uvaide coun
ty. 10 the western part OF that rapidl,
developing state, was found yesterday byy
q World reporter and asked in regard tS
the source of these strange depo is.
That is the most peculiar thing about
them," replied Mr. Frewer. "There are
several caves Inhabited by myriads al
bats of different species. The entrance
OF the smaller of the two large caves
which have been so far discovered is
about so feet in height aud 25 feet wide
on the side of low hill. I was told thai
the bats begin coming out of this en-.
! trance every afternoon about 4:3O, and
pour fourtu like thick black cloud un.
Il! after 10 o'clock at night. They 90 70
some vast marshes. where they obtain
foo1 and return to the caves in the early
morning"
But bat guano is something entirely
ne" to commerce, is it not q asked the
reporter.
No, not entirely new. For some
years past small quantities of batpu
have been shipped to this port from the
bahamas, where it was obtained out of
caves along the sea cliffs. This guano
contains, however, only 81 per cent. of
ammonia, and is not Of great CONNER.
cial moment. But the guano from these
Texas caves is quite different article.
Analyses made by DIR. Habirshaw. of
this city, and also by Messrs. Techemacher
q Smith, show that the deposits contain
over II per cent. of ammonia, besides bone
phosphates of value in considerable
quantities. This analysis compares very
iavorably with any Peruvian guano now
i'll the market.
MISTAKEN FOR FENIAN DYNAMITE.
"By the way" confined Mr.. Frewer
lin connection with these annaly,o, mn
amusing incident occurred not long ago.
The foreman in charge had forwarded by
mail samples of the guano in hermeticai.
iy sealed cases to various English gen.
tlemen interested in or directly connected
with agriculture, and among Others one
was sent to Mr.. Ralph Creyke, NJ. p
The Fenian scare being at ito he;Sh. ;"st
at this time, the honorable member from
York city had nc doubt that he was the
recipient of an internal r,achine. and the
mysterious package was in consequence
forwarded to Woolwich arsenal forexam
ination. 1t was opened with the utmost
precaution by experts detailed by the
military authorities, who found a mass of
fine dark-brown powder, whose color and
| appearance did not reveal its nature.
Then it was tested in small quantities
| without result. 1t was not until n COM
plete analysis had been made aud ex-
planatory letters received that the terri.
BILE mystery was cleared up"
THE HISTORY OF THE CAVES.
What is the history of these caves 2"
II do not not know when they Were
first discovered. I first learned about
them from cowboy while I was hun.
ting up in Wyoming territory. He told
ME that during the war tho confederates
had obtained large quantities of srl 'petre
from these cave deposits of guano. I
found that the largest cave nesr the Frio
river, and known as Uvalde cave, was in
the possession Of n man named New. who
wanted Sl20,000 for the property. He
would not take any less for it, but said
that the quantity of guano in that one
cave was 80 enormous that he would lease
1T to company to work without limiting
the quantity of guano to be removed an.
nually, for $4,000 year. He was salts.
fled that the deposit could not be worked
out in hundred years. Some four or
i've years ago an attempt was made to
work these 5crcsits, but as there were no
railroads within l2O miles of either
cave at that time the enterprise was
disastrous one. The existence of the
caves must have been known for long
time, as reference is made to the bats and
caves iI many names of objects and
places in their locality. All these names
are of Spanish origin. The caves, the
numerous small ones, have never l believe,
been thoroughly explored"
THE EXTENT OF THE DEPOSITS.
"What is the extent of the smaller
| caves 2"
'The entrance of the Cibolo cave, as
it is called Is about 80 feet high and r.
| feet wide. The passage widens gradual
ly for distance of about $50 feet, when
the outer cave is reached. The bottom
Is of guano. The shape of the cave is
like an inverted bowl The walls are of
Limestone and unite nearly zoe feet above
in q grand dome. The cave is as dark as
Egypt. There appear to be neither stall
| agmites nor stalactites. This cave is 800
or 400 feet in diameter, and the floor is
covered with about 80 feet Of guano. In
some parts it is believed to be much deep.
er. The atmosphere is very dry, and
FIVE years ago the guano caught fire, the
whole surface being burned over to the
depth of about four feet. Since then,
eight feet Of guano have been deposited,
so that we have proof that the fertilizer
is being deposited Mt the rate of more
than foot and half year."
STILL GREATER DEPOSITS.
$50 this is where these myriads of bats
livc?"
ooh, no this is only their ante. cham
ber, as it were. On the far side of this
cave, In the side of the dome, about 120
feet from the floor, is an opening about 6
by feet in size. Through this all bats 60
to an inner cave, which has never been
explored. 1t is believed, however. to be
very extensive, because of :he immense
number Of bats e,hich daily sleep in it.
and because at the time of the firc in the,
outer cave great quantities of smoke es-
capped through crevices in the rock near
the Cibolo river, on the opposite side of
the hill, two miles and n half from the
main entrance. This inner cave is be.
lieved to be fully two miles long and
very broad The Uvalde cave was not
able TO visit, but agents reported TO me
that it was about six times as large as
the Cibolo cave. It differs from the Int.
ter in being moist instead of dry. There
is no running water in either cave"
What is the general character of the
country round about?"
THE district is quite hilly, and is com.
posed altogether of limestone forma.
tioD. In the abrupt hills many small
| cavpa ara known IN av;at 81 ~ = ~ 80