Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-31
THE LURAY CAVERN.
Bits Of Subterranean Scenery Described
by u Stars Correspondence.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:

To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
Were you ever at the Luray caverns? Many
OF your readers have not been, and for their ben
eiit mainly propose to give you a very brief
description oi this celebrated cave as saw il on
recent visit. 1t is scarcely necessary that
should say so-and yet feel fully Justified in
stating that adequate description of this
wonderful cavern has ever been written or ever
will be. The thing must be seen to be appreci-
ated. Language is too feeble TO present a word
picture OF It's wonderful grandeur The entrance
To the cave is reached after walk, or hack ride
about one and one-quarter miles from the
railroad depot. y house covers its entrance
ana the cave j. reached by going down an easy
Hight OF stairs about sixty feet to- an aperture
Called Entrance nall. From this hall three ave-
nues radIite, each leading to separate compart-
ments of the great cavern
The first emotion OF the visitor when fairly in
the cave is that of sublime wonder, Every OF
Ject IN signi and sound seems marvellous in the
extreme, Yet nothing To daunt the visitor
must 90 back to those stairs leading down to
EutranSe hail long enough TO note the very
rapid tall Oi temperature. The thermometer
above ground stood at about 50 the day was
there, and in descending this stairway the i'm
preston was soon made my mind that
had made a grave mistake in that had ne
elected 10 put ON "a light overcoat. The guides
told us that the temperature just 56o in the
cave, and presume they spoke the truth, but
really II seemed To me that ii was much colder
anu yet 1 dId not suffer at all and alter :, II, "
moments rather liked II. Having somewhat
recovered from the first emotional wonder the
visitor Is next filled with admiration. ON
every hand We trace III faint outline the forms
OF various animal and vegetable lie with
which We are familiar. Turning rom these We
behold the glltIerIns stdIactites in the form of
huge fiuted columns, reaching from floor To
ceiling. DraperIes in great variety oil Ioid
and IN every tint ana shade OF Color
everywhere III sight, filling the be-
holder with delight well as wonder
In Ine distance We behold what appears To be
frozen cascades OF snowy whiteness, with dark
shades in the background. Again are
GTOu III III To- tine midst Of great massive staI,c-
ties measuring twenty feet or more III di;tIne-
TER. thirty 10 lOrty feet i'll height reaching from
ceiling 10 Hoor- Stsisctltes ali sizes from the
giants just described down 10 that o pipe-steIn
dimensions are seen every side All .Iisten-
Ing under the glazing electric light, 50 arranged
~ 10 Olplay the most pleasing and brilliant
coIors and Iinis Great yawn!ng chasms e.,rh
having "A suggestive name. are passed i'm
various parts OF the caVe-Io All appearance
bottoInless- These are carefully guarded by
TaiiIngs 10 prevent accidents. Pools are found
here and There nIIeG with water as clear as
CRY stat, but not, Think, suitable for driukIns
being II 1 am correctly informed Somewhat
acid There are quite "A number of large halls
each having IA hlsu-sOuHding maine. and
In each vi these halls OBJECTS of
special interest To the visitor In one
81 the halls peculiar formation OF staI;,c-
titles, strongly resembling the pipes ~ an
organ, Was shown by our guide, VINO, by striking
them IigntIy, played several tunes III very good
stS Ic. Ia another chimes shown us
Pro. W lddows and his MetropoIit,,n be,I.
scarcely excel those ia this cave, except thai
Ia. professor makes more noise ON his lnan Il Id
our guide, but certainly 10 sweeter sounds
lie Angels wing, another the Tinted
shawl especially interesting The fish
market presents to our view "a line display oil
black bass aud silver perch done Up in punches
ready Tor sale y collection of small, placid
lakes, called Hades, was shown u, the guide
explaining That the name ol Hades Ior
THIS collection Of lakes because of the extreme
4uletude OF the pl;tce-as quiet, lie said, las the
grave, ami IA We were ali endeayoring 10 take
IA the soeiniity OI the solemn words OF our
guide, he suddenly pointed long and steadily
Win MS DOhy un9cr TO "a ydWnIDg ch;tsIn just
beyond the lakes, and, with SLOW emphasis, he
oI""ISd "ut, must also Icmind you
tAit sheOi = but step beyond the grave. -
SCORES OF little GrOttos. each ana all filled with
t'Ic most wonderful chemical formations are
encountered a. every turn Those who visit
the cave ought Tor their own comfort, 10 take
A40hS some extra clothing To put as they
enter 80 to protect tine IN from the very sudden
ehailSe OF temperature. and should also protect
The feet with gums. The lighting OF the cave
leeds Uo be improved-Nhile IT is true that
tAcfe are quite "a number OF electric lamps in
the catN"Tns, yet the tact remains that il is
very poorly Iighted. The lamps are not suffi-
eient IN number and the dynamo Insufficient
apparently Tor the limited number q;
lamps now employed. IL L NJ
LhNcHISG IN INDIANA.-leander Moody
"as iyhched AT seymour, Ind. Thursday night
49, iasiLs teit-year-old girl named Lissom.
,n,oiy eNau"d arrest two weeks, but was cap
$3.50 i3st saturday near ShelbyvIlle III. His
80 "a 10 nave taken place Tuesday. Thurs
80 n4sH. tue cltlZens rOsS Inasse, and fore
$500, anu Managed him 10 "a tree. 1t is alleged
sA'As one OF the Missouri delegation in Congress
- Aoodys brotner-in-law
RAvAGEs or THE CHoIER. The cbo,a-, no
ports from AUstro-H ungary for yesierdav are.
ihIeste,S new cases, deaths: Fiume 1 new
case no deaths Tue Italian returns are: Man
c es. 20 new cases. deaths Bologna5 new