The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1886-04-01
STARTLING DISCOVERIES.
THE Town OF MIDDLEBURGH BUILT
OVER AN IMMENSE CAVERN

Just before going to press this,
Thursday morning, Our attention
was called to the rush of people in
the direction of the road to Franklin,
and upon inquiry learned that
Daniel Snyder and David Stahlnecker
while digging the foundation for the
Jail had struck what was at first sup
posed to be harmless cavity in the
rocks, but which was soon discovered
to be an opening to an immense subter
rnnean cavern, which will necessitate
an entire change in the location of
the Jail.
The discovery was an entire acci
don't, aod entirely due to the curios-
ity Of Str. Snyder, who thought bc
detected hollow rumbling noise
while stamping Oh the rocks in the
west end Of the foundation. without
mentioning il to the rest of the work
men lie kept on prying away rock
after rock, when to his borrow the
foundation gave way and he went
down. Fortunately the crow bar
which lie was holding in his hands
caught on the opposite sides OF the
cavity and he was found suspended
10y his arms some ton feet down the
hole. The Consideration of the work
men was Understandable and rendered
them helpless, but, realizing the
perilous position Of Mr.. Snyder, one
Of the calmcr ones ran for fifth
chain that had been used in tho work
Of excavation aud lowered It, by
which means he was rescued.
What was to done now, no ons
knew. The noise below plainly indi-
Gated that it was something more
than we'll a stone dropped would
no more he heard from, its noise being
evidently drowned by tho low mur-
mur of the elements below. 4 Ian.
tern was lowered sixty feet aud came
up uneXtiuguished. IL was lowered
seventy feet when ii was cXtinguisho q
10y coming in contact with water.
Dan Snyder, uudisuayed by the
Just narrow escape from Il fearful
death, volunteered to go down and
explore the cavern. An inch rope II
hundred feet in length was procured
aud tightly fastened around hi, body,
then tying a "siEnar' rope to his
wrist, and, armed with lantern and
IA ten foot pike, he was lowered
Nothing was heard from him for
thirty minutes, the rope Stacked and
he had evidently struck ground. Not
u sound could be heard from him.
aud aS hc had ordered the ropc not TO
he drawn until he -igualed, all waited
with breathlrss silence for the sisiuul.
Presently it came with three violent
jerks at the signal rope, and tho
heavy rope smoked as it ran over the
rocks some ten feet below. He came
to the surface looking more dead
than alive, and his experience below
Justified his looks. Upon reaching
the bottom of what proved to be Il
cavern fully seventy feot deep, he
found swiftly running stream, run
ming in n southeastern dirsction-thc
bottom Of which he was unable TO
reach with his pike. lie fastened
the ropes to gigantic stalagtite,
and with uil,, ,,I lo,to., l., I,...,
wandered along what he described
tho chamh.r. ~ ,l,, ,n,.t ,.,,,.,.,.r,,I
,,v.rn on r,,,rj , Io,u, r,,i,. ar.
feat in h.ioht which !. hoon,irnl,,.
arched and MI over orno,,,nt,d w;,i,
stataptites md stoloy,ui,as of ov.rv
.houo Th.., J.. ,oi,
known, nre formed NV fla. w,t.r drnr.
,,i,., rr,r, th. l,.,,,
I,,, E,ori,,,. o..it...,
to IN, ro.l ,,Lor, H.. Ia, ,i,I a.
ropos which h, had som, Jir,n,, :,
nndiuy Th, d,rlsn.ss w,. ints,a,
.ud th. Ii.,bt ,LnI,nt.n. -,
oli,,ts o,I,.a ,
oho,L ia h.J ,,.,. A.,
s..nro,,, .r,unI hi. h..I.. .., ',,
,,ha, Ia d;,..rn,I l.,.,,. ...,
,hia.t an, oh,If ooro.s e.. a,,''.'
directIv onnn.ita ,,haro ha st,''I
'"o 'e"'' "h", ieao'i'us "crosS'
u, 'r'','o ''lr"S' III INC prlSht OBJECT.
"'9 'o''o' '''''o 'a'ho s"lshihS
''"' ''o'n '''o s'e'' anu theh