Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-09-12
The Discovery of Luray.

A correspondent of the Atlanta Con-
stituilon tells its readers how the cave
was discovered, and how the party
making the discoveries were deprived
of their gain:
A wandering photographer whe
CHANGED to be near Luray (then Lo-
raine) was impressed with the belief
thpt their was a cavernous formation
in some of the hills that thrOng about
the village Why he thought so only
those who know how thoroughly such
a man must must study nature and ac-
quaint himself with woodcraft can un-
derstand At any rate he persuaded
his views to local hunter named
Campbell, and the two started out on a
systematic and persistent search for a
hole in the ground.
For a long time they were unre-
warded. One morning, however, they
came upon a bowl-like depression in
the side Of a mountain, from which
they thought a vague current of air
was issueing. They began picking
through the loose stone and sand that
made the bottom of the sink, and after
going about ten feet, dropped through
an open cavity of indeterminate di-
mensions. a rope was tied around
Campbell's body, and he went far
enough to discover that the new found
cavern was vast and measureless.
The hole was then carefully covered
over; and the discoverers, keeping
their secret, sought the owner of the
land. On short bargain they bought
the land for S400, and took the deeds.
They disclosed their secret, secured
help, and made Thorough exploration
of the cave. The exploration opened
up the weirdest, most picturesque and
marvellous range of underground seen
cry, in my opinion, in the world. do
not see how anything can surpass 1t.
For more than five miles winding pas
sages lead through vaulted and futed
chambers large enough to quarter a
regiment, past pools of crystal water
caught in glistening basins, through
corridors of enchanting beauty into
vast and silent catLedrals and beyond
archways, to pass under which a child
must bow it's head-all filled with STA
lactities, knolls and columns, fashioned
through the patient and ceaseless work
of centuries upon centuries into the
most singular resemblances and simili-
tudes that are startling. Nowhere is
there sign of life, except that in one
huge chamber solitary bat futters in
uncertain circles amid the lofty tops of
huted columns. No other bat was
seen there-and this one was so wiz
ened and wrinkled that he might have
been distilled from the darkness and
dungeon-like vapors Of the cavern
the one blind and pincbed, and chilled
evolution Of cycle of gloom and 81
lence. There is one other sign OF life
the skeleton of human being half
embedded in the bottom of gorge.
Ages ago this man, of perhaps race
the memory of which does not survive,
was doubtless lost in the cavern.
Falling into this chasm, struggling
against it's clammy sides in the utter
darkness, and filing the awful still
ness with his dying cries, he died
alone. And now holiday crowds of a
race as strange to him as the phantoms
with which his last terrors peopled the
blackness of the cave pause with laugh
ing speculation over his bones, and the
feet Of children run trippingly over the
ways where he perished so helplessly.
AS soon as railroad people became
satisfied of the extent and beauty OF the
newly discovered cave, they organized
company with a capital of $lO0, 900,
and bought the cave from Mr.. Camp
bell and the photographer. The price
given was $4,000; but before it was
paid over the former owner of the land,
who in his ignorance of the cave had
sold it for $400, moved to set his sale
aside on the ground of fraud. BE con-
tended that he had sold simply the top
Of the ground, and not what was under.
The courts decided he was right, and
ordered the $40, 900 paid to him instead
of the discoverers. These latter got
nothing, and Campbell lis now guide
for the company on a salary. After
paying $4,000 for the cave, the COM
pany built the Luray Inn, perfect
model of Swiss hotel, at cost of
$4,000. A charge of 81 is made for
entrance to the cave, and last year
5000 persons paid this fee. Excur-
sions are run twice q week, and brings
from 300 to 600 people on train.