Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-01
DROPPED OUT OF SIGHT.

Part of Mr.. Young's Farm Mt Greenwich
Kansas, Sank Down, Revealing What APP
pears to Be Mammoth Cave,
Mr.. Henry Young was in the city yes
terday and told a reporter of the dis
covery of a subterranean cave in corn
field about 200 yards from his house on
his farm, two and half miles from
Greenwich. The discovery has created
somewhat OF sensation in that neigh
borhood, and when the report reaches
the ears of scientists there may be UNI
covered and revealed chasm which
will startle the country.
The earth disappeared very suddenly
in field which Mr.. Young had farmed
and plowed over for nearly 80 years,
and it was only by the instinct of the
horses which his son was driving that
a horrible accident was averted. The
discovery was made by Mr.. Young's son
Herman, who was blowing corn. The
team suddenly stopped and seemed
scared, and Herman went around to
see what the trouble was, and was him
self startled by the discovery of a large
hole the like of which he had never
seen before anywhere on the farm. He
called TO his father and Mike Cahooley,
the hired man, who went TO the scene.
They could not account for the
strange disappearance OF the earth.
Men from Greenwich heard OF il and
went out to see 1t. BY the best means
at hand the cavity was measured and
peered into. 1t is thought to be about
20 feet deep whore the opening was
About half the way down they could
see where the cavity expanded and ex-
tended to the southeast, where II got
a great deal deeper and the bottom
could not be found. At a distance Of
about 20 feet the cavity is said to be
% feet north and south and about IS
or 20 feet the other way.
The opening of the cavity Is about
four feet square. There is ridge OF
stone diseernible where the hole makes
a dip under the earth. and 1t is thought
tn interior is walled with rock or a
formation Of rock and gravel. Frank
Leygris, a merchant at Greenwich.
wanted to explore the interior, but
there was no means at hand by which
he could be let down with safety.
One man put his ear to the edge Of
the hole and thought he could hear
curious rumbling like the running of a
stream over and through stony crevices
and the sound gave evidence that the
interior comprises much larger space
than that which the neighbors had
figured on.
The corn field in which the cave was
discovered is a sloping field containing
about 40 acres, at the lower edge of
which there is draw. In order to pre-
vent the soil washing into this draw Mr.
Young made dam OF rubbish to catch
the dirt as 1t washed down from the
field.
After the discovery OF the cave Mr..
Young removed some OF the rubbish Of
the dam and several streams OF clear
water broke forth, each as big as his
arm. He thinks this water came from
the cave. Herman Young. who has
been cultivating this particular field,
had been over the spot five times this
spring. and was blowing the corn for
the last time.
Had he been blowing on the othei
side OF the field he would have driven
into the cave, and horses, plow and all
would probably have gone down with
the earth, which is still resting without
any support whatever. Precaution has
been made to keep curiosity seekers
from walking on the unsupported part.
It Is thought that some means viii be
secured by which some bold adventuFer
may be given chance 10 explore the
cave which Mr.. Young says Is truly a
wonder.
In 1895 there was reported from
Clearwater a similar discovery, but
there It is said the earth simply sank,
and was eassIy accounted for by the
appearance Of water in the bottom OF
the sunken place. On Mr.. Young's
place there is nothing whatever to
account for the DISAPPEARANCE Of the
earth. 1t simply dropped cut OF sight
and did not lodge anywhere. as Ear as
any one has bcsq able to and.-Wich-
ia, Kas., Eagle.