The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-12-15

sfeeiai CORRESPONDENCE Of The SUNDAY Republic.
Red Bud. ILL.,. Dec. 1i.-Il,inois has n nam,
moth cave almost as interesting as the ia
nous Grotto of Kentucky. 1t has lofty
halls. jeweied with s.aIactites that sparkle
in the light of torches. It's caverns are
musical with the tinkling OF waterfalls. Its
great rocks are carved into a thousand fan
tastic forms by the waters that worked foI
ages at the task. It's broad floor is dotted
with nightly stalasmites, rising forty fee,
high to the ceiling above.
Through the daIk and mysterious recessas
of the cave steals Il silent river. sometimes
spreading over the toor and again lost in
uneXplorable recesses. The sunlight is never
reflected from its ripping surface, no greer
plants grow upon its border and its tinny
inhabitants are without eyes.
This cave is within an hours ride of ST.
Louis. and yet it has been practically un-
known until recently. 1t is located nine
miles from Red Bud. Twenty-one years
ago j. W.. HELLER. William Heiring and ].
j. HELLER explored the cave seven miles in
one direction and five miles in another.
After that few men ventured inside its
| gloomy caverns for years. and its existence
was almost forgotten. the memory of its
wonders being little more than Il legend.
Julian HELLER of Red Bud explored the cave
recently and confirmed many Of the Won
ders OF tradition. Some chambers Lad
stalagmites as big around as barrels at the
base and taperins to pin points aaove.
Others were notable for beautiful stolac-
tites hanging in clusters from the ~csiiins.
Image of Indians Head.
Within ten yards OF the entranc, the pas
sage widened to Il rooE! OF great diman-
sions. The roof was tnlrty feet above the
floor. The torches failed to show the walls.
Tire explorers wake 20 feet along a mar
row way. when an antercom was Reached:
containing the indian head" From one
side o! the smooth wall iuttej 4 black i'm
age tLat portrayed an Ir0ian warriors head
With Surprising dist;nctaess. The strong
rose. the hig.i check bones and the deep eyes
were cut clear. The scuiptor's knife might
equal but not excel this likeness. "A
t.i,klirg stream was the agency whicl.
wrought this marv.l. Th. WORK was proh-
ably started before Columbus sailed. Atom
by atom tire back increment cry.talliZed
until the picture was completed.
From the Indian head The passage
again narrowed. AT ire end was n chamber
Of white s.a,actites extending from either
side of the room. \ short distance from
the chamber an avenue led off to the
graveyard" This avenue for a distance OF
Ito yards before the graveyard" Is reached
was Uttered with cottin-shaped powders.
The roof was alive with moving shapes. and
each wall reflected the lights ahead with
phosphorescent glow.
Beyond this UnCanny place is one of the
grandest sights in the cave. Former Sena-
tor Joseph Rickert Of Waterloo. H., SAYS
Mammoth Cave of kentucky has nothing
to compare with it. The roof Of this cham
Der was composed of inrumerabie sta!ac-
tiles from thirty to sixty feet long. and
from these extended thousands of small
Heaven is the name given to
the roof. as the innumerable white points
resemble stars wnen lights are reflected on
- --u --.l ~
Mans Gulch."
Curious Alligator Rock.
Pc ssing through the dripping Springs"
enc could hear the steady drip of unseen |
springs. Here was the alligator Rock
50 named from the shape of 4 rock twenty |
feet long spanning the creek.
The passage onward from Dripping |
Springs ended in n magnificent hall with |
a wonderful pile of stalactites projecting |
to the Roof. Columbus Dome is !
the name of this crystal rock. A thousand
stalactites wer. blended together before
the mass was completed. The long. fragile |
stems that Irvine like tendriis of ivy in and
around the crystal mass Indicated the
manner in which they We're shaped.
Queens Drawing-RoOm.
The roof was hidden in darkness that
torches failed to penetrate. Hero can be
heard the roar of falling water. As the
passed on the noise became loud
err and of a deeper tone. The sound indi-
a subterranean Niagara. The sound ;
of the falling water seemed to come from !
Ill sides. This is Cascade Hail." Fis-
,lres in the wall show that instead of one
great waterfall a hundred small cascades
combine their melody intc one grand har-
nony. Each waterfall Was hidden in a
assure almost too narrow to admit pas
age. The hidden music was echoed from
,ide to side until the walls vibrated in uni
..rhe Grand Pipe Organ and the "King's
two beautiful groups of stalac-
lies. were near Cascade Hail." Spring.
ne from a rock ffty-nine feet high. q hun
lied stalactites, thin and fragile as maca-
stems, extend downward until they
ouch a ledge of limestone shaped like the
;eyboard of a gigantic organ. The solemn
lush of the great hall and the jeweled stall
cities at the far end complete the effect.
Romantic Legend of Cave.
The cave is not without its romantic !e-
and one of these was related by the
when the exploring party reached the
hall" About sixty years ago an unfor-
innate F~renchnan and a friend entered the
ave to make an exploration. In the even
ne the OIL In their lanterns gave out.
hey were compelled to grope about in the
ark. and eventually they lost their way.
It they became nearly exhausted. One Of
hem said: Il am too weak to go any fur I
ler. and you still have strength left: leave
lie here and perhaps you may yet find your !
'ay out" This advice was needed. and the I
Frenchman was carefully laid
pom one of the many lodges near Dead !
Gulch." His friend placed a red Y
andkerchief upon one of the many bowl
ers in midstream near by and continued {
Is search for light. I
After two. hours OF suffering. his hands {
nd body being cut and bruised by coming
contact with needle-pointed stalactites,
e saw a light. 1t proved to be the mouth ! I
I the cave. out Of which he made his es- I
He had not gone very far when be
IL from exhaustion and went to sleep. {
Toward evening he awoke and immedi-