Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-10-03
DEEP UNDERGROUND CAVES
The Wonders Of Nature Is to Be
Seen at Sulphur Springs l. T.

Sulphur Springs,L 7. Oct, L..
AT spot eleven miles southeast of
this place in the level prairie up
land is an opening about forty feet
in diameter and sixty feet IN depth.
BY clinging to its rocky and precip-
ltous walls, person may descend to
the bottom, and there find the open.
lngs to two caves, one leading west
ward, and the other to the east.
For years this place has been known
as Rock Prairie cave. 1t If one of
the most striking natural curlosities
in the Chickasaw nation. The
caves are OF unknown length, and
through one rushes subteraanean
stream of great dspthzin places and
of icy coldness. Exploring parties
have ventured into these labyrinths
for hundreds of yards. but the dan
ger of becoming lost has prevented
a thorough examination of the un-
derground passage.
The cave leading westward is
easiest of access and contains num-
ber of spacious chambers. The
room is about seventy feet square
and fifty feet from the floor to the
ceiling. The floor is obstructed
with huge boulders. The darkness
and stiffness are intense. Picnic
parties sometimes go there, and
with large boulder for table eat
their lunch in the glare of torches
that cast uncanny shadows along
the massive walls.
Timid persons hesitate in ventur-
ing into the depths of the eastern
cave. The passage slants down
ward at an angel that compels the
explorer to crawl and slip and slide
tor nearly 100 feet before reaching
a spot where person may stand
upright and walk with safety.
From the darkness comes the sound
of rushing water which later is
found to be stream that runs from
eight to thirty feet in width, and
from six inches to many feet IN
depth. Men have waded in the
stream until the water reached their
chin, and then gone in boat to
points where they were unable to
touch bottom with the longest oars,
A farmer carried this boat into the
cave several years ago, but never
had the courage to follow the
stream to its end. AT depth esti-
mated to be 200 feet below the sur
face of the ground is natural
bridge formed by huge stone that
fell across the stream. The water
plunges underneath this bridge like
mlllrace. A boat can be pulled
over the bridge, however and
launched on the other side. About
100 feet below the bridge, the
stream widens into broad, deer
pool, with a high vaulted roof,
: Beautiful stalagmites and stalactltei
adorn this chamber. Two hundred
feet beyond this pool the passage
becomes 80 low that further prog
ress is difficult. 1t is claimed tha
this cave has been explored for's
, mile.
/ The stream is believed to fad iti
outlet at spring about three miles
from the entrance to the caves
, This spring is of great size and vol
ume, and flows with remarkabl,
swiftness. In rainy seasons the
spring bolls and gushes as if chokec
with the flood or water that pouri
+ from its mouth. The stream il
Rock Prairie cave rises when there
Is heavy rainfall in the surround
a ing country, and the increased flow
of both spring and stream at sucl
= times is taken as evidence that they
: are connected.
Attorneys II. b. Mitchell q
Phelps went to Guthrie today il