The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-17
LOST RIVER OF INDIANA.
Famous Stream That Flows for Long
Distances Underground.
(From the indianapolis Press. }

(From the Indianapolis Presa)
The famous Lost river runs Its strange
course through the northern and eastern
sections Of Orange County. Ind. The
river gushes from . bluff In Washington
county, With q strong current which car
riss every thing before It, 1t runs 10 we'll
defined banks for several miles, and
then disappears. Near Orleans 1t sinks
into great hole, from which the river
gained Its secondary name, the River
Styx. The sink ia black and unfathom-
able, and even In the dryest season he's
never been explored, although 1t has boon
scertained that the descent Is gradual
and about $50 feet. Several miles from
the first sink the stream oomes forth
from the side Of a hill, and, after run
ming on the surface q mile or more,
again sinks. By sawdust and wooden
ball tests IL has been ascsrtnined that
another stream, which PUSHES from the
side of bluff eight miles distant In alto
gether another section Of the country, Is
a contin uAtion of Lost river. This dis
appears in another sink, runs through sn
underground passage q mile or moro in
length, and finally empites into White
river.
1t lie claimed the subterranean streams
do not follow a single channel, but that
the entire section Is honeycom bed by =
complex system Of mains aud leads.
Lost river was evidently q surface
stream thousands Of years ago. There is
a well-defned, deep rocked leading from
sink hole to "rise' and In freshst season,
when the volume of water becomes too
great for the subterranean passage ways
to carry, the overflow follows the old riv-
er bed and joins the subterranean stream
at the "rises. The old surface course
Is overgrown with trees and briars, and
some Of these indicate that the surface
course has not been used for centuries.
Another evidence Of Its long habit Of fol-
lowing underground sinks 10 shown by
the mound builders earthwork thrown
up a. various point whore the river sinks
away. Some Of these mounds are the
finest found north OF the Ohio river.
Ut the surface tributaries to Lost river
the most remarkable Is known IS Stamp
er Greek. which gushes forth from the
side of a bluff near Millsrsburg. 1t has
a rampant little current which carries ev-
arything with IL to sink hole mile
distant. NO one knows exactly where IL
comes out, but some claim 1t makes its
south. Here Lick Greek bursts out Of
the base Of the hill, Just in the rear Of
the mill Farther down stream Lick
Greek sinks from view, and then comes up
and flows to New Prospect where 1t
empties into Lost river. There are sew
as freakish. Near them are found cavsrns
through which subterranean streams
fiow. They are filled with eyeless flsh
and water animals. In some the streams
have a swift current, and are evidently
part of the Lost river sytssm. At certain
points in the county the surface has
caved in, and shows Lost river running
NM a. nd Tn tho dauth NJ huUd rad
feet. How the water Ii again elevated to
the surface Is not known. The passage-
ways are through white rock, worn
smooth and whits BY the water.
Those who have made study OF the
subterranean streams OF Indiana and
away below the surfaces Of Indiana-in at
least the southern portion-tnere is
secondary great system Of water ways and
subtsrranean rivers. Some geoloRists OF
note have CONQUERED In this theory. 1t IL
known that such streams do exist In the
extreme southern section. Wyandotte
and other caves owe their origin to these
streams. Three years ago subterranean
stream was found running under Rusn
county, almost seventy miles northeast.
The watsr can be heard roaring through
the passageways, and ct times the course
seems to be overtaxed. 10 evidently
flows a great distance from the northeast,
Lawrence river system. At English a
flood resultsd In tine discovery Of another
lost river. A new cavern was opened BY
the water In Crawford county.
The attract yeress of Lost river and
Its tributaries Ia enhanced greatly by the
weird, Wild scenes Of Orange county.
There Is 10 section of the state whore
the scenery is more striking and DIVERSE
fed. Near the mouth Of the river are
the famous West Baden and French JAok
Springs, which throwtoff water praektsh
In tasts and green caste In color, which
has become noted over the entire world.