The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-04-10
IN MAMMOTH CAVE.
exHILARATINo EFFECT OF
THE AIR.
Il l. Not known by what Process the
Atmosphere T. sterilised Wonderful
Enect 81 Music In the DARK and Dry
CaNerns.

NANefnss
John Il. Proctor. formerly state ge-
ologist Of Kentucky. writes Of The
Mammoth Cave OF Kentucky" for the
Century. the article having many
striking Illustrations by Castaigne. Mr..
Proctor says. The entrance 10 Nam
moth cave is reached by descending
picturesque pathway leading from ihe
hotel down the hillside over jutiing
moss and fcrn-coyered limestone ellis
into q beautiful glen extending from
the top of the Hill down to Green river
which Is l9i feet below the mouth Of
the cave, and about half mile dis
tant n the weather is warm. as we
near the entrance We step into hrac-
Ing cool pure air. yelling mp from the
cave and flowing down the glen beneath
The stratum OF lighter and warmer afr
! have stood near the entrance. and eX.
tended one hand into a temperature
Of 90 degrees while the other hand was
extended into cool flowing river Of
air with a temperature OF about 60 de-
rrces. The air within the cave has
uniform temperature. summer and win
ter. ~ "a degrees The cave may DO
said 10 breathe twice a year lnh1ling
during the winter and cXhaling during
tho summer This breathing 81 IN"
cave. and the purity of the air and its
freedom from germs. are among the
most Interesting problems 10 be stud
led BY what process the air In the
cave becomes sterlized remains 10 D"
determined nut our faithful negro
guide has counted the party. selected
the requisite number Of lamps and
given the word and we follow him IN
single Ole down the rude stone step
into the ycstlbule OF the cave Turning
We look up 40 the beautiful effect of
daylight which $50 are leaving and ad
mIsc the delicate cascade falling from
the ovorhanging arch at the entrance
Here our lamps are lighted and We
enter this silent. mysterious. change
less abode of eternal night where the
heat NJ summer and the cold of win
ter. me storms and thunder of the
outer world mover penetrate 4 few
hundred yards. and We Zee, The rceul ar
sensation OF emerging into expanding
space We catch only gl.mpses ~
white limestone projecting out oi bhoA
shadows of the fir-awav walls and
ccilIug OF au immense almost circular
room about seventy feet hish which
our guide rrcclaims lhe Rouuda We
note the peculiar musical effect OF iha
human voice Years ago ., was nay
good fortune 90 hear q celebrated Ger
man musical society sing BOZ this Ro.
tunda went Oar away in one o' iha
great avenues leading from here blew
out ms lrht. AMI at alone Boo the
darkness. and listened while The rrlal
anthems rolled and reverb -atsl
through thr lofty corridors iu MAIZE Of.
waves OF melody I could then gp.Ic
riatr the incsiIm1hie privilege OF che
few who heard Jonay Lind sing here
and who ln the Star Chamber heard %
member o' her party render og b.-
violin the prayer from DER Ere.
schultz" when the R1uuda .s IlIum
mated we note ihe perfect c'osruosl o'
the atmosphere lho freedom from du
PARTICLES Of any Kind and wc soon
learn that nowhere in the cave VIII
even dust rise upon our shoes ".
note also the rNhIlarailnr effect = ths
air upon me members of our party
n is believed that the air has becnm
oNyEoua'oi by chemical process. c,r
tainiy. from its purity ana dryncss. h
enables one 10 undergo exercise fol
hour without q sense OF fatigue Her.
before us is evidence 90 the wonderful
dryness of the air. The salipe'or vat
erected In 1872. and the timbars whIc'
have remained in their present con
ditinn since then show no evidences %
decay To- these watts The saltrc.or w,
lolchcd from the nitrous earth abound
ing in the upper and middle dry aven
uCs aud used f0r the manufacture %
runpowdCr The war of 1912 va
fought ON the American Side. Will
runpovdor made from s3ltprtcr take,
from caves. and Mammoth Cave sun
Piled the greater part Ono wonder
how. IN the absence OF germs and "A
decay the earth becomes charged wit
nitrogen II has been claimed that MI
trio acid In the atmosphere. cumhln
inr with the limestone. forms nltrat
NJ calcium. and the disintogratoi vast
from the walls and ceiling Yields m
great supply oi nitrogen Astounding 4
the cave. n requires a day and hal
10 male the regulation Journey throus
the cave, one half q day 10 what
known 49, the Short Route. and an on
tire day 90 the Long or River Rout,
Rut that by no means exhausts tho oil
iects ~ interest ard one may spcn
DAYS In visiting avenues and chamhrr
and domes not included In the rcgu'a
routes.
WITTY, hut bitter.
tfFHI. OWL ss.4.