Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-08-16
- -
Charlestown, W. Va.

4. c. HOPKINS,
Charlestown, W. Va.
There are many large and extern
sive caves in this [Pagel county, >
one of which, that at Cave Hill,
is thought to be little inferior in ex-
tent and beauty to Weyer's Cave. 1t
is not, however, very accessible, the
entrance being difficult, and it is,
therefore, but little visited. The au-
thor has been so obliging as to send
US the following beautiful description
of this remarkable cave, which he
published in the Shenandoah Sentinel
May l4th, 1926. 1t is we'll written
and well worthy of perusal.
One of these caves has been known
to the people of the neighborhood of
Luray, in Page county, duringa a num-
Der Of years past but nothing like
full discovery of its beauties was ever
made until within a few days past.
This cave is about one mile west of
the town Of Luray, and situated with
in a hundred yards of the road lead
idg from Thornton's Gap to New
Market. The entrance Is almost eX-
actly at the top of a small mountain
which has for a long time been known
to the neighborhood by the name Of
Cave Hill. Recently several attempts
had been made to explore this subter-
ranean world, but rather unsuccess-
fully. On Saturday last a party OF
fifteen gentlemen left Luray with
determination to give it a complete
exploration.
Then follows description Of prep
arations, removing Of rocks, and en-
trance into the cave. The party soon
found themselves in a large hall,
where they lunched, and which they
named Congress Hall, because Of
its splendors. Passing through diff
fcult passage they entered another
room, thus in part described and
named Here we found very press
ing subject for our admiration. A
large block or projection of the rock
at one side of this room was hung
round with vast number of stalac-
tytes of every possible variety and
shape and qize, from the thickness Of
ones finger to that Of ones arm, and
from six inches to three or four feet
in length. Some one of the party,
casually striking one of the larger Of
these stalactytes, very loud,
full sound was emitted, something like
the tone Of a distant church bell. Sew
eral of the party then drawing pieces
of spar across these stalactytes, al
ternately and in concert with each
other it produced rude and not un-
pleasing melody, with every graduation
Of sound from the deepest tone Of the
organ to the finest note Of the flute.
This room we somewhat artly called
the 'Musick Room.
Returning to Congress Hall, the
party discovered leading out what
they styled the Gallery" above the
level of the room. Continuing to
the right around the Hall we entered
a cavity in the floor, and after trav-
ersing tolerably long and difficult
passage, We arrived at very regular
room, the side walls and ceiling Of
which seemed to be the clear, blue
limestone with thin, capitalization
as clear as glass over their suaface. >
This room we called the
Glazed Chamber. "
Returning again to" Congress Hall,
and moving to the right again, they
discovered in a recess "a spring or
pool Of pure water as transparent as
ether, = three or four feet in diam
eter and twelve or fourteen inches
deep" in the sides and centre Of
which were beautiful stalsgrnites and
stalactytes. Through small open
ing from this point they passed into
a room mot 80 large, but in point o.
beauty far exceeding anything which
We had seen. - We called this room
the Masonic Hall. ***
"a bedstead, drapery aud candle
sticks, and a conch shell, birds foot
and human heart-strsnge and mys
ferrous associations. , All W.
could do upon viewing them was tc
exclaim: Wonderful Wonderful J
"We had spent more than foul
hours in examining its beauties with
out, however, discovering their tul
extent"
I "This cave is situated on the land
of Mr.. David Mckay and IS said Il
have been 6rst partially explored II
A