The suburban citizen., 1900-03-24
KANSAS "cLIrF pwELLgRs."
Farmers who Make Use of the Caves in
the smoky hin BIuGs.

hnb GuubJ AAiA
The Kenopolis Kan. correspondent
Of the Kansas City Star says; Four
miles from here is the headquarters of
the "cliff dwellers," as they are called.
Along the Smoky Hill River in this
section of the State are high rocks of
umbrella-shape hills that seem to have
been left when the valleys were
washed out in a night, and here and
there along the river huge cliffs that
rear their tops far above the sur
rounding country. At the base of one
of these cliffs are found the "clin
dwellers. The cliff rises sheer sixty
feet, and is surrounded by great
trees, some of which grow into the
very top of the bill and send their
roots down into the recesses under
meath.
The cliff is on the farm of w, S.
Faris, and he enjoys some privileges
unusual to the Kansas far mer.
The cliff is of sandstone and lime.
stone formation, and the elements,
aided by the hand of man, have e1-
cavated near the base a number of
rooms. Out of the foot OF the cliff,
and covered by stone archway, is
very fine spring of water that bubbles
forth clear and sweet the year round.
This cave the F0ris family has trans.
formed into a s,>ring house, and the
milk-pans are set in the steady run
ming water, the coolest and best place
imaginable for the perfect protection
OF the milk. This room is 8x12 feet,
and is cnt into the very heart of the
rocks. Not more than ten degrees
does the temperature vary winter or
summer, and this cave is the family
refrigerator.
To one side is the largest cave in
the base of the cliff, and in this room,
fourteen feet square, is kept the dis
tpiet school. A teachers desk is in
one corner, and the desks of the
pupils are near the door, through
which comes all the light the room
gets. The pupils are not afraid of
tornadCes when in their underground
school-room, and the high waters don't
reach the cave. Charts are nailed
against the walls, and the heat is sup
piled by huge brick fireplace, that
makes the room very CHEEKY. Adioin-
ing the sohool-room is another room,
12x16 feet, and, like the school-room,
nine feet high. This is divided from
the school-room by three foot wall.
An arch is cut in the centre, and the
pupils use this'room for play on stormy
days. These rooms are dry and cool
in summer, and one can get refresh
ing sleep on the hottest afternoon.
Solid as are tho rocky walls of the
roofs of the rooms, the tree roots may
be seen coming through tho cliff and
making their way into the light and
warmth below.
On the face of the elf outside, cut
deep in the rock as with some sharp
instrument of great strength, are huge
Indian signs that were there when
the first white man came to this part
of the State. No one of the archeo-
logists who have visited this part Of
the State has been able TO decipheI
the signs. IL is Thought that this
cliff was the gathering place for the
clans that roGmed this part OF thc
prairies in the early days.
The "cliff dwellers" have become SO
accustomed TO the caves and the novel
school room that they pay little etten'
tlon to their quaint situation. Their
chief pride is in the wonderful spring
that flows eternally back in the rocks,
regardless of whether the rains fall on
Western Kansas or not.