Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-05-22
ANo1HeR MAMMOTH CAVE.
An Ohio Cavern That Rivals That of Ken
lucky in Wonderful Features.

lucky ia Wonderful Features.
A rival to the great Mammoth cave has
at last been discovered. Henry Griendle,
living on Limestone Ridge, over the line
! in Wyandot county, was blowing, when
one of his horses broke through the earth
! into a deep hole. II was rescued frcm
| its position with great difficulty. Upon
examining the spot Griendle found n large
hole leading perpendicularly down into
the earth lie dropped in a stone, and
heard 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 a thor
ough exploration. Having liked every
thing in readiness for the descent, the
question arose as to who should first so
down The men looked into the dark
mysterious hole, mentally made a calcu.
Iation as to the probability of finding a
nest of rattlesnakes at the bottom, and
each one was perfectly satisfied 10 let
several of the others 20 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
lantern could be seen growing fainter
and smaller until tiny speck was visi.
BILE After letting out the rope about 100
feet a faint, muiiled 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 desconds 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
TO be capacious cavern. The place
where the landing was made was esti
mated to be sixty feet in width, and
while the ceiling ut that point was low il
I gradually rose like dome to the heigh;
of fully fifty feet The floor was very
uneven The party had not gone quar-
ter of a mile when they were suddenly
confronted 10y yawning chasm, ten fee
in width and of an unknown depth
Beyond this impossible cleft they coulC
see the roof glittering in the light o.
/ their lanterns
| Several Roman candles were fired int
/ the space, but the side walls could not b,
( seen, SO that there is no telling how ia
the cave extends in that direction. Tn,
/ fireworks revealed numerous stalactite
and stalagmites of beautiful formation
1 whose marble like whiteness glistenet
and shone Respondent in the vari-colore'
/ lights The roof sparkled with fros
like incrustation which reflected tn
light from Il myriad of shining points a
I though the whole dome were set in dia
monds.
Retracing their steps for some distance
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 sue
denly opened into another mammot
chamber, apparently much larger tina
the first one, and possessing more stala,
tite formations At a great distance fror
the entrance they came upon "a lake {
pure, cold water, as clear as crystal an
of unfathomable depth. Holding til
light to the water, shining penny wa
dropped in and its gradual descer
watched until it had fallen apparent
fifty feet, when all trace of it was lost.
, The water of the lake was perfect
still and dead, there being no curren
and no signs of fish OF animal life wei
visible A few shells were picked up O
the shores of the lake, and, being agai
shut off from further advance. the part
retraced their steps. Openings were see
in other directions, as though the caveI
extended its wings still further, but Il
, fear of losing their way and of the oil
the lanterns giving out prevented furtht
! explorations at present II is propose
at some time in the near future to NAL
, further examination, going provided vii
/ boats, ladders, planks. etc, that the lax
and chasms may not stop the way
Findlay (O) Cor. Pittsburg Dispatch.