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


,it,s.r1s it rumble and rattle in its down
ward course till the sound died away in
the distance.
Sensational reports of this discovery
reached this city, and an exploring party
WAS 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 dozen well known gentle
men, who were provided with ropes.
lights, fireworks, etc, to make 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-
iation us to the probability of finding q
nest of rattlesnakes at the bottom, and
rach 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
cred down, down, down, the light of his
laHtern could be seen growing fainter
and smaller until a tiny speck was visi-
BILE. After letting out the rope about 100
feet faint, muffied 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-
ameter from three to thirty feet. The
bottom is dry rock, and the place proved
90 be 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 a yawning chasm, ten feet
| in width and of an unknown depth.
| beyond this impossible cleft they could
see the roof glittering in the light OF
| their lanterns.
Several Roman candles were fired into
the space, but the side walls could not be
seen, SO that there is no telling how fan
| the cave extends in that direction. The
fireworks revealed numerous stalactites
| and staIagmites of beautiful formation
whose marble like whiteness glisteneC
and shone resplendent in the yari-coloreC
lights. The roof sparkled with a fros
like -incrustation. which reflected tn
light from myriad of shining points a
though the whole dome We're set in dia
monds.
Retracing theirs steps for somedistance
the party found to the right a small open
ing at the top of the steep ascent, and
entering it, were obliged to crawl o.
hands and knees for a distance of pei
haps ten yards. Then the cavern SUD
denly opened into another mammot
chamber, apparently much larger tina
the first one. and possessing more stalac
tite formations. At great distance fror
the entrance they came upon lake c
pure, cold water, as clear as crystal an
of unfathomable depth. Holding tt
light to the water, a shining penny Wa
dropped in and it's gradual descer
watched until it had fallen apparent
fifty feet, when all trace of it was lost.
The water of the lake was perfectI
still and dead, there being no curren
and no;signs of fish or animal life we
visible. A few shells were picked up c
the shores of the lake, and, being agai
. SLUT off from further advance, the par
, retraced their steps. Openings were see
| | in other directions, as though the cave1
extended its wings still further, but Il
fear of losing their way and of the oil
!, the lanterns giving out prevented furth
explorations at present 1t is propos'
(. at some time in the near future to maj
n further examination, going provided wi
g boats, ladders, planks, ETC., that the LAX
and chasns may not stop the way.
Fjndlay (O.) Cor. Pittsburg Dispatch.