The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-23
DAKOFA,s WIND GAVE.
A Cavern in Which Explorers Rave
Journeyed Sixty-three Miles.
From the Grand Rapids Democrat.


From the Grand Rapids Democrat.
Hot SPRINGS. s. D.. Sept. 4.-This won.
derful lsbyriath, Wind cave, discovered
some seven years ago by a cowboy, is in
Fall River county, South Dakota, twelve
miles north of Hot Springs, and consists of
a series of caverns, sixty-three miles of
which have been explored. 1t receives its
name from the fact of a strong wind issuing
from the opening, and for this reason many
believe there is another entrance, but none
as yet has been found. The wind does not
at all times blow from the cave, but its
action may be compared to that Of the
lungs in breathing
The several routes are very rough, and in
places dangerous. The two most frequsnte d
are the Garden of Edeun and the Fair
Grounds" The majority of people choose
the FORMER route, as it takes thirteen hours
to go to the Fair Grounds" necessitating
remaining in the cave over night. Few
visitors are enthusiastic enough or strong
enough to undertake go long trip, as there
Is difficult and perilous climbing TO be done,
many places where one must crawl on hands
and knees, and passages, such as 1.-THE Irish
Misery" Of which corpulent persons should
beware, unless they wish to sacrifice them
solves to the cause Of science. The routes
are intricate, as there are often three or
four passages opening from a single cham
| Der.
The human voice is audible but a short
distance. though tapping on the rocky wall
can be heard from half TO hree-quarters
! Of mile, and last Fourth Of July, those
| who were in the cave heard the cannon at
! Rapid City. slxty-ive miles away. The
temperature is uniformly 45e Fahrenheit,
and the air Is very clear. Numerous springs
are found; also q small lake. Each cham-
Der Is unique in itself, "A marvel of beauty.
The formations, which are of limestone,
seem created by fairy fingers; many Of
them being too delicate to remove. The
snow palace" with its drifts of snow,
its cleaning, frost-like tracerles, its
starry snowfiakes, spanglng dome
and walls and floor, It's glow Of
amethysts and crystals flashing like dia-
monds, even IN the light of tallow candle,
outrival anything art bias ever done in the
way Of beauty. Other beautiful rooms are
| the Red Room" the "Queen's Drawing
| Room, !" the "Postofiice, q" the "Grand OPERA
and the "Lorne Gallery One OF the most
wonderful rooms is the Cathedral" where
! the guide, by manipulating the rocks, pro-
duces certain weird, musical sounds. In
the Garden of Eden" is found the For
hidden Fruit" which, in this case, resembles
plums and grapes more than the traditional
apple. The Fair Grounds the largest
chamber yet discovered, are three acres in
extent
! On the morning Of Aug II our party
started for the cave. "AIva," the noted
/ Wind Cave guide, was secured; the route to
the Garden of Eden" was decided upon.
| Before the trap door was lifted we could
hear the roaring of the wind in its efforts
to escape.
Are you Teadyw said the guide. YES
came from the crowd. The door was lifted
down, down, down we went into the lark
abyss, cropping our way along holding on
| to the stairs, as the wind threatened to toss
US out Of It's cavern darkness. One little
| girl said 81 don't want to go down there
! know I'll never come back again" The
first chamber we entered was well named,
The Postoflce," for the walls we're COW
cred with odd box-like structures On we
| passed from one room to another, with
| MANY u merry laugh and jest over our
rough road, end wondering awe at the
| beauties revealed. While resting in q cav
! ern we heard two parties coming from op-
| posite directions. Instantly all the candles
were blown cut, and we greeted them with
! as uneartnly groena as ever Dante heard
when he visited the internal regions.
AT last We reached the Garden OF Eden,
! five miles from the entrance and 500 feet
below the surface, gazed on the forbidden
fruit, then began our journey upward. On
! the way back we heard voices singing
Nearer. Ny God, to Thee" "Where are
| they, Alvaln said /. They are In the
Methodist chapel" he answered. at 10 a
party en- route TO the Fair Grounds. The
wall is thin here; that is why they can be
| heard SO plainly.