Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1893-02-22
ARABIAN light WONDERS.
Cave In the Ozark Mountains Snrpass
ing in extent That of Kentucky.

miles southeast OF NIalena, MO-, Is per
haps the greatest and most wonderful
natural formation in the world. The
famous Mammoth cave of Kentucky
has long been looked upon as the great
est marvel of the kind in the known
world, but its greatest depth is only
nine miles from the entrance. Hidden
away in the Ozarks is cavern which
extends over thirty miles, and has
ram tications which. when fully eX-
ploted, will undoubtedly, SAYS a cor
respondent of the Philadelphia Press,
show cavernous chambers and open
ings extending more than 30 miles.
The existence of this cave has been
known for about ten years, and its
position makes it 50 difficult of access
that no exploration has ever been
made which will tell of half the won
ders to be seen in the underground
palace. The word palace is used adj
visedly for the interior of the cave is
lined throughout with the purest white
marble and variegated onyx. Stalag-
mites and stalactites adorn the walls
and top and bottom of these magniti-
cent rooms with fantastic forms and
odd shapes which give to the whole an
air of some oden palace.
These formations are of all shades
from the purest translucent pearl to
the dead white of marble and the
striped blacks and browns of ONYX.
Occasionally has come from Stone
county to the outer world some tale of
the wonderful marble cave, and these
stories were of such fantastic depletion
that they were treated with disrespect,
and the one who told his tale was re-
ceived with an indulg gent smile. So
persistent, however, has become the
story, always with the strange con-
ceits of formation, that it was deter
mined to make an exploration of the
cavern as fully as the nature of things
would permit.
1t was with feeling that wild
goose chase was being made that the
exploring party left Galena for the pur-
pose of seeing those wonderful things
50 often talked about. But it was with
feeling of awe that that same party
returned to tell of the beauties and
wonders of that mighty cavern. The
meagre details which have heretofore
reached the outer world have not told
one-half of the magnilicence to be
found in Marble cave
Deep in the heart of the 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, extending almost per-
pendicularly down for distance of
200 feet into an amphitheater, in the
of ,,rhi nl, 70 81, 10
opening. To reach this opening a
hundred or more steps have been cut
in the steep side of the crater, and then
the explorer sees at his feet yawning
abyss extending down into the deepest
darkness.
Descent is made into this abysmal
depth by means of series of rope
ladders. and. going deeper and deeper,
at last he finds himself at the bottom,
I5J feet from the entrance, 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 penetrate dimly the re-
cesses of the cavern. it is found that
the entrance leads directly into most
magnificent chamber = magnificent
both as to size and decoration. This
grand amphitheater is almost circular
in form, 100 feet in diameter, while
the ceiling, 225 feet above, appears to
be held in place by immense columns
of onyx and marble. On all sides are
to be seen exquisite forms, standing
against the immense walls as if carved
by the hand of an artist. and the i'm
agination can depict the varied forms
of sculpture as seen in the galleries o.
the old world.
Here, amid silence profound. the ex-
plurar - lost in Won Ter and amaze-
ment, and this scene alone repavs we'll
all the labor of reaching the spot. But
there are more and grander beauties
to be seen in this gigantic cavern of
the Ozarks. From the grand amphi-
theater there extend five immense ual-
lerles leading To other cham bers which
equal and in some instances surpass
the first great room at the foot of the
descent.
From an opening off to one side
there trickles little stream of water
SO cold that 1t is as if it came from an
the explorer reaches the spring room,
the walls of which are as pure Jasper
can make them. Here the temnera-
ture is constantly at AZ degrees Fahr-
enheit, and the moisture which is in
the air of the larger rooms and pas
sageways conlenses on the alabaster
walls aud trickles constantly down
i'll streams which form the rivulet
which runs into the grand amphithe-
alter.
This condensation of itself is one of
the most remarkable curiosities of the
immense cavern. So great is the sup
ply that it is estimated that twenty
gallons per minute pours off the walls
OF the small barrel-shaped niche, called
the shower bathroom. and runs down
into the circular spring of Youth.
This water is so pure that it leaves no
deposit whatever, and is really dis
titled by nature just as it is by science
above ground.