The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-11-21
KANSAS STRANGE CAvE-IN
Most Marvellous Town Disappearance Nos
Larned

AANSAS STRANGE CAVE-lN
Most Marvellous Town Disappearance Noal
| Larned
Lsrned, Nov. 2o-One Of those re-
| markable freaks which go to confirm the
belief that great river or sea under.
flows all Of western Kansas has just
occurred near here.
When thine shades Of evening length
ened into darkness Thursday night, the
railroad station at Rozel, on the Jet
moreb ranch OF the Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe railroad, eighteen miles
northwest Of here. nestled peacefully on
the bosom Of the prairie, and no one
| doubted that the morrow's sun would
awaken its little industries to their usu-
81 life ana activity.
This morning when those who lived
in the neighborhood turned their atten-
ton to the little hamlet, they were
thunderstruck to see that the place
which the night before had consisted of
depot, two or three small elevators
| and few other small buildings, had
completely disappeared from the surface
of the earth.
Investigation proved that the bottom
had actually dropped out of the land
upon which the village was located, and
that it had disappeared. Hundreds Of
people have visited and gazed in wonder
on the scene today. The hole is about
an acre and half in extent, of an I'M
even, oblong shape, with rough, almost
perpendicular walls. It is filled TO with
in seventy feet Of the surface with dark
stagnant looking water, into which
everything thrown, even lumber and
light boards, Immediately sink. The
depth of this water is unknown, as the
longest ropes have as yet been unable
10 touch Bottom.
Hundreds of people have visited the
scene Of the occurrence today. Every
vehicle in town has been in demand to
carry the curious, excited sightseers to
the locality. many OF whom are con-
WINGED OF the wonderful freak of nature
only when they stand on the brink of
the chasm and gazed own upon the
dark, fathomless water.
The public schools were given a half
holiday and Professor Mayberry took
his class in natural history, science and
geology TO the hole" that they might
see the wonderful freak and draw such
conclusions as their minds are capable
of.
Hundreds Of theories are advanced to
account for the occurrence. Some con-
tend that the earth dropped into an i'm
mense cave; others that ii was caused
by the underflow OF the Arkansas river,
which is now, for the first time in more
than a year, bank full at this point. and
threatens an inundation of the low lands
But the most plausible theory is that
advanced yesterday that this entire Sec
ton of Kansas is underfiowed by an i'm
mense river or inland sea.
A remarkable fact in connection with
the disappearance Of Rozel was devel-
oped today. While graphing in the
hole with a line, to which was attached
a number Of hooks, in an effort to sound
the depth Of the water, Station Agent
Carver. OF the Atchison, Topeka and
Santa Fe road. hooked and drew out a
blind fish. The find added to the ex-
element which ALREADY prevailed, and
fully twenty-five boys and men have
been working with all kinds OF fishing
tackle all day, but only two other speci-
mems were secured. These fish are re-
markable specimens of the piscatorial
tribe, not only from the fact that they
have no eyes. but on account OF their
beautiful coloring. They are devoid OF
scales as we'll as eyes, but their skin
possesses all the tints of the rainbow.
the colors assuming hundreds OF differ
ents tints and shades. resembling 10
-
shells. the various tints apparently be-
ing produced, or at least affected. by
the refractions OF Hight "a il falls upon
the fish. Although all kinds OF bait has
been used. these fish refuse 80 flake
the hook, the three that were caught
having been captured with grab hooks
which accidentally fastened in their
gills. This fact leads many 20 believe
that the dark water at the bottom o;
the hole contains many Of these Won
derful specimens OF the finny tribe.
Mr.. Carver today saippei his prize by
express to Chancellor Snow OF the State
University, and one OF the other two
was forwarded in the same manner to
the Kansas state fish commissioner.
To cut new bread smoothly the knife
should be slightly heated, first
The color OF picked cabbage IS great
" improved by putting slices - uncook-
ed beet into il.
Lime spots en- WOODEN cloths may be
Completely removed by strong vinegar.
Cabbage leaves. chopped small, ard
thrown on carpets before sweeping an
swers the same purpose as TEA leaves
for laying the dust