Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-11-01
MBLER'S NOTE BOOK.
THE CspEs az 0HIO-pIStr 10
ROthp FURh.


Contra.t-Drsmn,ioC Career OF u spring
h.ld Boy Notes, News and Opinions.
Few villages In Ohio have so romantic
situation as that Of Bainbridge, which is g,
closely connected with Springfield by com
mercial and social ties; pesting amid gres
hills, with Copperas mountain lifting IL
hoary head in the distance, the views whic,
greet the lover OF nature on all sides are ur
surpassabe for their beauty. Under the mag
ical touch Of autumn and Indian summer, th,
great hills look ike 50 many huge thrones
clothed with purple and gold and crimson.
Four miles from Bainbridge the scenery
rises to wondrous beauty and sublimity, where
r ,cky Fork murmurs its wav towards its outlet
at Paint creek, between huge cliffs, almost form.
ing miniature canyon. Here mine host,
Henry Plummer. a sworn friend to all
Springtielde's dispenses hospitality At the
Rocky Fork botel, and the postof'ice, paint "
and a number OF dwelling houses form a
small village. The main attraction to tourists
is the caves, Of which there are about twelve,
although the larger caves are four in num-
Der. These are the largest caves in Ohio, aud
have attracted the attention of geoogsts for
years. The greater number of them are
located in huge hill which frowns from irs
wooded heights upon the lovely glen
through which Rocky Fork and Wet
Cave branch placidly flow, making water
scenes at every turn, OF enchanting lOveiness
A haze OF romance and Indian traditions
seem to hang over these hills and over Paint
! Valley. So numerous are the stories Of the
| Indians, ard so fresh seem the evidence of
their existence, as expressed in cairns, mounds
aud their great deer park, that the visitor
momentsrily expects to see some gaudily
painted brave dash aside the foliage and step
sealthily from his hiding place, or creep s-
lently from some OF the caves, which open
their dark mouths in the cliffs to the sun.
The appearance of these hills 10 the gor-
eeous hues of autumn gold and purple and
crimson, is sublimely beautiful The sun
! light as it streams through the giant crimson.
hued naples and beeChes, seems ss il the sun
light WAS streaming through the stained
| glass windows OF some vast cathedral Ia
| Indian summer Il gentle haze seems to float
over thee hills and through those valleys,
natu e seems asleep, intoxicated with her
! own lCveliness.
For the past few weeks the gathering OF
chestnuts has been the attraction for visitors,
and for the natives as well. The gathering
aud shipping OF Chestnuts and fruits forms a
/ large part Of the industries of Bainbridye
Ch.stnuts have never been 80 plenty as this
year, and hundreds OF bushels have
been shipped to Springfield to
De soid on commission and distributed to
eastern markets fflme chestnutS, with the
"ofmy ones PICKED out, can be secured for
/ IRON 70 cents TO ~ 20 per busLel from farm
erA, VINO orinR them IN Tor sale. The retail
uealtrs thete charge s!.5O per bushel. The
hlgh price whIcA chesthus bring via the
Italian pea-nut-a-stand.a is Cquaed only by
the price OF apples per the news butchers on
trains. Apples can be bought Of the farmers
~lo bring produce into Bslntridge at % to
40 cents per oushel, toi the very best. The
tram boy gets at the rate OF s25 per busheI
Tor them.
party OF Sprlngh !ders, OF which the
writer had the pleasure OF being one, went
down Tor lew days stay at Rocky Fork
last week Inc main object Of the visit was
the exploration OF the Rocky Fork caves,
anu armed with strlng, candles, hatchets ard
o'hr iinpiemea'S 'or cave = search, every
toot OF the caves was carefully gone over
.H' w N"'' 10 t'' ''"E's'' ! lie HIOutH Is
yaWning cavern, into which 1t would be
easy 20 arVe two iour-horse teams abreast.
guide 's not necessary, but is II great con-
'ehiehce' our party had the good fortune
10 secure one 10 the person Of bright young
Ameflesn' named Howard Gddngs, rels-
we OF Tue great ONO Congressman
uoultgs' Inc SIDES aud walls OF the
wet cave are always damp and small
sFeah oi "a'er sHeh'Iy trickts Al
Tue no'loh OF us inslu passages. The Rrea
'tsuouie AZ the entrance dwIndes TO a mar
~" passage ~ II descrnds into the hill, and
the explorer soon hnds himself obliged to ,
squeeze through some perilous narrow open
ings' In some places 1t is necessary to
Chamber along Lodges OF rock overhsngiug II !
rocky gully eight or ten feet deep A
young man named viii Scott, from Ban-
chester, had me misfortune to tall headlong |
into ms rocky gully. while exploring the !
cave last week and cut his head severe
~ Inc walls are spangled with drops OF /
clrsr water, which gIlsten like diamonds in |
'he glare OF the explorers torches. Bats and .
other Underground nosome creatures hang /
on the walls, and swsrms OF spiders OF the ,
daddy long leg variety scurry along the |
ceiling OF the cave as they are smoked ou' /
with the torches.