Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-10-18
The Discovery of Iuray.

A correspondent OF the Atlanca Con-
! StitutiOn tells its readers how the cave
was discovered, and how the party who
made the discovery were deprived of
| their gain
A wandering photographer who
CHANGED to be near Lurav Chen Lc-
raine) was impressed with the idea that
there was a cayernous formation liz
some of the hills that throng about the
village. Why he thought so only those
who know how thoroughly such q man
must study nature and acquaint him.
self with WOOdcraft can understand. At
any rate, he persuaded to his views q
local hunter named Campbell, and the
two started out on 4 systematic and
persistent search for q hole in the
g-ound.
For a long time theywere unrcwarded
One morning, however, they came upon
a bowl like depression in the side Of
the mountain. from which they thought
q vague current of air was issuing
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 dimension. \ rope was
tied around Campbell's body. and ho
went far enough to discover that the
neW-found cavern was vast and meas
ureless. The hole WAS then carefully
| covered over and the uiscoyerers, keep
! me their secret, sought the owner of
| the land. On q SPORT bargain they
| bought the land for $500. and took the
deeds
Then they disclosed their secret, Sc
cured help, and made q thorough ex-
| plOratiOn of the cave. This eXplora ton
opened UP the weirdest, most pictur-
esgue and marvellous range of under
| ground scenery, in my opinion, IN the
world. do not see how anything can
surpass it. For more than live miles
winding passages lead through vaulted
and fluted chambers large enough to
| quarter 4 regiment, past pools of crystal
water caught in nlistening basins,
through corridors of enchanting beauty
| into vast and silent cathedrals and be-
| yond archways to pass under which
child must bow its head-aIl filled with
stalactites, knobs and columns, fash
| toned through the patient and ceaseless
work OF centuries upon centuries into
| the most strikingly singular resemblan-
! ces and similitudes that are startling.
! Nowhere is there a SIGN Of life, except
that in one huge chamber o solitary bat
| fiutters in uncertain circles amidst the
lofted tops Of flutcd columns. No other
| bat was seen there-and this one was
| so WizeHGd and Wrinkled that he might
have been distilled from the darkness
and dungeOn-like yaDOrS OF the cavern,
the one blind and pinChed and chilled
evolution Of cycle of gloom and ST.
| lence. There IS one other SIGN of life
the skeleton Of u human being half
EN- bedded in the bottom of u gorge.
| Ages ago this man, OF perhaps q race
the memory OF which does not exist, was
doubtless lost in the cavern. Falling
| into this chasm, struggling against its
clammy sides in the utter darkness,
and filling the awful stiffness with his
| dying cries, he died alone. And now
| holiday crowds Of q race as strange to
| him as the phantom5 with which his
| last terrorS peopled the blackness of the
cave pause with laughing speculation
over his bones, and the feet of children
run trippingly over the ways where he
! persisted SO helplessly.
| AS soon Us the railroad people became
newIy-discovered cave. they organized
company with capital of 500, 900,
and bought the cave from Mr.. Camp
bell and the photographer. The price
given was 80. 900; 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. He con-
tended that he had sold simply the top
of the ground, and notwhat was under.
The courts decided he was right, and
ordered the $40, 600 to be paid to him
and not to the discoveries. These lat
ter got nothing, and Campbell is now
4 guide for the company on salary.
After paying $4,000 for the cave, the
company built Luray Inn, a perfect
model OF q Swiss hotel, at q cost of
$50, O0O A charge Of 81 is made for
entrance to the cave, and last year 25,
900 persons paid this fee, Excursions
are run twice week, and bring from
| 300 To 600 DpODlo on q t1,ain