The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1891-09-25
DAY Al WIND GAVl.
A Full Description Of this Wonder
Of the Black Hills Region.
IMMENsN CAvERNs AND HALLS.
Nature well Repays with Beauties and
Wonders, the Adventurous
Tourists Hard Climb,

to Wind Cave.
This great curiosity, located at
our very doors is fast becoming
more and more renowned as one Of
the great curiosities of the country
and therefore is attracting a large
number of visitors. Over fou,
hundred persons visited the cave
in July and August this year. An
immense amount of work has been
done in charging some of the
passages, thereby making the trip
through the cave easier. In its
present condition ladies can make
the exploration of the cave very
easily, although it by no means re.
sembles a walk over smooth pave.
ment as yet; but compared with
the toll and the danger attendant
upon the trip originally, it is now
excellent.
The opening into this great
curiosity is located about ten miles
north of Hot Springs and is
reached by a pleasant drive. Two
pleasant routes may be taken-one
up Cold Brook Canyon, and the
other, over the hills to the left o!
the canyon. The latter route is
the pl%easanter, particularly on a
warm summer day as the invigor-
ating mountain breczes are felt or
this road that are almost wholly
absent in the valley.
This cave was discovered by
Tom and Jess Bingham about a
dozen years ago. Their finding
was an accident, and was made on
one of their deer hunting expedi-
tons. The sound of the escaping
air first attracted their attention,
a search for the cause of this
sound revealed to them the month
OF the cave-a hole eight or ten
inches in diameter in the solid rock
from which the. air was coming
with a whizzing noise. From this
popularity the cave received its
name. Sometime afterward the
opening was enlarged by blasting
and explorations Of the cave be.
gan. However but little was done
as more difficulties were encount-
cred in the shapeo of small openings
and passages and as there seemed
to be no use or need of finding how
long the hole was, it was aban-
doned.
About two years ago, O. F. Day
located the land where the opening
into the cave is, and built a house
thereon. A few months afterward
Day sold his rights to ]. D. Nc
Donald who is the present holder.
For the last eighteen months Mr..
Mcdonald and his sons have con-
tinued explorations and have
opened and enlarged passages UNI
til they have about thirty miles of
cavern explored, a large portion of
which can be travcrsed with COM
POI llNS CdSCs
AS we would probably be in the
cave from four to six hours, we
took dinner before starting. The
ladies donned trousers and blouse,
and each armed himself with a
candle. The guide, Mr.. Mcdonald
himself, took a supply of candles
sufficient to stand a trip of a dozen
hours.
The door is opened and we bid
farewell to the sunlight. The cave
is entered through a trap door that
from the inside looks much like
the trap doors that lead into sc
many cellars. When the trap dool
is lifted a current of cool WING
rushes up. The thought comes
what a place for a summer hotel.
every room could be ventilated ane
cooled by the air that comes rush
ing out of the mouth of thi!
cavern.
We descend upon q ladder. a:
soon as our party was all below
the trap door was shut down an.
candles were lighted. Then com
mences in earnest the labor oi cav:
seeing. The course from the en-
trance is downward. Part of the
time on ladders and part dow
steep inclines. The first chambc;
to be reached is th%e"l3ridc's Cham
ber". 1t is said that at one time ;
romantic couple were married ii
this chamber.
From this room we pass through
a narrow route to the "Snow Bal
Room" This room received it
name from the large number of cal
careous punches or knobs that hav,
formed and attached to the wall,
and ceiling. The walls and cell
ings are OF a brown stone and tn,
white accommodations attached max
a decidedly pleasing picture. Th'
next chamber reached is TIL,
"Church Steeple" so called be
cause of its resemblance to the spi
raj shape of a church stecple an,
also that when the room was chris
tened a rock projected from on
side, when struck by some har,
substance would give a clear bel
like sound very similar to that of
church bell. by some unknow,
reason this "bell" has becom
cracked SO that the sound no,
given out has lost its beauty an