Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-03
AN ILLINOIS CAVE
A Rival to the Mammoth Of Ken
lucky.
LONG SERIES OF LOFTY CHAMBERS
Curious and Beautiful Stalactite
and StaIagmite.
A IONEE r EX P LO r E r

Copyright, 1901. by W. II. Dunham)
Written for The Evening Star by w. ii. Durham.
An expedition from St. Louis has recent
ly made an exploration Of the great cave
at Red Bud, Ill.,, and, while less than half
Of the cavern was traversed, enough was
found to indicate that this series of sub
terranean galleries constitutes the most
wonderful cave in the world Prof X. N.
Harper of Chicago, an eminent geologist,
who was a member Of the exploring party.
expressed the opinion that when the ex-
plorations were concluded the Red BUD
cave would prove to be not only the larg-
est but also the most beautiful and In
teresting in point of geologic formation. of
any yet entered by man.
When the cave was first entered Is a
matter of some doubt In one Of the cham
bers are some very interesting mural
characters which are SO unlike any chance
geologic formation that they are believed
to be carvings made by some aboriginal
visitors The first entrance OF which any
certain records exist, however. Is tnat IN
1876 by two residents Of Red Bud, who
have made the most thorough exploration
up to date In the intervening years other
excursions have been made by various
persons but the impediments to suoter,
ranean travel, in the form of lakes ana
streams Of unknown extent and or oD-
structing rocks, together with that timid-
ity which affects the boldest when they
descend into the chill darkness Deneatn
the earths surface set snort ana sure
limit to their explorations. Fourteen miles
to the north Of the entrance and five miles
to the south is the extent or travel thus
far Now, however, project is unaer
way to fit out the cave with electric Hsnts
and to make an exhibit of 1t, so that doubt
tanned.
Limestone Formation.
This remarkable freak of nature was
formed ages ago by the action OF sub
terranean river heavily charged with lime
which flowed in a northwesterly direction
to some outlet as yet unknown. but sup
posed to be the Mississippi river The cav
ern's top, bottom and sides are or lime
stone forma ton, forming many vast ana
lofty chambers: Stalactites ana stalas
mites of gigantic proportions. NUMBERS OF
them being twice and even three times as
large as any in Kentucky Mammoth cave,
hang pendent from the roof and stand up
right from the floor, while the composition
of the walls is merely stalactites and sta
Iagmites in combination. In the centerS Oh
the halls and chambers there are also COM
bined pendants and pillars suggesting that
nature, in forming them, mad IN view the
support of weak part of the roof. In
one of the chambers. called the grand ROOM
there is one of these huge combinations at
least one hundred and fifty feet high, the
ends of which, 1t is estimated. are more
than fifty feet In diameter, while at the
middle of the smallest part, where the
joint of the stalactite and the stalasmtte
was formed the circumference is more than
forty feet. Some idea of the magnificent
size Of this chamber can be gained by COM
pairing it to an ordinary room. For in
stance, take bed room 16 by Is feet, which
is a fair size. Now, if you will put man
in that room he will appear to occupy
more space in proportion than docs this
great monument in the grand room. Accu-
rate measurements Of anything but the
base Of the pile could not be taken, be-
cause no lamp that could be carried would
dispel the gloom of the upper part of the
chamber Hence the room itself has never
been measured, but, from the proportions
of the many columns supporting the roof,
it is conectured that it must be OF colos-
sal size.
All Of the remarkable spectacles to be
met with in the great Kentucky cave have
here been reproduced. and many OF them
surpassed, even to narrow hallway ex-
tending into the earth some 200 yards.
which has been dubbed Fat Mans Mis-
ery." Stone tables, big and little. Ffe-llke
heads OF men and animals. chairs. dishes.
books, castles, and 1t would seem. images
Of every object on earth are strewn ABOUT
in confusion, and a man with camera
will begin to make pictures at the very en-
trance, only to become angry when he
finds he has consumed all his material be-
fore he has gone two miles. because he is
continually coming in contact with better
subjects.
At the Castle.
One of the most impressive sights In the
entire explored portion of the cave, which
is by far the lesser part, is called the Cas-
tle 1t is diminutive when compared with
some Of the other show places. but at that
it is forty feet wide at the base, and the
highest tower Is fifty-flve feet. Turrets,
gates, watch towers, sentry boxes, port
holes outer wall and all the other archi-
tectural work which went to make a
ons are here reproduced so truly that
United States engineer officer said. on be-
holding this creation of water, lime and
time, that nowhere on earth had there ever
been built castle so strong and SYM
metrical from contemporaneous military
point Of view.
Just at the Castle the hall becomes mar
row and makes a sharp turn and from the
other side, as one goes inward. the great
fortress appears to be guarding the APP
proach When the visitor has taken his
eyes from this point he finds himself In a
room quite large enough to allow hum
dred-foot ship to turn about, and under a
ceiling that could not be discovered with
the rays Of a powerful acetylene lamp. 80
high Ia 1t.
called the Family Bible, particularly reg
side OF the Bible Is the pipe organ. a SPLEEN
did representation Of that grand church In
strument It begins yard from the floor
. M exfay,da inward into the gloom which