Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-04
A Rival of the Famous Mammoth
Cave.
A Full AND COMPLETE DESCRIPTION
Wonderful Rooms, Gorgeous Scenery
Magnificent Trees. the Hidden
Things Of Earth.
A WEST VIRGINIA TREASURE
SperiaI 70 Ne RsqiSteT.

you the following account Of the explora-
tion-being one of the exploring party:
For several years there have existed In
this county rumors of two wonderful cav
erns in the mountains on the east side OF
the Cheat River, about seventeen miles north
of Kingwood. One of these caverns, known
as the lower cave, which is in Monongalia
county, was said to have been entered dis
tance o. nearly two miles without finding
the end. The other caverns, which is IN
Preston county, known as the upper cave
because it is nearly up the river from the
lower cave-had been explored, probably,
the distance Of only few hundred yards. As
he rumors grew in age and circulation, as
matter of course the cayerns grew in
wonder and dimensions. Accordingly
party of FIVE young men Of Kingwood con-
sisting of Neil J. Fortney, j. Ed. Kildow,
James W. White, Zsl White and FL. Clay
Hyde, made the necessary preparations and
started on the morning Of the 3lst ult: for
the Beaver Hole" the name of a place IN
the Cheat river near the cayerns, for the
purpose Of exploring caves. The party ar
rived at the Beaver Hole" about o'clock
D. M, aud made its headquarters at the
residence of Col Rohr, who lives there. He
pointed out to US the location Of the lower
cave, which we had determined to visit first.
Immediately across the river the eye
meets the broad, rugged face Of the
mountain, from the bed Of the river to the
TOD of which is about three-fourths OF a
nile. The ascent Of this mountain just
misses the perpendicular far enough to per-
nit mountain goat or an
it's heights, and then with no little danger.
Its face consists of great cliffs Of limestone,
huge boulders almost readyto toppleover and
90 crashing down hundreds of feet into the
river below, underbrUch, briarS, grapevines
and here and there deep and rough gullies
yawning as though waiting to swallow the
unfortunate footman If he makes mis-.
step.
The Entrance.
About a half mile up the side, Or more
properly the front, of this mountain, is the
entrance to the lower cave, and we began
the terrible climb, carrying lanterns and
other things necessary for the sue.
cess OF such an adventure.
Nearly the entire way We
we're compelled to 90 on hands and knees
holding to the underbrush in front and
placing their feet against snags and rocks
oehind, to prevent sliding down the noun
tain. After going through this fatiguing
ordeal for more than an hour, and travelling
but half mile, the mouth Of the lower cave
vas reached, and here we rested few
minutes The lanterns were lighted and
the party entered the cavern. The entrance
is large, being about twenty feet in height
and eight feet in breadth, which gradually
decreases until height of ten feet aud
entered the opening about 100 yards.
Here the cave-or the crack in the
rock-is divided into two passages, an up
per and lower passage. 1t is shaped like
the figure 8, with enough of the middle
part of the figure worn out, from some
cause, to enable person to climb from the
lower part to the upper part, or vice versa.
The lower passage was followed the greater
part of the way as it was the easier travel
ing, and one could see what was above by
the light of the lanterns easier than one
could see what was below. However there
was considerable of the distance that the
aarty was compelled to take the upper pas
age, for the lower passage in several places
appeared to have no bottom. In these
places we had to work along In toe
upper passage with both Of our hands
aud knees braced against either side to
keep from falling into narrow chasm which
vas hundreds Of feet deep for aught that We
knew; and slip or misplaced hand or
knee would, in all probability have been
tstal
As near as could be estimated from the
crude data at hand, We entered the noun
tain about two miles and halt. Our en-
trance was entirely through a cleft in the
almost solid limestone rock of the noun
tain, now and then turning squarely to the
right or to the left, without discovering a
single room outside the main passage way.
When we came within probably half
mile OF the end Of the cave, we noticed
peculiarly in the atmosphere. We could
not breathe with ordinary comfort. but we
pushed on, determined to find the
end. The further we now went the
more fatigued we became and greater the
difficulty we experienced in breathing. But
we soon dame to the end. There was no
mistake about it, The great rift in the
mountain had come to an abrupt stop. 10
say that we were profoundly thankful would
oGly be putting it mildly. We rested for
| few minutes before returning. All were
| well nigh exhausted, but not one of the
party was perspiring in the least; although
We could see, by the light Of our lanterns,
clouds Of steam, or fog, rising from OH
heavy boots or clothing.
We started back, knowing that :. would
be long road to travel beic,, :, we could get
out. Our short - had served to
stitfen our ,o,nts somewhat and
the prospe~~s1o of our back travel, with its at
tend,--,g fatigue and dangers was not pleas
I Ant 10 Contemplate. For more than two
hours, In single file, We crswlsd and walked
and stumbled, uutil we could see the stars
of the frmsment winking welcome to US
/ as we merged from this monotonous hole IN
| the mountain.
II was now dark and we had the descent
TO make and the Cheat river to cross
We could not walk down. Now
and then some one Of the party would
slip and slide down the mountain side st
twoforty speed only to be caught
bv striking against some solid object or o,
slipping sstride a grapevine. He WouId
then cut himself loose and away he would
60 until checked as before. Our guides
kept us from the cliffs and gullies and we
reached the river in safety. We crossed IT,
went to our boarding place. where we were
Hospitality entertained, and then retired Tor
the night, feeling that we had visited the