Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-02
THE NOTORIOUS CAVES OF Lusay.

TOE Three sCOEG anu Ten years,
LursY was one of the most obscure towns
in Virginia. Situated in the midst of the
magnificent Shenandoah Valley, its in
habitants, simple and industrious people,
knew little or nothing of the great world
beyond the lofty mountains which sur
rounded their homes, The discovery of
the caves i've years ago in the vicinity OF
the town has made Luray one of the most
famous places on the American continent,
ranking with Niagara Falls, Watkins Glen,
the Natural Bridge, aud other great
natural curiosities which abound in the
United States, There is local tradition
that Peter Ruffner descendant of one of
the early settlers of the Shenandoah
Valley, while hunting wild game, disap-
peared and was not seen for two or three
days, when the finding of his gun at the
mouth OF a cave led to his discovery. He
was alive, but half.dead with hunger and
fright. 1t was not, however until the IS n
OF August, 1878, that what are now known
IS the Luray Caverns were discovered and
partially explored by Andrew J. Campbell.
The mouth OF these caverns is about 800
PAGES mort beast of the cave which wss &C.
cidentally discovered by Mr.. Butfner. As
soon as the discovery was made public,
artists and newspaper correspondents Wis
tied the place and the wonders of the Lu.
ray Caves were spread far and wide. The
arrangements for seeing the cave are now
very complete. In September, 1881, they
were lighted with electricity, which enables
the visitor to examine the marvellous beau
ties which are spread out before him with
perfect ease. Descending a stairway of solid
T., i :
self in a lofty arched room forming
the ante-chamber to the cave. He is at
once astonished by the bewildering array
of formations that surrounds him in every
direction. On the right is the original
opening through which the first discover
ers entered. 1t is now closed from with
out Specimen Avenue" extends 100
feet to the left, SO called because visitors
were formerly allowed to carry off speci-
mems Of the formations, a practice which is
now prohibited. Anatural Blacksmith's
Shop" composed of two anvils and a heap
of cinders, next attracts attention. Pro
ceeding few steps further, the "Wash.
ington Pillar Is seen, magnificent stalsg-
mite of white carbonate of lime, rising
from floor to ceiling a basin formed by
dropping water lies at the foot of the pillar
gigantic monsters stand out of the sur
rounding walls, while huge brown bulfaioes
depend from the ceiling. Descending Is
feet between petritied cascade and
fossil flower garden, a lower floor is
reached. From thence the bewildered
visitor wanders into vaulted chambers and
labyTinths, each possessing a separate
beauty of its own. At every step a rare
and novel scene delights the eye. Stalac-
titles hang from the lofty roof in bewilder-
ing variety and enchanting loneliness,
while from the floor forest of stalagmites
rises in myriads of formations. Drop by
drop during unnumbered centuries this
crystalline substance has been falling as.
Stunning fantastic, grand and beautiful
shapes, such as guomes, statues, futed
columns, bridal wells, towers, angels
wings, urus, etc.
One of tne widest and most striking
features of the Caverns is "Pluto's
Cnasm, an awful gulf, 40 feet deep and
nearly 800 feet long. On the back of the
ehasm stands "Proserpine's Pillar"
brown and white column, while half way
down the gorge appears another column,
resembling spectre waving its arms. One
of the most remarkable formations is the
" Fish Market" displaying rows Of st,lac-
titles closely resembling catfish and black
bass which are wet and shiny, and seem
TO offer a tempting dish for an epicure.
Passing on through the Cavern, maguih-
cent hall is entered, OF oval shape and sur
passing everything made by human hands.
It's lofty roof is fretted by countless de.
signs in del cate frostwork. Ia the center
Of this spacious apartment large pillar or
white rock Of great beauty arises, while in
every direction strange and ghostly forms
of purest white CLEAN IN the light like so
many half.6nished statues in an artists
studio. Sill advancing, the visitor sees
limpid streams, diminutive lakes, snowy
cascades and crystal springs and pools. 10
the Maids Bath q double column
stands, one-half of which is a stalactite
reaching from the ceiling to the floor, and
is fifty feet the other portion OF the col
umn is a stalsgmite which rises from the
floor to a distance of thirty feet; it is
formed of successive stories, rising one
above the other and subdivided into dimin-
utive columns. A little further on the at
tention is attracted by lofty pillar called
the " Empress Column" 1t is thirty feet
high and composed of beautiful Fittings
and carvings it IS dark at the bottom, but
becomes white near the center, and termi.
mates in delicate pink tint Other pillars
in this immediate vicinity support tur-
ban.c crowned sultana end an Indian squaw
TIE " Comet Column and the "Hollow
Column also deserve mention. More con-
spicuous than any of these is an exact rep
resept4ton OF the dome of the Capitol at
Washington, erected on mass OF fallen
stalactites. In the &C Round Room stands
a symmetrical column seventy feet in hight
and Of various colors. Leaving this por.
ton of the cayerns, the " Ballroom is
entered-a spacious apartment one hundred
feet long. Here the young people Of Luray
occasionally meet "t to chase the glowing
hours with flying feet" In passing the
" Ballroom various glittering figures are
seen, Among these, the most striking is
cinderella Leaving the Ball" her flow
ing garments and fragile figure attracting
great admiration The American.