Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-10

cular and with a vaulted roof. It's super
ncial area was at least three acres and
Laport could not resist the impression that
1t had been at one time an incandescent
bubble that had cooled without breaking.
He stood in the center and threw the light
into the space above. few stalactites
cleaned family like stars. Nothing else in
the cave SO impressed him as this magnifi-
cent natural rotunda. Indeed, the rest of
the subterranean passages and openings
were such as are seen in all the under
ground tracts OF Kentucky and Tennessee.
Vast accumulations of limestone debris;
choked and narrow alleyways; bottom
less holes; enormous stalactiteS and mounds
Of their fragments where they had fallen.
Here and there streams of water flowed
sluggishly across their path and once they
encountered a pond or lake about mile In
extent and at one point half mile IN
width.
The exploration mainly impressed Laport
with the prodigious expense and the COM
parative futility of constructing a narrow
gauge road on the varying and stony levels.
But he saw that it could be built on iron
benches against one Of the walls with only
two breaks that needed bridging.
When Hendricks returned and had clos
eted himself with Laport in what he called
the laboratory he did not find his engineer
very enthusiastic. 1T will cost an enor-
nous sum to put track down." he said,
and 1t Is for you to say that the end will
warrant the extraordinary expense"
II told you before" said Hendricks. some
were not part of your consideration. What
will 1t cost?'
We'll. sir. 1 suppose rude but solid
bracket road can be built on oAe>wall for
about six thousand dollars a.fhile.".
That's very nearly hundred thousand
dollars for sixteen miles. Let us say q
hundred and fifty thousand. Can we put
up an electric engine il it is got in here by
piecemeal and make the trucks and cars
II the iron work is suppled?'
"Unquestionably" replied Laport
Then the railroad question is settled"
said Hendricks. Now the lighting system
My idea Is to run the furnace chimney
through the roof where the crust is not
over ten feet thick and carry it up at the
end OF the house we are to build over the
entrance But you will see what our diff
Guilty Is. We want light to build the road
and until the road is built we cannot get
our dynamo and engine into the cave, for
they must come in at the other end
Il would suggest a temporary lighting ar
rangement," said Laport. 1.-The difficulty
OF delivering most of the material at this
end can be overcome"
Yes. but the difficulty Of transportation
at this end cannot be overcome. We have
to haul our stuff from the nearest railroad
and that Is only poorly equipped branch
1t Is next to impossible to pull the ma terial
over the run until roads are made and we
have the water almost at our door in the
southwest"
heavy material through those passages at
present and 1t is not impossible to wheel
mere from the nearest point until your road
is completed"
How long will it take to build the road?'
Laport laughed. 1T Is a question Of sup
ply OF iron and number Of workmen."
very well, we have all winter. I will
Iurnlsn you with a gang Of fifty men. 1t
the road Is done by next May 1 shall be sat
ho