The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-07-24
he vast area of plain and mountain rounda-

the vast area of plain and mountain rounda-
bout, there is a station and an excellent hotel.
That there are Ports Tarascon plentiful in the
South, with well meaning Tartarins and crafty
Due de Mons to sound their praises in the cities
of the North, | have no doubt, but do not be-
iieve they are located in the fertile intervales of
/ Virginia. This region is within dozen or fif-
teen hours ride of the financial centres, and any
investor may easily go and see and conclude for
himself But came across the hills from Staun-
ton not so much to see the site of Shendun as to
| spend an evening with two Philadelphia friends
under the guidance Of Mr. Mohler the cave su-
/ perintendent, and of certain gentlemen inter
/ ested here, and what might be called private
view of the galleries of the grottoes in advance
OF the opening for the season" which has since
| occurred.
wEYER AND FOUNTAIN CAVES.
| Weyer Cave is plentifully studded throughout
| with incandescent bulbs, and the same beauti-
full system of illumination is now being intro
duced into nearby Fountain Cave Upon our
arrival at the entrance structure high up the
hill side signal was made to the dynamo ope
rator upon the river bank in the valley, and as
we stood in the rocky portal the crystal-draped
rotunda first entered flashed into brilliant light,
| and we began our tour minus those burdensome
and bad-smelling torches which make the visit
to Mammoth Cave a penance rather than
pleasure. Alcoyes open to the right and left
but our guide reserves these for special spectac-
ular effects upon the return trip. He well knows
his trade
These caves have been his field of research
and labor for lifetime. At distance OF
about five hundred feet from the entrance
invaded the Cathedral, a superb apartment,
fully two hundred feet i'll length-a room which
impressed me as being the most majestic and
mi N nj
the many caves have had occasion to explore
in this and other countries. The many points
of light screened behind projecting masses of
stalactites or set high overhead among the pen
dant crystals Of the roof, the snowy columns
and heavy draperies, the fonts and shrines, the
solemn silence Of eternity, the level brown floor
beneath which one may fancy the hallowed
bones of crusaders and martyrs-all these con-
vey to the mind an impression of some princely
conventual hall-a notion purposely accumulated
by the mellow echoing notes OF organ pipes, a
group of large stalactites struck with mallet
by the guide.
There are upwards of 50 chambers and alcoveS
in this cave, containing a variety and wealth
OF aqueous formations | have never seen APP
preached in delicacy or profusion except in the
intensely hot cave of Bellamar, near Matanzas,
in Cuba. After passing the heroic statue which
poses i'll the midst of the Cathedral we enter
other apartments, one OF Which has q height of
80 feet, and at the extreme end come to workings
where exploration further into the mountain is
bringing to light still other labyrinths. 1t is ex-
pected that Weyer and Fountain Caves will soon
be united by a passageway. The latter while lack
ing much of the fairy-like cryStaliZation which |
completely encrusts the former, is made up of
a group of chambers of Titanic mould, chaos
of great rocks and gloomy depths, which Sug
gest not professionals, shrines and music, but |
rather Hades and expiationS. The temperature |
n both of these caves is, throughout the year, |
about 81 degrees, and, what is equally import
ant, the footways are dry and clean. It is an
nounced that hereafter Wright's excellent hotel |
at the station and the grottoes will be kept open
for travellers through the entire year, and tour
lists in Virginia may see this choice bit of won |
derland with small expenditure of time and |
none Of comfort whenever it pleases them to
do so. F. III. T.