Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1900-07-20
HONEY In A CAVERN.
Unknown Riches Found on q Re-
markable Game Preserve.
Novelty Within . Novelty In the
Ozark Mountains i'm Mis-
sOuri-six Feet of Solid
H0neycOmb.

n natural cuNt VI uOHcy Is tilc lhuSSt
addition to the riches of Col. Moses G.
Wetmore, of st. Louis. This cavern of
honey has just been discovered on Col.
Wetmore's 7000-acre game preserve
in the wilds Of fancy county, 60 miles
south of Springfield, Mo. 1t is large
cave hidden from view in one of the
mostisolated spots of the Ozark mo nn-
tain region.
The bees have probably had unlis-
puted possession of the cave for many
years, for it appears to be literally
filed with honey, just like hive in a
well-kept apiary. How far into the
side of the mountain this cave ex-
tends is an unsettled question. The
mouth of the cave is about six feet in
diameter and it presents front of
solid honeycomb. While the bees APP
pear to be of the common species
they are unusually hostile.
There are few wilder spots on ca nth
than the Ozark mountains in Ia ney
county. But few men have had the
bravery to approach the place. The
discovery was made by William Hunt,
who is in charge of Col. Wetmore's
game preserve as keeper. AS soon as
Hunt found the hidden treasure he
communicated with Maj. George II.
Mccain, of Springfield, who is $50
ciated with Col. Wetmore in the o wn-
ership and management of the pre-
serve. Maj. Mccain made trip to
fancy county to see the novel bee
hive, taking with him party of
Springfield friends. Maj. McCann
made as thorough an inspection as
the hostility of the bees would per nit
and he is now devising plans for har-
vesting the honey. If this cave is like
the average Ozark mountain cavern,
it is all the way from one to two miles
in length, and if the honey is built
solidly from end to end, there are tons
of it. The bees may have only wa wen
web of honey at the front, or they
may have filed the entire space. This
is question that will soon be deter
mined, for Maj. Mccain expects to
employ experienced beekeepers and
have thorough exploration. made.
This remarkable beehive is novel
ty within novelty, for Col. Wet
more's preserve is well worth a thou
sand miles of travel to see. The col
onel and his associates have sto cked
1000 acres with game. They have
animals, fish and birds of almost
every species, but they have made no
arrangements for bees. Now that ma
in1 hot !,
game preserve is menagerie such as
cannot be found elsewhere. A barbed
wire fence of II strands surrounds the
place, and White river, a most roman
tic stream, navigable for small boats,
flows through it. On river bluff n
thousand feet above the water stands
THE Lodge" which shelters Col. Wet
more and the distinguished Wis itors
who frequently accompany him tp his
hunting precincts.
Col. Wetmore is the owner of the
| only bathtub in fancy county. 1t is
located in 1.-THE Lodge" The finest
herd of elk in the United States, it is
claimed, roams through the woods of
this preserve. There are deer by the
hundreds. Wild turkeys are so nu-
merous they cannot be counted. The
rivers are alive with fish. About the
only thing lacking is buffalo, and Col.
| Wetmore and Maj. Mccain are now
negotiating for herd. This pre- serve
is 50 miles from the nearest railway
station, and it is reached over as
rough wagon road as can be found
4
anywhere in America. But here in
TINS wild spot The Lodge is carpet
ed with the softest Of velvet, the win
dows are draped with the costlie st of
curtains, there is a grand plan %, a
mahogany sideboard, with a fortune
in silverware, and many other furnish
ings that are not to be found else
where in this egion.-Chicago Rec
ord.