The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1888-04-19

I
going Ilmplng about the streets
swatbed in bandages and redolent
with aromatic drugs. while all the
apothecary shops and doctors Off
ces are absolutely destitute of court
plaster, cxcites public curiosity and
provokes no end of interested in
quiries on every hand.
The victims of what is regarded
as a very mysterious calamity arc
Commodore Lew Green, Rev. A. H.
Brooke, Judge L. j. Burgess, Prof.
Jack Floyd, Senator Carl Buer-
haus, Canon d. 81. Willard, Major
+. s. Purscll and Deacon Robert o.
Kittsmiller. Each and every one
of them is in n state of advanced di
lapidation and torn-mto plecedness,
which is truly narrowing to behold.
These gentlemen, as is well known
throughout the Hooking Valley,
are men of great public spirit, and
comprise the Directory of the Cen
tennial Association for the promo
tion OF
NATURAL CURIOSITIEs,
And it turns out that their present
physical condition is owing entirely
to their devotion to the interests of
the society to which they belong.
They persistently refuse to tell
their friends what happened to
them, and it was only with the great
est difficulty and a solemn promise
of secrecy that I was enabled to
gather few of the remarkable and
TRAGIC PARTICULARS
Connected with the affair. When l
asked Row. Mr.. Brooke why he did
not make the story public, be said :
because nobody would believe
it, ard we would bo set down as
lot of politicians practicing for the
active work of the next campaign"
1t would be impossible for me to
tell the story in all IFS details rs 1t
was related to me, and l will have
to content myself, and at the same
time disappoint nay eager readers.
by merely giving the
MOST STRIKING POINTS
Of one of tho most astonishing ad-
ventures that ever befell an enthu-
siastic body of searchers after sci=
ence and natural curiosities
1t appears that some weeks ago
the above named gentlemen, con
stituting the Board of Directors of
the aforesaid association. met in ex-
ecutive session, and resolved to re
movc the celebrated Ash Cave from
the banks of Queer Creek, where it
was established by the Indians
ABOUT TWO CENTURIES AGO,
And set it up in The public square of
the City. of Logan for the use of the
general public.
Ash Cave is at present located al
most twenty miles from any rail
road, and it is practically inacces-
sible to the world and entirely be-
yond the range CT necessary refresh
ments. Saying nothing about their
intentions, and intending to treat
the people of Logan to q surprise
by setting up the cave unexpected
ly in their midst,
THEY REPAIRED IN A HACK
To the Queer Creek District tax
ing with them all the necessary
ingredients and paraphernalia to
effect their removal.
Ash Cave is an immense affair
covering more than an acre of
ground, its roots having grown
firmly into the banks of Queer
Greek and the overhanging bluffs.
These roots have the appearance
of fissures and winding caverns.
extending into the hills, have
become hollow in consequence OF
their great age and rapid growth.
There was considerable dis
cussion among the Directors
whether these roots should be
cut off or pulled out. Some con-
tended that il they were carefully
cut off they would grow again
and beceme vigorous. Messrs-
Green and Willard took the op
posite ground that if the roots
were cut off it would destroy the
vitality of the cave, and the re
snit woald be that it would
sIrivel up and decrease in size
until it would be no larger than
common sized corn crib.
Ii was finally decided to enter
aud explore the roots of the cave
AMI thus determine not only the
advisability but the feasibility of
taking them out whole. With
burning wood knots in theiI
hands. he entire Directory en-
te ell the main root, which runs
north twenty seven degrees,
twenty minutes and some sec
onds east. and were proceeding
TO carefully investigate it, when
Rev. Brooke, who was III advance
dropped his torch and shouted:
"Help! help! l have been
fighting the devil fo1 over thirty
five years and now the old fellow
has got me for keeps!"
A scene of wild confusion en-
sued, ard the ripping Of clothes
couid be distinctly heard, inter