Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1900-11-22
A CRYSTAL CAVE.
Black Hills Curiosity for the
Paris Exposition.
The Mammoth Cave in Elk Creek K
Canyon 10 he Reproduced in
Miniature for the
Worlds Fair.


Worlds Fair.
The Black hills will have a curiosity
at the Paris exposition in the shape of
Il miniature of the Mammoth Crystal
cave, which is situated in Elk creek
canyon, about 20 miles southeast of this
city. j, G. Keith, one of the owners Of
the cave, left Deadwood last night for
Paris to sign contract with the expo
sition management for space. lie has
been given room under the Eiffel
tower 50X7j feet, with a high ceiling.
lie viii take over five carloads of ma
terial for the construction of the cave,
mostly lime water crystals and coored
quartz rock, which will line the inside
walls of the cavern. The Mammoth
Crystal cave made great hit at the
worlds fair exposition later at Atlanta
and recently at Antwerp.
The Mammoth Crystal cave was first
discovered by the Mcbride brothers
about II years ago, while prospecting
for gold mine in an old tunnel in Elk
Creekcanyon, which had been excavated
years before by an old prospector
named Jacobs. One of the brothers
noticed a strong current of air blow
ing out through a hole in the side of the
tunnel, and further investigation
opened up large chamber several feet
Square. Since the first discovery the
owners Of the cave have been constant
ly opening up new chambers and max
ing passag connecting them, un-
Ill it is possible now TO walk miles un-
derground and not less than 200 cham
bers have been opened up.
Fat Mans Misery is the first cham
Der 10 be giyena name. Itis very low,
tortuous paseageway that leads into
series Of rooms beyond. Mold chamber
is weird place, on account Of the great
quantities Of thick, white mold, Of deli
cate texture, very prolific in growth.
The next rom is called the Menagerle,
so called by reason Of the different
images Of animals in stone, the most
realistic being the arctic seals. Power
ty Flat is a room about 6Ox250 feet, with
low ceiling. The room derives its
name from the fact that the walls are
destitute Of crystals, being very smooth
and water-worn. Notre Dame is the
first chamber to show the fine box work
of the cave. 1t is n delicate webwork,
brownish in color, little coarser, per-
hups, than the boXwork of the famous
Wind cave. The room is about 60xl5O,
with ceiling 80 feet high. A distin-
guished visitor from Chicago had the
honor OF naming large chamber after
Calkin's Gallery, Of Chicago. With q
little imagination person can see a
great many beautiful pictures on the
walls and ceiling Of the room. Whale
room contains some more Of the menag-
erie. There is perfect image of a
whale which is 30 feet in length, with
eyes, mouth, fins and everything in per
feet order, Perched above the whale is
the American eagle, life size, with
wings outstretChed.
a descent Of about G5 feet down Rip
Van Wrinkles stairway takes the visitor
TO the second level in the cave known
commonly as the water level. Red
Flats is passed through, the chamber
being noted for its beautiful red crvs-
tails. In this chamber is the drip stone.
u mammoth water crystal four feet
high and two feet at the base, which has
been formed by the dripping of the
water from the ceiling to the floor be-
low.
The Abode Of the Fairies is the pride
Rf tho
Needles, Chimes, Cleopatra's Needle.
the Bridal Veil and number Of other
natural curiosities One can easily
imagine the old nursery stories to be
true about the fairies cave with rulils
and diamonds CaIgrc. Slab room is q
curious place, All of the crystals hav,
fallen from the ceiling to the floor,
leaving it bare and smooth. a new
chamber has been opened recently
which has been called klondike room.
II is reached by tortuous passage
called Chilbuot Pass, which is lG5 feet
long. Until recently the floor Of the
chamber has been covered with water.
hut it has now all seeped away, leaving
the floor covered with soft water crys-
tails called popcorn crystals, which
makes the room the most beautiful in
the cave. The crystals can be crushed
in the hand, and it will be an interest
ing experiment 10 watch the slow hard
euiug, which may take years or only
months.
Other places Of interest to be visited
are the worlds fair grounds, Ribbon
room, Cathedral, Diamond Field. and
others. New chambers are being dis
covered and connected by passagcways,
and IL would sem that only a small par;
OF 'hc wonderful cave has been dis
coNervd,-St. Louis Globe-Democrat.