The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-11
UNDERGROUND STREAMS.
Thousand. OF Mule. ofsub,srranenn nlv

| ....Hs UNuGhunUUHUD OIL hEhmS, VI.
Thousands OF miles ofsubterrauenn Rlv.
ers In Kentucky.
Mr.. John r. Proctor, formerly state
geologlst OF Kentucky, has written an
article for the March Century on 1.-THE
Mammoth Cave OF Kentucky" Mr..
Proctor says:
Passing southwark through Kentucky
or the Louisville &; Nashville railway,
the observant traveller VIII notice that
about forty miles from Louisville the
road climbs Muldrow's Hill, which is
the northern escarpment of IN elevated
limestone plateau for about hundred
miles and desccnds southern escarp-
ment into the basin of central Tennes-
see. In this distance only three streams
are crossed-Nolin. Green and Barren
rivers; and between these rivers the
entire surface drainage passes away
through subterranean channels, giving
rise TO a curious "s!nk-hole" topogra-
ply which Is peculiar to this region.
These circular and oval-shaped depres-
sions are so numerous that in places
| the rims almost touch one another, and
one can sometimes count several hun
dred to the square mile. Through
vents at the bottom OF these sinks the
surface water passes downward into
caverno and underground streams.
emptying into the above-named rivers
/ through arched ways near water-leyel,
and in places beneath the surface OF the
rivers. 80. So
The surface rock OF thi, plateau Is
the observation-disclosures limestone, which
IT, hnrs y, 49, = I'll
| massive, remarkably homogeneous rock
With no intervening strata OF shale or
andstone-cOnditlons most favorable
for the formations OF cIverns; conse-
quently this region contains more and
larger caves In given area than any
other region in the world In Edmon-
son county, where the celebrated Nam
moth cave, Is located, It Is claimed that
/ there are rs many as five hundred
known cavern5.
A range of hills OF uniform height,
running parallel with the railway and
several miles distant, will be observed
to the north. On nearer inspection this
Will be. seen TO bc,a level plateau rising
out OF the limestone plain. and held up
by Gaping of massive sandstone. 1t
IS beneath the protection OF this sand
,stone-capped plateau that the larger
through this plateau TO q depth OF
about 800 feet; and as the sandstone
cap Is about seventy feet thick. We find
about go feet OF massive limestone eX-
posed above the draiEaSe-level. AS
some OF the domes and upper avenues
of the caves extend up to the base of the
sandstone, and some down TO the drain
age-level, We thus have $50 feet as the
present limit OF the vertical extension of
these caves. The evidence Is conclusive
that these caves have been cut down to
correspond with the deepening Of the
channel cut by Green rive: In the re-
gion Immediately along the line OF the
railway, where the sandstone Gaping
and the upper limestone have been re-
moved by erosion, the caYerns have less
vertical extension, and correspond TO
the lower avenues OF the Mammoth and
other caves to the north. Doubtless
larPe caverns, corresponding 10 those
now remaining beneath the sandstone
plateau, existed here before the upper
member OF the limestone was eroded
from this area.
There Is no means of estimating the
extent, of the caverns and snbtcrranear
streams In this region. Every one of
the innumerable depresslors or sink
holes-savc where the vents have been
closed, thus forming ponds-communl-
Gates with an underground channel or
cave, and the aggregate length OF such
channels has been estimated Mt many
thousands of miles. Nor can We form
any estimate OF the number and extent
of large caverns yet undiscovered. But
for the erosion caused by a small stream
cutting through the roof OF Mammoth
cave the present entrance would not
have been broken open, and this, the
greatest OF caves. might have remained
unknown. Several other OF the largest
and most beautiful caves In this region
have been found by accident. Hidden.
grandeurs doubtless yet remain en-
tombeG beneath the extensive uplands
reaching out on both sides OF Green
river
In crossing the southern upland we
come upon oval-slaped limestone val
leys, surrounded on!aii sides by n sand
stone rim. with no outlet save through
vents In the bottom. These valleys are
sometimes hundreds Of acres In extent,
and ure probably formed by the falling
In OF extensive caverHs, the debris, dis
intcgrntcd by the elements. being car
ried AWAY through the subterranenn
channels, The fact that existing caves
under tho hills SURROUNDING these val
leys have been found through en-
frances In the sides OF some Of the val
legs Is m Indication that this may have
been the condition.