West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-09-18
THE CAVE
A THOROUGH EXPLORATION OF TrE
BEAVER HOLE CAVE MADE. WHAT
IS TO DE SEEN IN IT AND NEAR II.

fOT some Jline past III mas Decn
believed that there is an extensive
cavern in the mountain near the
Beaver Hole on Cheat river. Last
fall party from town visited the
place and explored the cavern for
some distance, but did not reach
the end Of it. Their. report on re-
turning home elected a good deal OF
comment, and produced no little
degree Of excitement in reference to
the cave. The talk vas kept up ell
along until last Tuesday, September
10th, when III Clay Hyde, Neil j.
Fortney, Mack Menear, Tom Bra
ham and the Editor of this paper
went down TO the Beaver Hole to
make q farther exploration and learn,
if possible, the exact extent of the
cavern.
Our. party leG town at 2 o'clock
p. m. in Murdocks wagon, driven by
Perry Staley, After leaving the
pike at the four mile post our jour
ney onward was very slow, as the
road is rough and hiily. We reach
ed our destination, or place where
We stepped for the night, Cal Rohr's,
about sun.down. After supper Fort
ney suggested that we ought TO go
up to the cave that same evening
and take u general survey of the
surroundings. Some of the boys
were not in favor of this, but ma
jority said 90, and the will of the
majority was very quietly submitted
J to.
Shortly before dark we boarded a
skif and rowed up the river about
half mile to what is known in that
section as "the fish pot" This
"hsh pot is a dam constructed across
the river obliquely, in the shoot Of
which box or net is placed for the
purpose Of catching fish. At this
dam we landed and at once com
menced our ascent up the side of
the mountain, Fortney and Braham
leading. 1t was pitch dark by this
time, bul each was manned with
lantern. We tore our way through
brush, climbed over rocks ana at
last came to the road leading up the
mountain side from the river at
Rohrs to the Wallis settlement. At
this Juncture, Menear, Hyde and
ourselves were about played out, and
would have taken the road for Rohr'
had it not beer for the obstinacy of
For.ney, Brabam and Staley, (color.
ed who said they would find the
cave if it required the whole night
TO do it.
We followed Che road up TIE noun
tain perhaps q hundred yards and
then helloood. We were answered by
Mcssrs. RoLr and ShaIer who lad
preceded us TO the cave. They were
about $50 feet below us at the en-.
trance TO the cavern. We soon found
path and went down. We entered
and we're in four rooms that night.
Returning TO the entrance about 8
o'clock,apar. ofthe crowd went back
to Ehors by boat, while another
par. walked down the road, the skia
rot being large enough to carry
eigls persons in safety.
The next morning at 8 o'clock
found the same crowd Of eight per-
sons at the caves enterance, which
is about 200 feet above the bed Of
tlo river 10 Tie "dsh pot, and about
100 or 100 feet below the road that
leads up o. mountain. At the en-.
trance there is a small bench or level
lpot OF ground probably lOxl2 feet.
The entrance is small hole leading
through tbc solid rock fof perhaps
80 feet before room is reached.
IL'1 entrance varies In height from
= ~ feet and in width from l8 inc
ches ~ = Feet a person crawls
faroa 60 vIH some diHculty. es-
poc.a'Iy De is above lbo average
mon. in .ze Tho 1rst room entered
3. circular ID Slope a5ou. 10 feet in
diameter ord w fsel 10 the ceiling
several -.e cHa wcgalav sever.
81 t.l Ir.n.cuoas'y about
..e l.ar ri a.m .hc appearance
..s ceiling orc s 'eI TO- tao be-
Ie. l.a. ..s l.s. .to.e t.me fallen