Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-07-23

If tine most beautiful streams in our country.
and artists are, in summer. continually stroll
ing along its banks catching the lovely views
with eye and pencil. The Shenandoah noun
tains accompany its west bank in its tortuous
windings, like silent guardians, and add
grandeur to the scene The sunsets along
this river and among the mountains are gorge
Gus and striking in the extreme. On the east
SIDE the land is quite level and rich in fertil-
ity, so much 90 that it is called the ''Garden
Spot Of Virginia" Grass and root crops
and cereals grow in abundance, and the fruits
raised are of the finest favor The farmers
made poor by the war. are already. most OF
them, wealthy and prosperous, and improve
meBts in buildings and agriculture are so
numerous as to remind one of the various
rich farming regions Of New York, Connecti-
Gu, and other sections in that vicinity.
Luray is a growing town of about 1000 in
habitants and. on accout of its nearness to
the newly discovered cave. is fast becoming
a popular summer resort most elegant
hotel, after the Queen Anne" style.has been
erected, and is full of visitors. One and
quarter miles from the town, is the cave,
| hich is entered by hole in the ground, on
the side of slight hill. The hole, at first
| was hardly large enough for man to enter,
but is nov, about tie width Of a cellar door,
The cave is startling display of Natures
handiwork below the surface. One
is amazed that it il the work OF Nature.
He can picture for himself hundreds Of ig-
ures or objects which are familiar in artificial
structure or cres ion, and. the fancy can run
wild with all objects Of vision. Like all
other great caves it is formed from the drip
pings of limestone. and the sralactifes and
| the stalagmites are of different shades--dark
| or light brown. red mixed with brown, cream
| color, and many of the purest white. glisien-
| ing in the electric light which illumines the
cave like huge diamonds or other precious
stones. Here are Washington's column,
Oberon's grotto. Titania's we'll. the crystal
spring, the wet blanket, the bridal chamber.
which has been consecrated by an actual
| marriage Cinderella's ball room, the frozen
cascade, the birds nest with two tiny lime
stone eggs in it just as nature formed them
the cathedral, a beautiful and solemn room
with massive columns and frescos, all nat
| ursl, the organ. etc. The latter is almost a
perfect semblance of church organ with
| great pipes standing in front, and by striking
| several Of them with pencil you get almost
| perfect octave. The cave, although moi
nearly as large as the mammoth cave OF
| Kentucky, being about five miles in extent
| so far as explored) is fully as striking, so
| learn, in its variety and beauty. 1t takes 9
| good walker more than hour to make its cir
| cult without going into the various side en-
| frances, and in visiting it, three or four hours
are needed to fairly examine its entirety
Semblances of flower gardens, fountains and
| fishes are so perfect as to startle you. You
can even point out specimens Of mackerel
bass, shad. etc. In skeleton gorge are wha,
seems to be the petrifed remains of man
| A fallen stalagmite near the centre of the cave
huge in its dimensions, is supposed to have
| lain there at least 1000 years, and eminent
scientists who have seen it say that it mus
have taken millions of years to form it. The
roof of the cave is between 100 and so fee
thick. The lowest part now traversed is 26s
feet below the level of the cave. The highes
room is 100 feet. Litigation concerning the
land prevents farther explorations at present
but it is confidently claimed that this wonder
| is much greater in extent. 1t was discovered
| in August, 1873, and sold by the discoverel
to a company fer $40, 900; $50, 600 more have
| already been expended in fitting mp, lighting
| planking and otherwise utilizing methods fol
the comfort and pleasure of the thousands Of
| visitors who coming and going. The
electric lights render it wonderfully striking
and beautiful, the startling difference between
| light and shadow adding to its wonder. PEI
pictures are insignificant means to portray
such a spectacle, and | can only say to my
Northern readers, if you ever come within
500 miles of it, even, don't fail to visit it
You will never regret the time money OF
| sight F.. B.