Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-08-06
TELLS OF ATTRACTIONS
Col. Linn Visits wind Cave aud is Delight
ed-Hnw Home Officers Arc
Ranked

Il N0nkeU.
The following extract is made from an
interesting letter written by Comman-
dant Linn tohjs newspaper, the Canton
Leader, concerning a trip to Wind
Cave. zone might write for weeks but
he could not give good description of
the beautiful and fantastic designs he
see on six mile trip out to the fair
grounds and back. There is one place on
this trip where fat people have mighty
hard work to get through because the
space is narrow and the slope is very
steep for GO feet. The fat man and the
fat lady in the party made the passage
after tight squeezing. The entire trip
is full of frn and amusing incidents.
Col. Stabler and his sons are enter
tanning gentlemen and fine descriptive
artists. Their description of how a
party of wild Indians got scared in the
cave was most amusing. After they
got thoroughly frightened and their
lights went out there is no place but
hell, perhaps, where such Internal
noises could be produced. The cave is
a succession of caves, chambers, halls,
by paths, arched domes, and in all
about 80 miles have been explored and
there may be 7Omore or thousand
for all any one can tell. When one
has seen Wind Cave he has seen the
greatest cave in the world.
"It was discovered by hunter who
was following a deer and in walking
along the narrow rugged gulch he had
his hat blown from his head and look
ing for the cause he found a round
hole in the rock about IA inches in di-
ameter. He was alarmed at the won
derful outpouring of the cold breeze
and left the spot in search of a brother
who returned with him and in due
time an opening was blasted under the
original hole which disclosed tho now
famous entrance to the former domain
of Old Nick. There is neither bug,
bat nor moth in this cave and tho air
is wonderfully pure and the cave per-
fectly dry everywhere. 1t is a world
beater and one must see it to fully ap-
preciate its grandeur of beauty and
marvellous design. The Fair Grounds
is a chamber nearly 1000 feet in
length.
"Brother Van Osdel of Yankton
county, member of the Soldiers
board of commissioners, will be willing
to pay $4,000 cash for clear title to
to the hole and it's approaches.
SIT might be safe to state that the
fat lady got out safe, but somewhat
tired.
"Many parties drive out in the even
ing and spend the night in the cave.
Night or day cuts no figure whom you
are down in that titanic convulsion of
nature. The best description of it is
to compare it to a sponge covered over
with young mountain. The cells and
insect streets in the sponge resemble
the chambers and paths in the famous
Wind Cave.
"There arc other attractions about
Hot Springs of a surprising nature,
among which might be mentioned the
Onyx cave. In its way it is magnifi-
cent freak of nature and photographs
of the interior develop scenes of most
surprising beauty.
"Fred Evans, the father of Hot
Springs, has erected monument. in
the shape of a magnificent hotel, which
will stand as towering eviden @ of
1 his foresight, pioneer energy, courage
and labor for suffering humanity, long
after the present generation has passed
away. 1t is built in the shape of the
letter H, aifording light and ventilation
in every part. Here the invalid can
secure every comfort while being cured
at the famous baths. There are many
other hotels, but the Evans leads them
all. Few hotels anywhere are superior
in size or appointments as hotels go,
but the Evans has all kinds of baths
under its roofs, expert surgeons and
everything needed to make the weak
strong. Mr.. and and Mrs. Evans have
suite of elegant rooms in the house,
but their son-in-law, Mr.. Clark, has
immediate charge.
"The South Dakota Soldier Home is
the grandest institution in the state.
The roll shows ITO members, some of
whom are absent OH furlough, and this
number is likely to be increased to 200
during the coming winter. The SOL
dier patrons of the nation, represent
ing many states, are we'll taken care of.
Gov. Lee promised the Grand Army
boys at Pierre last winter during the
big camp fire that the Soldiers Home
would receive his especial care and
that the members of the Home would
receive everything necessary for their
comfort. The board of commissioners
as now constituted is: Col. E. Il.
! Clough, president, Deadwooa: Hon. A.
L. Van Osdel Sccretarv Nf;Ss;,,, II;,l