The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-05
RIVAL FOR MAMMOTH CAVE.
Montana Cavern Filled With Objects
of MysteriOus Interest.

GREAT FALLS, Mont, July 4.-Con-
siderable interest is being manifested
here in a cave which is situated about
twenty miles distant in southwesterly
direction. While it's existence has
been known for some time, it has never
been fully explored, and today is
known only for a comparatively short
distance beneath the surface.
1t was discovered by John Reece, a
cow puncher, about six years ago. He
was chasing timber wolf, trying for
sport to rope him, when the animal
rounded butte and suddenly disap-
peared. Reece, following, found al
opening in the side Of the slope, some
three feet in diameter, leading into
darkness. AS he had no means Of fol-
lowing the wolf with safety, nor the
necessary time, he abandoned the pur-
suit. His horses football sounded
strangely hollow as he departed and
he resolved to attempt the capture of
the wolf and incidentally the eXplora-
ton of the den at later date. Ac-
cordingly, some days later, he prepar-
ed rude torch, and fully armed he
sought the mouth of the cave.
The passageway after a few feet
opened out into a large chamber the
Hoor OF which was covered with sand,
and from whose roof hung thousands
or gllttering stalactites. AT the far
Their end of the chamber, which was
ABOUT forty feet distant Reece could
see by the light of his torch the VOLTS
cleaning eyes. Before he could re-
cover from his surprise they disap-
peared, and, with a howl, the wolf was
gone. Ihe COW puncher, alone and
poorly equipped, did not care to inves-
tlgate further than to find that a pas
sage barely large enough to permit one
to crawl through led into other cham
pers' He was shortly afterwards
transferred to distant range, and the
matter was nearly forgotten.
recently number of Great Falls
men who had heard the story went
out to explore the cave, prepared with
Inc In necessary lights, poles, and ropes.
Ihey found the place without Difficult
~. Inc cave is g. limestone forma-
tlon, supposedly underlaid with coal
as the Sand Coulee coal mines are but
ten miles away. The opening has been
f tb enlarged by the dropping of
the stones, but the first chamber has
ROT materially changed since Reece
CHASED the wolf through it. It is be-
tween th1rty-five and forty feet in ire
largest diameter and about thirty feet
10 the highest point of it's yauIted roof
Inc passageWay to the second cham
per IS at the furthest end and about
Inree teet In height, but rapidly en-
larges until one is able to stand mn
1ght In it. Its length is about twenty
feet. twenty
The Diamond Room" as If was
named, was found to be considera hIv
larger than the first. It's roof is sind.
oeo with innumerable small staIac.
tltes from whose points hang dr0ns
OF water. These caught the rays from
an electric searchlight which mem.
yer Oh the party carried and the re-
suit was a million scintiIlating noinrs
from this room by an arch was an
other chamber, which one of the visit
OTIS was moved to call the "Oueen's
throneroom." AT one end was orr,
Gus formation of stalactites and staIa~
! mites which a free ina gination might
easAy construe as raised dais for the
throne with an OVerhanging canOnv
AT the rear of this throneroom is :.
vaulted recess not more than twelve
1eet IN diameter, with it's sides and
ROOF covered with white limestone crys-
tails. This was dubbed the Queens
! jewel casket"
separated by another arch from the
| seconG chamber is cavern containing
the "Bottomless Pit" One of the men
lncautiously advancing in the din,
| nght nearly fell into a gaping hola.
| A companion caught him Just in time
TO prevent serious accident. Stones
! were dropped in it and no sound came
PACK. FINALLY rope with a pole at
tached was let down into the darkness
and stopped after about ten feet of the
rope had paid out The searchlight
was brought and revealed the bottom
at depth Of ten feet. A layer of dust
eighteen inches or two feet thick, the
accumulation of centuries, covered the
| bottom and prevented the return
sound from the dropped stone.
Among other curiosities discovered
that day was stream of water ice
cold which flows across one of the
| caves, seemingly without source and
| without outlet, for the whole cave is
! located in region without creeks Oh
streams. 1t is likely that another party
will visit the cave in a short time and
make still more thorough explora-
| ton.