The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-03

and Is One of Americas MarveIs-
In Black Hills Region.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. .. - 1t
was confidently expected that congress
would pass the bill introduced by
Congressman Martin and faVorably re-
ported on by the committee on public
lands for the establishment of a ma
tional park to cover the country about
the Wind cave in the Black hills re-
Slon In South Dakota. 1t was on the
calendar, but in some manner was
Skipped in the hurry for adjournment.
mat the bill will become a law at the
next session there is little doubt.
Elghteen years ago as three cowboys
riding across the broad undulating
pralrleS of Dakota passed near the foot
OF a small hill one of them was attract
ed by a peculiar kissing sound, as of
escaping steam. He was some 200
yards in the rear of his companions,
and without saying any word or giving
any signal to them he turned to the
left and rode toward the source of the
sound.
AS he drew near a small clump of
bushes the kissing sound became more
distinct, and it was evident that it
came from the bushes. He dismounted
and left his horse, walking a short
distance up the side of the hill until
the tangled underground made further
progress afoot difficult. The kissing
seemed to come from back of the thick
vegetation, which his gaze could not
penetrate.
Finds Mouth of the Cave
He cut away some of the branches
and tangled vines and pulled aside the
brush. He craWled through the open
ing and was greeted by the sound of
heavy rumblingS which seemed to pro-
coed from what appeared to be the
mouth of a we'll, short distance back
in the thicket.
He crawled toward the dark hole,
wondering what the strange sounds
meant and how they were produced
When within about ten feet of the
opening he was hurled toward the gap
ing mouth by a terrific draught of air
He threw out his arms and graSped
the shrubbery and clinging desperate
ly he prevented himself from being
drawn into the hole by the powerful
suction.
Lying on the ground, he heard the
roar which came from the recesses
of what appeared to be a deep cave.
but he did not dare draw nearer to
investigate. Then he crawled back on
his hands and knees, out into the open,
mounted his horse and rode after his
companions, who had gone on without
him. He did not overtake them until
they had reached the sod hut at the
ranch headquarters. There he told the
story of what he had seen and heard.
His fellows greeted his story derisive-
ly, saying in effect that "it sounded
to them like a fairy tale" But he in
sisted on the truth of his story and
on the folio wing morning the trio start
ed back over the trail.
Cowboy Was Venturesome.
As the cowboys approached the same
noises We're heard, first faint and then
more distinctly They cut away more
or the brush and underground and re-
vealed the yawning mouth of the cave
Carefully they approached it on either
side, so as to avoid the powerful
draught, and later one of the more
reckless of the cowboys offered to go
into the dark hole if his fellows would
hold to the end of a rope which he
fastened about his body.
Thus equipped the Venturesome cow
boy craWled nearer to the mouth Of
the cavern and was blown into it with
great force. He yelled to his COM
panions, but the sound of his voice
was lost in the deafening roar. The
others, however, held tight to the rope
and ~ en- pulled the explorer back.
-plained that when he first en-
tered the hole he was chilled to the bone
1t was as though he had stepped in
side of refrigerator on a summers day.
He had been able to hear nothing and
see nothing, but he thought that if he
remt ned inside long enough to over
come the sudden effects of the change
OF temperature and to accuStom him.
self to the darkness he could learn
something of the mysteries in the in
terror.
Accordingly he proposed a few sig
nalS Which he could communicate to
his partners in case of accident or
his immediate needs of their assis-
lance, and started back toward the
mouth of the cavern The others
braced themselves, not knowing how
great a force they might have to pull
against, and awaited developments.
Thorough Inspection of Cavern.
Once inside the cave and the ex-
plorer did not find it so difficult prop
osition as he had supposed. The eff
feet of the torrent of wind was not felt
after he had picked his way some dis
lance along the rough bottom of the
opening. 1t seemed to be a tunnel in
asmuch as he struck his head several
times on the projecting rocks from
above. He crept along cautiously and
finally after he had proceeded a dis
lance Of perhaps 100 yards he entered
a larger department in which the re-
VerbrationS when he shouted startled
him.
He told his partners what he had
found, and later with several other COW
punchers, and ranchers- in the section
they made a more thorough inspection
of the inside Of the wonderful cavern.
But it was some considerable time
before anything definite as to the ex-
tent of the Subterranean passages be-
came known. They were explored for
miles in several directions. Wonders
similar to those in the Mammoth cave
or Kentucky were found on every hand
Those who have seen the South Dako-.
ia cave say that it contains winding
passages, spacious galleries, deep crew
ices and trickling streams which grow
into splashing cataracts and run into
lakes
The beauties of the rock formations
inside Wind cave are said to equal and
in some instances to surpass those of
the Kentucky cave. The various pas
Sageways extend in all directions. Sew
eral of them have been traversed for
miles and others which promise to re-
veal beauties and wonders unequaled
by those already familiar to the WISH
tors have not been penetrated.
Wonderful Evolution of Nature.
Special officer Meyendorff of the
United States land office recently made
an investigation of Wind cave in COM
pany with agents of the geological sur
vey. In his report Mr.. Meyendorff said
in part:
ITO do justice to the wonderful evo-
ITTff Of I'll.