The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-10-03
ANOTHER MAMMOTH CAVE.
An Ohio Cavern That Rivals That of Ken
tuky in Size and Wonderful Features.

A rival to the great Mammoth Cave
has at last been discovered. Henry
Griendle, living in Limestone Ridge,
IN Wyandot county, Ohio, was plough
ing. when one of his horses broke
through the earth into deep hole. 1t
was rescued from its position with
great difficulty. Upon examining the
spot Griendle found large hole lead
ing perpendicularly down into the
earth. He dropped in a stone and
heard it rumble and rattle in its down.
ward course till the sound died away
in the distance.
An exploring party was made up
and drove to the ridge to ascertain
what was at the bottom of the story
and the hole. The party consisted OF
half a dozen well-known gentlemen,
who were provided with ropes, lights.
fireworks, etc.. to make a thorough
exploration. Having fixed everything
in readiness for the descent, the ques-
ton arose as to who should first go
down. The men looked into the dark
mysterious hole, mentally made a cal
culation as to the probability of find
ing a nest of rattlesnakes at the bot
tom, and each one was perfectly salts
fed 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
lowered down, down, down, the light
of his lantern could be seen growing
fainter and smaller until tiny speck
was visible After letting out the rope
about 100 feet, faint, mutfied whis-
per 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 wav down, and varies in
diameter from 5 to 80 feet. The bot
tom is dry rock, and the place proved
to be a capacious cavern. The place
where the landing was made was esti-
mated to be over 60 feet in width, and
while the ceiling at that point was
low, it gradually rose like dome to
the height of fully so feet. The floor
was very uneven. The party had not
gone a quarter of mile when they
were sudd enly confronted by yawn-
ing chasm, ten feet liz width and of an
unknown depth. Beyond this impas-
sable cleft they could see the roof
glittering in the light of their Ian
terms.
Several roman candles were fired
into the space, but the side walls could
not be seen, so that there is no telling
how far the cave extends in that direc-
ton. The fireworks revealed numer-
Gus stalactites and staiagmites of beau
tiful formation, whose marble-like
whiteness glistened and shone resplend-
ent in the vari-colored lights, The
roof sparkled with frost-like lncrus-
tation, which reflected the light from
myriad of shining points as though
the whole dome were set in diamonds.
Retracing their steps for some dis
lance, the party found to the right
small opening at tie top of the steep
ascent, and, entering it, were obliged
to crawl on hands and knees for dis
lance of perhaps ten yards. Then
the cavern suddenly opened into
another mammoth chamber, apparent
ly much larger than the first one, and
possessing more stalactite formations.
At a great distance from the entrance
they came upon lake of pure, cold
water, as clear as crystal and of I'M
fashionable depth. Holding the light
to the water, a shining penny was
dropped in and its gradual descent
watched until it had fallen apparently
fifty feet. when all trace of it was lost.
The water of the lake was perfectly
still and dead, there being no current,
and no signs of fish or animal life were
visible. A few shells were picked up
on the shore Of the lake, and. being
again shut off from further advance,
the party retraced their steps. Open
ings were seen in other directions, as
though the cavern extended it's wings
still further, but the fear of losing
their way and of the oil in the lanterns
giving out prevented further explora-
tions at present.-PAtS6urg Dispatch.