The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-30


have been 3uslihed in doing for mer,
curiosity 10 explore tho small cavern we
were In. .i.......
BIidnIeht Biaelsnss'.
We found several rooms with celilnse
forty or more feet high. and there were
occasional stalaSetes; but nothing Of
much Importance was seen. We were
no. able 10 penetrate beyond 1900 feet,
and probably 100 feet below the point IL
entrance. in time OF drought one might
go further; but we found the passages
80 small and the water so deep that we
could not keep ous large stable lanterns
above water. although We still had plen-
| ty OF breathing space. Beyond US we
could hear the water flowing intn Il
chasm, but We could not reach It's brink
In order to see what lay below We re-
turned, having been in the cave three
hours. md being Satisfied that we had
almost found the object for which we
were searching.
However. we were not 70 be bafled by
one failure. That afternoon we sepa-
rated. zach taking different direction.
and we explored the whole region, md
talked with the people about caves, Of
WAAANAA kAlNAG eAAE ANAfIAAar mn NAA sAA@
third day we met By appointment at
Mlngo, within three miles Of the head
spring Of the TyEart river. and about
five miles east of the cave which we had
examined. The most promising opening
into the supposed Elk river cavern was
against the side OF Ailngo Knob. about
four miles from Elk river. That cave
was represented to rs as going dawn
almost perpendicular to nm unknown
depth. No man had been In It for forty
years The ghostly stories which the
people told us about It was enough 20
make us superstieous. They said that
two men went In Il forty years ago.
When they came out one had become IN
sane md the other never would tell
what ne saw. They also said that In
dams used the cavern as n dungeon,
into which they threw their captiyes and
left chem to die. Nevertheless we do
cided to try 1t, not taking much stock
In the traditions
Penetrated 1880 Feet.
This cavern was quite different from
the one we had explored a few days be-
fore. This had no water in Il, and In
stead of descending by an easy grade, It
went sheer down like vast well, into
midnight blackness Of the unknown
depths below. However, the statement
that the descent was perpendicular must
be somewhat qualified. It was perpen-
dicular in places, and very steep In
others, with chasms knocking the sight
with unspent;abte depths" But. taisUn
as a whole, It Is not very large, II It's d.
mensIons are expressed in feet. There
are probably hundred caves in West
Virginia into which q person can pene-
trate farther; but know OF none in
which more danger exists and where
there IS more OF the horrible TO be seen
and felt. i once descended GOO feet into
the crater OF an extinct volcano. and
considered that risky, but 1t was not
equal tn this cavern in real or apparent
danger, or in difficulty.
With our ropes, lanterns, an Ak and
chalk. we started. The opening against
the eide of q hill was about four feet
oduare. Twenty feet down there was q
shelf. and we cut pole and resting the
lower end on the shelf, one went down,
while the others cut another pole OF
equal length and let It down With ropes,
and It's lower end was rested on another
shelf twenty feet lower. We then climb
cd down these poles and reached a place
where We had good footing. The dam
ger here consisted OF Ioostened rocks
falling upon those VINO first went down.
The next 100 feet was not pcrpendicu-
lar. and We climbed down, holding tothe
angular rocks. The descent was com
paratively ensy and safe. There we
emerged into room which would have
been grand, had Il not been 90 grim ana
black. BY measurement II was l92 feet
IonE, 1872 wide. with the central ceiling
Of solid sandstone about 80 feet high
Tho low was covered for the most part
with sandstone blocks which had fallen
from above. Part OF the floor was OF
limestone, about the only limestone we
saw.
On the Brink Of Pit.
AFTER looking about this room until we
were satisfied, we began searching for a
way to descend into the next depth.
Broken rocks nearly closed the passage,
but We proceeded down a very steep
slope about seventy feet, when my
brother, who was In the lead. remarked
that his lantern threw no light ahead,
that everything looked black. suspect
ing that he was about to step Into water
/ told him TO throw a rock Aheau' TIC
did so; but instead OF splashing IN
water. nothing was heard for several
seconds. when the fall resounded far be-
low. Instead OF n pond Of water, he
was standing on the very brink OF pit
so deep that the lantern could not throw
light to the bottom, and did not reflect
from the sides. The rocks on which we
were standing were loose, and Inclined 10
LOOT linn
IN retracIng our way 10 the large room.
49, -, dc,r ~ ~. y.N,F, ~, tho, ag-