The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-19

wonderful formations of which have been
but little described and seldom pictu Ell.
A deput2tion Of officials as told in the
press dispatches few days ago, has
been placed in charge of the cave, an
viii modernize the methods of handle g
#, create more facilities for seeing its
StaItinGlF beautiful formations and for
gaining an entrance to it's lower depths
While Mammoth Cave, of Kentucky
has been called the most remarkable in
the world, those who have seen that pro-
duction of nature and the one which IS
now about TO be thrown open to the
public near Hot Springs. without hesita-
ton pronounce Wind Cave as being far
greater in extent as possessing far more
numerous and commOdious CHAMBERS
while its stalactite and stalagmite for
nations are incOmpdrably beyond those
of Mammoth Cave in size and beauty Of
contour and brilliancy.
SEVEN MILES UNDER GROUND.
The Record correspondent recently
made a visit to Wind Cave, passing
through the first seven miles of it's cor
ridOrs and auditoriums, each mile pre-
scnting more of beauty and more Of
unique formations than the preceding
AS at present managed, but seven miles
of the ninety miles of passageways and
chambers which have been invaded by
discoveries are open to sightseers. Many
of the most gorgeOusly altared ana tes
Sel8ted rooms are accessible only a ter
considerable eXertion, but under thu
handiwork of the governments agents
these VIII have passageWays opened o.
bridges thrown across the narrow
chasms, so that the trip can be made not
only with safety, but comfort.
Each person in the party was attire
in rough clothing and wore small caps
of rubber cloth, for, while there is but
little dripping water in the cave, that
which is met with is very cold There
exist but few spots where the footing
is not dry and hard, and a complete rub
Der outfit, such as is required in. M m
moth cave, is unnecessary.
Equipped with a large supply of can
dies. the party entered the small g
cabin at the base Of the slope, at which
point the cave opens at the surface o.
the ground, the cabin at the lower right
hand corner of the accompanying Illus
tration beng that which covers III =
mouth of the cave Immediately upon
entering this cabin one is struck by the
roaring noise at the rear, the sound APP
preaching that of a high wind sought g
through treetops. It is this prevalent
wind which has given the cave its name
Inc power of it is such that without a
covering for the mouth of the cave one
would ind difficulty in forcing himself
into the entrance. \ remarkable fact is
that once inside the cave the wind is not
felt
ORIGIN OF THE CAVES NAME.
The outer door was carefully closed.
and then, one at a time, the members of
the party were passed through an inner
door on large platform, the combined
strength Of two men being required to
close the door after each person entered.
The most intense darkness prevailed I'M
til all were inside and standing I'D n
the platform. Then matches were struck
and applied to the candles The entire
absence Of wind caused by the shutting
off of It's outlet was Immediately noticed
in the steady flare Of the small lights.
These also disclosed an aperture at the
end If the platform about the width OF
an ordinary well. rude ladder lie
downward into the Stygian blacxness
About forty rounds brought the PARTY
to the end, and then a Slight slore lei
stu further downward, at the end cf
which an UncCuth fight of STEPS st
maintained the downward course Near
~ 100 steps were thus taken, when what
might be called the level Of the cave
was reached, for from this point the
slope toward the interior of the ear t1
Is gradual and so slight as to n t re-