Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1893-06-07
A GREAT DISCOVERY.
An Underground River Flowing
Through the Country.
Is 1t the Carson and Humboldt Sinks
Running to the Colorado River9
Or What is It?

'AiV' IOWA, ldppeu SuDlerraneal
cavity at depth of 600 feet that was
completely filled with live bats of the
common gray species and of extraor
binary size. i Exchange.
An underground river strongly i'm
pregnated with iron, was found re
Gently near Charlotte, n. C. 1t is
reported that the stream, which is AZ
feet below the surface. is 700 feet
VIDE and six feet deep. = Exchange
below We publish a communica
ton written by prospector and
miner well known in this State. He
assures us that every statement con-
tanned in his letter is the truth. II
so, 1t is indeed most important dis
covery, and one which may revolu.
tlonize things in this State. -ED.
One of the most important discov-
cries of modern times is the finding
of subterranean river or waterway
that probably drains the State and
may prove to be capable of furnish
ing means of transportation for
her people and products.
1t has long been a mystery what
became of our sunken rivers. Now
it is probably explained by the dis
covery of huge subterranean tun-
mel (Which l have named the Mon
arch), which contains a running
stream, how wide | could not tell as
the light was insufficient.
THE DISCOVERY.
The discovery of this tunnel was
purely accidental. While working
in the bottom of the shaft of the
Monarch NINE, | put in a shot, and
on descending to see what execution
had been done, l found that | had
broken through into what looked like
a cave, with strong current of air
coming up from it. On investigation
found that the opening continued
down on an incline. Determined to
see what there was below, l put in a
cross timber and attached a rope to
it. | went down considerable dis
lance. In some places the opening
was very narrow and at other places
four feet wide. In some places it
was nearly perpendicular, but gener-
ally it was about half pitch. l pro-
ceeded down to the end of my rope,
put in another cross timber, and so
| continued. 1t took three days hard
work before | reached the bottom.
When got to the bottom, | saw a
wonderful thing-a large cavern and
a river flowing through it. AT first
l thought it was lake, but on reach
ing the edge of the water l found
that it was flowing stream, and by
throwing in piece of lighted paper
l found that it had current of about
three miles an hour
l was on the southeast shore and
the bank sloped down to the waters
edge gradually, like sea beach.
The roof was thirty or forty feet
high. The temperature was mild,
and slight current of air was per-
ceptible, flowing in the same direc-
ton as the water. Being without
facilities for further exploration, l
returned to the surface.
AN UNDERGROUND RIVER.
The next morning l lowered three
four-foot planks to the bottom of the
shaft, and supplying myself with
lunch, rope, candles and matches,
descended to the bottom (Which
think is about 600 feet below the sur
face). | dashed my planks together
and made raft l tied a rope fifty
feet long to the raft, placed two
lighted candles on it and let her 60 to
the end of the rope. In this way
learned there no falls in that dist
ance. | continued in this manner for
over two miles. In this distance |
met with no obstacle, only here and
there, where the tunnel cut through
a hard formation, there would be
rocks projecting to the waters edge,
but not preventing me from walking
over them
The average width of the stream
is about 100 feet, and from bank to
is over 200 feet.
QUARTZ LEDGEs.
On my return inspected the diff
ferent strata of rock cut by the wa
ter. Limestone was the first forma-
ton l noticed, and the tunnel kept
it's width Dretty even. but in other