West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1898-09-22
A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY.
A Mammoth Cave Yarn From Ran.
dolph County. This safe.
rom The Dan tucker Parsons Advocate.


From The Dan Tucker Parsons Advocate.
Three young men while recently
csve-eSploring in Randolph county
found one OF the most wonderful cave,
that has ever been found in West Vir.
ginia. They were actuated TO enter
this cave from the fact th.re had been
legend among the country folks for
many years that during the 18th cen
tury party OF soldiers had left large
amount of stolen money some where
in the vicinity, aud most probably in a
cave.
The cave vas In the deep woods that
the party explored, There was a very
large opening where the cave WAS sun
posed to oe cavity caused by an earth
quake as 1t was two hundred feet
across and seventy-6ve feet deem At
the bottom of this immense pit the
cave proper commenced The water
sometimes comes up out of this ope ing
and bursts over the top and runs
through the weeds in a mighty torrent
equal in volume To an ordinary river
After going n short distance IL again
goes into another cavern and disap-
pears. II seems to be an immense uu-
der ground river, and when there are
heavy rains the volume becomes too
great for the size OF the cavern.
Among the people who lived near the
myth prevails that the cave is haun ted,
that the rattling Of bones. the roaring
OF artillery and the sound Of human
voices can be heard at times
The three nen who entered prepared
for emergencies and boldly entered in .
When in about two hundred feet they
came TO a magnificent room. three
thousand feet long and one hundred
and eighty.eight feet wide. The for.
nation was sandstone, the limestone
having all been eroded and the sand.
stone above fell in. At the end OF this
immense cavern, the longest and larg-
eat that hah ever been found In the
county were the assures one going NJ
hill and the other down.
One of the party agreed TO wait
there while the others went down
After going "a short distance they came
to Al immense stream of water foam.
ing and splashing and red ms FIRE.
Why the water was red was great
my stery TO them.
Tho stream could not be followed az
IL soon went over huge precipice SC
deep that rocks thrown over could not
be heard TO hit the bottom. One of the
party said he could see little sulphur
patches down in the darkness so dense
the light of the lsDtsrn could not pen
citrate IL. But he must nave been n
little excited. When the two coming
back the one that had remained be.
hind felt a cold hand upon his face
lie gave loud yell and prepared 10
die The other two came uu just al
that moment and there was nothing To
be seen bnt some tracks In the sand.
leading up the other fissure Revol.
yers were taken out and pursuit made.
After goiug about two hundred yards
they came TO room furnished with a
bed and "A table In the centre was an
Did man making frantic efforts TO get
into little cavity. Apparently the
light blinded him. Finally he con-
sented Co talk and told the men he
could not see in the light.
That he had been in the cave for
twenty two years and had never been
out only at night and that he had been
so accustomed to being 10 the dark that
he could see almost an we'll in the dark
as most people in the light. Al length
he said be had come into the caye a
great many years before, to search for
the lost gold, with three other friends.
Having found the gold and he being
desirous of getting IL all, had killed
the other three and had thrown them
into the river in the other assure. AZ
ter doing this he did not have the cour-
age TO go home without them and TO
tell the people what had become of
them, as he had at hrst planned The
gold had become horrible nightmare,
every piece seeming 20 be an image of
one Of tho murdered friends. Finally
IL became unbearable and the gold was
thrown into the water where the muir
dered men had been thrown.
Hs went out ct night and stole food
fro@ the neigh Tors. sometimes taking
a sheep or hog When he did this, the
people always concluded bear had
taken IL, ss they sometimes came 20
the farms.
The party left the old man IN his den
resolving not 10 mention the fact Of
their finding him 20 any one. as IL
would not be believed. The people in
the yicinity Of the cave arc very much
worked mp about the matter. Some Of
them arc talking OF filing up the cave
so the old man will starye 10 death
49,
Deafness Cannot 20 Cured.