The age-herald., 1897-12-16

light of their tallow dips, glane.ng on the many -hued carbonized lime drip pings of centuries, showed them a linn itless Itft thait was shadowy and weird. Within the week 1000 visitors from many parts of the world traversed a long maze of well-lfghted and ro9my tunnels leading them into a brilliantly illuminated cavern, that has @ thousand glories and is said to be more beautiful than amy other cave yet discovered.
 The Grand Lodge of Free and Accept cd Masons, the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons and the Grand Command cry of Krrghits Templars of Arizona, accompanied by Governor M. M. McCord, ex-GoveTnor N. O. Murphy and several other Territor al official s and d dstinguish- ed guests from abroad. held dheir an- nual conclave in the cavern on Wednss- day. Since the Masons of antiquity per formed ther mystic rites in the Inner most chambers of the pyramids or the secret recesses of the Chaldean crypts, no lodge of the ancaama and honora ble brotherhood has been so wonderfully and befittingly housed. S
 Between the time of li.s discovery and it's dedication to the symbolic mysteries of the blue room the great cavern has been visited by nome but those connected with the management of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining company, and its existence has been almost un- known to dhe outer world
 Hereafter, at intervals which do not interfere with the work in the mines, the cave will be open to tounsts. It has been artistically illuminated With mean descent lights, scores of which are hid den behind green and rink tinted Fret works of translucent lime formations or pendant from large white stalactites ur- til the effect is dazzling in the extreme and can only be compared With the fa- bled beauties of Aladden's cave of the G,enFi.
 Sr1.a .o;x, oh n 1osa,. of Tho cavern Is fill- Iy 100 feet in diameter either way, and there are numerous galleries that lead to still unexp1ored cavities. One of the latter ends abruptly in chasm that has no perceptfble ending. Rocks cast ln'to this chasm give back no sound1ngS. With occasional intervals of the rough limestone and porphyry all the walls of the cavern are covered by thick coat ing of carbonizad lime, over which an immense flow of water has coursed for ages and left behind it the delicate trac- ing of nipples and wavelets. The gal lsir.es seem to be carved of solid ice, and their countless stalaoitites and stalag- mites are like huge icicles.
 The greater beauItieS of the cave, how ever are found in the exquisite lace work drpp,ngs. These are many-hued; they hang like huge screens or curtains in the distant corners, ard their mag nificent richness and delicacy of pattern are hidden from the camera.
 1nfe puDllc open nB or lnlS dnpelllai wonderland, under the auspices of the Masonic Grand Lodge, has thrown the always bustiing town of Bisbee into fever of excl cement, and all southern Arizona and Southeastern New Mexlco have caught a fair share of the fever: Aside from the governor and his stait there were many notable Masons hers and a very large proportion Of the en- tire territory membership.
 The first meeting of the session of the Grand Lodge was held on the morning eff the 9th in the Bbsbee temple, one Of the fines. appointed Masonic lodge rooms in tahe entire west On the evening or the 9th there was an exemplification or the third degree. On the following morning the Grand Chapter of the Roy al Arch Masens met, and in rhe after noon there was the first Masonic con clave in the wonderful cavern of the Copper Ouean. This was followed by the meeting of the Grand Commardery of the Knights Templars, and then joint meeting of the grand lodge and grand n1,a mt pT