Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-03-01
FAMOUS LOST RIVER.
A PECULIAR STREAM WHICH SUD-
DENLY DISAPPEARS.

1t Sinks Into the Earth Through an
UnfathomabIe Hole and Bursts
Forth Again From a Hill Miles |
Away and Then Repeats the Trick. |
Famous Lost river manifests its
strange disposition through the north |
ern and eastern sections Of Orange
county, Ind. The river. parent of all
smaller ones, gushes from bluff in
Washington county, a stream with
strong current which carries every
thing before it. 1t runs in well defined
banks for several miles and then sud- |
denly disappears. Near Orleans It'll
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 it 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
hill and. after running on the surface |
mile or more, again sinks. By saw
dust and wooden ball tests it has
been ascertained that another stream
which rushes from the side of bluff |
eight miles distant in altogether an
other section of the country is con-
tinuation of Lost river. This disap- |
pears in another sink, runs through an
In length and finally empties into
White river.
1t is claimed the subterranean |
streams do not follow a single channel |
but that the entire section is honey |
combed by a complex system of mains
and leads.
Lost river was evidently a surface |
stream thousands of years ago. There |
is 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 subtenanean |
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
turtles. 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 a bluff near Millers- |
burg. 1t has rampant little current |
which carries everything with it to |
sink hole a mile distant. No one knows |
exactly where it comes out, but some
claim it makes its appearance at Spring |
Mills, six miles south. Here Lick |
creek bursts out of the base of hill |
Just in the rear of the mill Farther
down stream Lick creek sinks away
from view, and then comes up and
flows to New Prospect where it emp
ties into Lost river.
There are several other surface feed |
ers which are quite as freakish. Near
them are found caverns through which |
subterranean streams flow. They are
filed with eyeless fishes and water ami |
mails. In some the streams have a
swift current and are evidently part of
the Lost river system. At certain points
in the county the surface has caved in
and shows Lost river running under
ground to the depth of 100 feet How
the water is again elevated to the sur
face is not known. The passageways
are through white rock, worn smooth
and white by the water.
Those who have made study of the
subterranean streams of Indiana and
Kentucky have advanced the theory
that away below the surface of In
diana-in at least the southern portion |
there is secondary great system of
waterways and subterranean rivers
Some geologists of note have concur
red in this theory. 1t is known that
such streams do exist in the extreme
southern section. Wyandotte and 9TH
er caves owe their origin to these
streams. Some years ago a subter-
ranean stream was found running un-
der Rush county, almost 20 miles
northeast. The water can be heard
roaring through the passageways and
at times the course seems to be over
taxed. 1t evidently flows a great dis
tance from the northeast and probably
has its source In the st. Lawrence
river system. At English a food re-
suited in the discovery of another lost
river. A new cavern was opened by
the water in Crawford county.
The attractiveness of Lost river and |
its tributaries is enhanced greatly by
the weird, wild scenery of Orange |
county. There is no section of the
state where the scenery is more strik-
ing and diversified.
Near the mouth of the river are the
famous West Baden and French Lick
springs, which throw off a water
brackish in taste and green cast in
color, which has become noted over
the entire indianapolis Press.
A Cautious Recommendations,