The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-04-29
FAMOUS LOST RIVER.
A PECULIAR STREAM WHICH SUD-
DENLY DISAPPEARS.

Unfathomnble Hole and Burnts
Forth Again From q Hill Miles
Away and Then Repeats the Trick.
Famous Lost river manifests It's
strange disposition through the norfn-
ern and eastern sections Of Orange
county, Ind The river. parent or al
smaller ones. gushes from a blum In
Washington county, a stream with
str current which carries every
thing before 1t. 1t runs In well defined
banks for several miles and then sud-
denly disappears Near Orleans II
sinks into a great cavernous hole
which might very readily be taken as
the entrance TO the lower regions and
from which the river gained its sec
ondary name, the river Styx. The
sink is black and unfathomable and
even In the driest season has never
been explored. although 1t has been as
certained that the descent Is gradual
and about $50 feet
Several miles from the first sink the
stream comes forth from the side OF a
hill and. after running on the surface
a mile or more. again sinks. By saw
dust and wooden ball tests II has
been ascertained that another stream
which rushes from the side of blum
eight miles distant in altogether an
other section of the country is a con-
tinuation OF Lost river. This disap-
pears in another sink. runs through an
underground passage a mile or more
In length and finally empties into
White river.
II is claimed the subterranean
streams do not follow n single channel.
but that the entire section is honey
combed by a complex system OF mains
and leads.
Lost river was evidently n surface
stream thousands of years ago. There
is n well defined. deep rock bed leading
from sink hole to sink. and IN freshet
season, when the volume of water be-
comes too great for the subterranean
passageways to carry. the overflow fol-
lows the old river bed and joins the
subterranean streams at the rises. "
The old surface course Is overgrown
with trees and briers and some of
these indicate that the surface course
has not been used for at least cen
turies. Another evidence Of its long
| habit of following underground sinks
is shown by the mound builders earth
works thrown up at various points
where the river sinks away. Some Of
these mounds are the finest found
north of the Ohio river.
OF the surface tributaries TO Lost riv-
er the most remarkable is known as
Stamper creek. which gushes forth
| from the sides of bluff near Millers-
burg. Ii has rampant little current
which carries everything with it TO a
sink hole n mile distant No one knows
exactly where il comes out. but some
claim il makes its appearance at Spring
Mills. six miles south. Here Lick
creek bursts out OF the base of a hill
just in the rear of the mill Farther
down stream Lick creek sinks away
from view, and then comes up anC
flows TO New Prospect. where il emp
ties into Lost river.
There are several other surface feed
eTs which are quite as freakish. Necl
them are found caverns through which
subrerranean streams dow. They are
dlled with eyeiess fishes and water ami
mails In some the streams have {
swift current and are evidently part o.
the Lost river system. At certain points
in the county the surface has caved IN
and shows Lost river running under
ground 10 the depth OF 100 feet How
the water is again elevated to the sur
face is not known. The passageway.
are through white rock. worn smootl
and white by the water.
Those who have made n study of tn
subterranean streams OF Indiana ant
Kentucky have advanced the theor,
that away below the surface OF In
diana-in AT least the southern portiol
there is n secondary great system O
waterways and subterranean rivers
Some geOlogists Of note have concur
red in this theory. 1t is known tina
such streams do exist in the extrem
southern section. Wyandotte and otl
er caves owe their origin to Ties
streams. Some years ago n subteI
ranean stream was found running III
der Rush county, almost 40 mile
northeast. The water can be hear
roaring through the passageways an
at times the course seems TO be oyeI
taxed Ii evidently flows a great di,
lance from the northeast and probabl
has its source in the ST Lawrene
river system. AT English a food n
suited in-fhe discovery OF another los
river. new cavern was opened b
the water In Crawford county.
The attractiveness OF Lost river an
Its tributaries il enhanced greatly b
the weird. wild scenery OF 0rang
county. There is no section Of Ii
stae where the scenery rs more stril
ing and diversified.
Near the mouth OF the river are Ii
famous West Baden and Frerch Lie
sprtogs. which throw OF a wat,
brackish in taste and green cast
r color. which has become noted ov,
khe entire world.-IndianapoIis Press