Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-18

A. visit 90 wetrd CaVerns where There
IsIce tho whole Year Round


A partv of Norway and Oxford ladies
and gentlemen visited the ice caves OF
Greenwood Wednesday of this week.
These natural curiosities are about a
dozen in number, and are situated some
three miles from the little village
known "a Greenwood City. 1t Is o
good road from Norway to wlthin
quarter OF a mile OF tue
caves. and We eniOved every part
of the way. The cayerns are on land
owned by Mr.. Eben WentWorth, and
the entrance 20 them is abont two thirds
of the way up Mt. Split, as he has named
this elevation. it IL rather a suggestive
If not an appropriate designation. The
path 10 them lies through heavily
wooded tract Of land, where there is no
opportunity OF seeing the surrounding
country. and bad it not been Tor Mr..
Wentworth, who acted as guide, 1t would
have been difficult TO have followed the
trail.
Having rested, we moved up the
mountain and soon reached the mouth
of Valleys Cave, one OF the largest IN
the whole lot 1t IS a doubled-storled
cavern. the lower chambers beng some
4OO or 500 feet in length and about
n dozen feet in width. The exit Is at
the TOP of the mountain. The upper
chamber is very much smaller and IS
connected with the first by a passage
loroe enough for half dozen to pas
abreast This cave was named by the
late DR.. True, of Bethel, for Mr.. Wal
lev. OF Boston, whose daughter was the
first lady to pass through tho entire
length Of the cavern.
one Of the caves is shaped like a well,
and - from twenty TO thirty feet IN
depth. There are regular steps which
wind around tho sides 20 the bottom
Here are two chambers running IN Oppo.
site directions, one Of which leads nearly
to Observation Rock. 1t IS called Snake
psssage, and TO pass through it one IS
Obliged 10 crawl on hands and knees.
The other chamber leads into cavern
which is large and somewhat triangular
having several chambers, one OF which
connects vito Well Cave. The walls OF
this chamber rise upward some seventy
uFc lctL or more.
In one Of the caves ice is to be seen
ell the wear round. Our torches pro-
duced q beautiful effect upon the CLASSY
surface of the ice and the cavern walls,
enhanced by the total darkness hut a
short distance from our lights. There IL
AL exit TO the cavern on the other side
of the mountain and one into Amphl-
theatre Cave.
There are two great riffs in the noun
tain, one running northerly and the
other in the opposite direction. These
ire great curiosities, and attract the at
tention OF all who visit the caves, and
probably these riffs gave the name to
the mount.
Table Rock is the highest Of O series
OF lodges or shelving-rock that reach
nearly TO the foot Of the mountain. The
view from here is magnificent, and it IS
only oxcelled by that at the summit
While a few of the party were extended
1T full length upon it looking down from
the rock into the great amlblthoatre be-
low, they we're startled by the exclama-
ton OF Smith, who was seated in the
"pulpit," a small circular place III the
ledge.
"Get of from there. You don't know
where you are Nou are way out over
creation !"
They drew back to investigate, and
found that they had been hanging ont
some fifty or sixty feet IN mid-alr upon a
shelf OF rock only i've or siK feet II
thickness.