The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-09-26
4uwn into

-ue,.nt it rumble and rattle in its down
Wurd vOurSH till the sound died away in
the distance.
Sensational reports of this discovery
reached this city, and an exploring party
MAS made up and drove over to the ridge
to ascertain what was at the bottom of
the story and the hole. The party con-
sisted of half n dozen we'll known gentle
men, who were provided with ropes,
! lights, fireworks, ETC., to make 4 thor
ough exploration Having fixed every
thing in readiness for the descent, the
| question arose as to who should first go
| down. The men looked into the dark
mysterious hole, mentally made calcu-
ration us to the probability of finding
! nest of rattlesnakes at the bottom, and
rarh one was perfectly satisfied to let
several of the others go first
Finally one of the party summoned up
sufficient courage and volunteered to
make the descent alone. AS he was low
ercd down, down, down, the light of his
lantern could be seen growing fainter
| and smaller until a tiny speck was viSi-
bic. After letting out the rope about 100
feet faint, muftled whisper announced
that he had found solid bottom. The
reporter went down next, and finally the
whole party found itself at the bottom of
the shaft.
The hole descends through limestone
rock all the way down and varies in di-
ametcr from three to thirty feet The
bottom is dry rock, and the place proved
90 he a CapaciOuS cavern. The place
where the landing was made was esti-
mated to be sixty feet in width, and
while the ceiling at that point was low it
gradually rose like dome to the height
of fully fifty feet. The floor was very
uneven. The party had not gone quar-
Ter of mile VIXEN they were suddenly
confronted by yawning chasn, ten feet
in width and of an unknown depth.
Beyond this impossible cleft they could
see the roof gIittering in the light Of
their lanterns.
Several Roman candles we're fired into
the space, but the side walls could not be
seen, 50 that there is no telling how far
the cave extends in that direction. The
fireworks revealed numerous stalactites
and stalagmites of beautiful formation,
whose marble like whiteness glistened
and shone resplendent in the vari-colored
lights The roof sparkled with frost
like ,inCrustation, which reflected the
J light from q myriad of shining points rs
though the whole dome were set in dia-
monds.
Retracing their steps for some distance,
the party found te the right a small open
ing at the top of the steep ascent, and
entering it, were obliged to crawl OIL
l hands and knees for a distance of per
I haps ten Yards. Then the cavern sud
q denly opened into another mammoth
chamber, apparently much larger thar
the first one, and possessing more stalac
0 tte formations. At a great distance from
4 the entrance they came upon q lake G.
] pure, cold water, as clear as crystal ane
= of unfathomable depth. Holding TIL
light to the water, a shining penny wa
4 dropped in and it's gradual desceD
watched until it had fallen apparent,
S fifty feet, when all trace of it was lost.
n The water of the lake was perfecti,
i still and dead, there being no current
9 and no:signs of fish or animal life wer
visible. A few shells were picked up OF
the shores of the lake, and, being again
/. SHUT off from further advance, the part
g retraced their steps. Openings were seel
d in other directions, as though the caver
V extended its wings still further, but tn
+ fear of losing their way and of the oil i
- the lanterns giving out prevented furthe
=" explorations at present. It is propose
;. at some time in the near future to max
G boats, ladders, planks, etc, that the lake
:, and chasms may not stop the way
Fjndlay (O.) Cor. Pittsburg Dispatch.