The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-20
is said 20 Surpass Even the Noted
Mammoth Cave Of Ken
lucky.
Not one-H Half the Wonders Are
yet Known to the
World.
Hksse fhat Are. However. Exceed Any
4Alag Prsvtoasly Disoovsred-Ex-
p~loratioa al Mysteries.

ma most wonderful natural formation IL
1he worid. Tho famous Mammoth oavs, ol
Kentucky, has long been looked upon a.
tho greatest marvel of the kind In tht
Known world, its greatest depth 10 only
aniue miles from the entrance. Hidden
avay In ths Ozarks is a cavern which ex-
honda over thirty miles and has ratifca-
tiens which when fully explored, will un-
doubtedly show oavernous chambers and
openings extending moro than 800 miles.
The existence Of this cave has bsen known
for about ten years, and it's position makes
IL n difficult OF aocsss that no exploration
has ever been made which will tell OF half
tho wonders TO be seen in the under
ground palace. The word palace 10 used
adyisedly, for the interior Of the cave 10
lined ~throuahout with the purest white
marble and varicgated onyx. StalaRmites
and stalaotites adorn the walls n tops
and bottom of these magnificent rooms
with fantastic forms and odd shapes which
Give the whole an air of SOM olden palace.
THESE formations are OF all shades, from
the purest sranslucent pearl to the dead
white Of marble aud the striped blacks and
browns of onyx.
Occasionally has come from Stone counsy
20 the outer world some tale Of the wonder
full Marble cave, and these stories we're Of
such fantastic depletion that they were
treated with disrespect. and the one who
told his tale was received with an indul-
Rent smile. So persistent, however. has be-
come the story. always with the same
strange conceits Of formation that IL was
determined TO make an exploration OF tho
cavern az fully as the nature OF things
would permit. II was with q feeling that Q
wild goose chase was being made that the
exploring party left Galsna for the pur-
pose of seeing those wonderful thinRs 90
often talked about. But it was with a feel
ing of awe that that same rarity has re-
turned. to tell of the beauties and wonders
OF that mighty cavern. The meaRsr details
which have heretofore reached the ouser
world have not told one-half of the mag
nifcence to be found in Marble cave.
Deep in the heart Of Wilderness ridge.
the highest peak Of that highest ridge of
the Ozark mountains, is Roark peak. On
the extreme summit of this elevated peak is
an immense, crater like depression, the
sides Of which extend almost perpendicu-
larry down for a distance of 200 feet. In
the center of the bottom is q narrow. slit
like opening. To reach this opening a
hundred or more steps have been cut in the
ateep side of the crater, and then the ex-
plorer sees at his feet a yawning abyss OK
tending Town into deepest darkness.
DsBcsnt ia made into this abysmal depth by
means OF q series of iope ladders. and 60
ing deeper and deeper ut last he finds HIM
self at the bottom, 16O feet from the en-
trance and on a level floor, and can Just see
the daylight streaming through the opening
far above him.
Now as the eye becomes accustomed to
the darkness, and the feeble light OF the
torches penstrates dimly the recssses of the
cavern, it is found that the entrance leads
directly into a most magnificent chamber
magnificent both as to size and decoration.
This grand amphitheater ia almost circular
in form, 200 feet in diameter, while the cell
ing, 225 feet above. appears to be held in
place by immense columns OF onyx and
marble. On all sides are TO be seen OK
quisite forms standing against the i'm
mense walls as if carved by tho hand of an
artist, and the imagination can depict the
varied forms Of sculpture as seen in the gal
leries of the old world. Some Of these
rival In msssiveness n splendor the heroic
statues OF the world, while others boar all
the d~elicacy of carving of the lower which
Adorn the entrance Of the cavern. Giant
columns rear their heads to the roof, their
bases standing on pedestals of incrusted
marble and jasper. INTERVIEWING among
bueSc LudJtbJlC COluLllb CAH 10 B00Ll OellCRI0
tendril-llke veinings which appear to be
some beautiful vine turned suddenly to
stone. Athwart the walls, crossing and re-
crossing. can be seen what at first glance
appear to be lunches of beautiful flowers,
showing all the varied tints of the rainbow,
but which examinations shows to be delicate
lncrustations across the chalcodony and
onyx, forming tendrils and leaves as per-
feet 90 if formed by the hand of nature on
the flora of the upper air.
Here, amid silence profound, the explorer
Is lost IN wonder and amazement, and this
scene alone repays we'll all the labor of
reaching tho spot. But there arc more and
grander beauties to be seen in this gigantic
cavern of the Ozark. From the grand am
phitheater there extends five immense gal
leries, leading TO other chambers which
equal, and in soma instances. surpass the
first great room at the foot of the decent.
From an opening off to one side. there
trickles a little stream of water as cold al
If it came from an iceberg. Following this
to its source the explorer reaches the spring
room. the walls of which are as white al
jasper can make them. Here tho tempera.
ture is constantly at thirty-two degrees
Fahrenheit, and the moisture which is in
the air of the larger rooms and p~assagewayf
eondenses on the alnbaster walll
and trickles constantly down in
streams which form tho rivu,
let which runs into the grand am
phithsater. This condemnation of it
self il one OF the most remark
able curiosities Of the immense cavern. Sc
great is the supply that it is estimated tina
twenty gallons per minute pour off tn,
walls of the small, barrel shaped niche
called the shower bath room, and run
dow into the circular Spring OF Youth
This water is so pure that it leaves no de
posit whatever and ia really distilled by
nature just as it is by science above ground
This shower bath room and spring room
rivals in beauty of design any chambe
decorated by art in the known world. Deli
cate veininRs OF onyx, alabaster, chalco
dony and beryl interlace in such profusio.
on the marble wall and with such delicat
tracery that the whole presents a picture O
rareRt design. Along the base Of the rooI
runsi a .dado of reds and grays, forme
by the mottled and disoolored marble
which have received the drippings OF waite
washing over portions stained with iron.
Leading off in another direction from til
grand amphitheatre ia a lofty passagewa,
with succeed roof and arched entrance
Following this the throne room is reachs
and here, in solitude. is q grander throu
than was ever built by man or designed b
human brain. The great white thror
stands alone in the middle of u maRuifcer
chamber with lofty ceiling full 800 fe'
above. From side to side the floor msRl
ures 200 feet, while from end to end it
670 feet. Thu throne, . majestic ova
stalagmite. stands III the center, formed
pure onyx and jasper, with markings
chalcedony and beryl. Standing thirty-s
to back, il rises in grandeur to a height
isl 1Arkr-HWa- faAt hnInu tOHAIvn Hnof in III ~