Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-08-14
VAST LABYRINTH
IN SOUTH DAKOTA
WIND CAVE AND ITS MANY SUB.
TERRANEAN PASSAGES,
MILES Or MYSTERIES
Ii is More Wonderful. Some Observ-
ers Say, Than Mammoth Cave IN
kentucky-Detailed Description of
Its Many MarveIs-Other Interest
ing Facts.

For the purpose of letting congress
know just why it was asked to create
the Wind Cave National park in South
Dakota, Senator Gamble has quoted IN
his report on the bill from reports OF
! special agents OF the geological SUI
vey and general land office, who made
Investigations of Wild Cave. Special
! Agent Meyendorff, of the general lana
office, said in part:
! To do justice to the wonderful evo-
! luton of nature which created this
! cavern, to describe it's grandeur, gro
| tesqueness and beauty would require
/ the researchful mind of a profound
student of geology and pen of the
poet. Bereaved Of both and limited IN
space and time, will simply say that
it is one of the greatest wonders OIL
the world
Some one APPLY likened it unto a
sponge. 1t is an oval piece of sponge
several miles in length, depth ana
breadth, with caverns big enough to
lnclose the Congressional Library. ano
most artistically decorated with ferns.
grasses and feathers of pure white
lime and gypsum and studded with
gl1stening gems of crystals of same
formation. The cavern known as
Fair Grounds is a fair illustration oil
1t. 1t covers about one and one-ouar-
ter acres of space and is about forty
feet from the floor to the ceiline
Those who visited Yellowstone Ma
r1
OF Kentucky will all accord the Wind
Cave only a second place to the Yel-
loWstone canyon and the geysers of
the former, and declare the Wind
Cave superior, in point of attractive
ness, to the Mammoth Cave.
Edward G.. Horn, Phi. D., who made
somewhat of study of the Vino
Cave, claims that there are 5000
chambers and 100 miles of passage.
and, while this statement is too eA,
travagant for the present, it is not i'm
probable that future explorations will
testify to Mr.. Horns prophetic eye.
1t is regrettable that the two most
picturesque chambers, the Garden OF
Eden and the Blue Grotto, could not
be reached by survey. 1t is there
where the frost work, as delicate as
dandenon blossom, abounds mosr
me box Work-crystalliz of lime
and gypsum, formed undoubtedly by
the action of hot water-representin
geometrical figures, is the feature OF
the chamber known as post Office,
from which it took it's name. This
box work is the prevalent character
OF the roof of most of the chambers
1t varies from white to dark blue in
color. There is only one place where
a few (and very small ones) stalag
mites we're found, showing that n,
water percolates within the cave. T.
Is practically dry throughout the Dor
tlon explored to date. Among more
rare specimens there still can De
found some geodes. Among more no.
table attractions of the cave can ne
mentioned the "Cave Chimes" thin
projections of cyrstalized lime AMI
gypsum from the walls, emitting musi
cal sounds under a gentle strike of a.
stick, which forcibly reminds one OIL
the Swiss bell ringers, and the Giants
coffin, very excellent representa-
ton OF the undertakers studio, placer
In a deep ravine some fifty to seventy
five feet below the travellers path.
So far no traces of the animal or
vegetaDIe kingdom were found in the
cave except the intruders of very re-
cent day, the mouse and a small fly.
which occasionally can be seen the
year round. The only trace of mine1.
al is iron stain upon the general for
nation of the cave, limestone and gyp-
sum.
The report of the geological survey
says:
THUS we keep winding and de-
scending until we reach the first
room, the Brides Chamber, and we
are 155 feet below the floor of the
cave house. This room is about
2Ox3O feet, with rough, ragged rocks
all about and overhead, with man,
small outlets in various directions:
but as we move on we find an almost
perfect prairie dog mound, with hole
as natural as possible We are now
in the SNOWFALL Room, a much larger
and higher room, with walls and cell
ing all spotted with gypsum forma-
ton that looks like large flakes OF
snow. Next comes the Post Office. 4
long room, where we begin to fine. the
box-Work formation all about and
overhead. From here we pass on to
the Red Hall, a smaller room. the
sides OF which are of soft red stone.
Here l saw some of the mineral paint.
OF which you had samples in exhibits
sent from Rapid City after last case
tried there. From here we enter the
Opera House, an immense room,
| grand in its varied formations of box
work and varied colors of the rocks
| that form the grand arches overhead
Then the Devils Outlook, an enor-
nous crevice reaching sixty-five feet
above, showing how the water has
cut and ground the rocks until a sharo
corner cannot be found; here we Lit
a calcium wire and threw the white
light up above us to see the grandeur
OF this wonderful opening. There is
no dou-t but that this cave has some
time been filed with water, which has
left its marks all about, and by the
deposl,s has formed the beautiful
frostwork we shall see later on: blu,
now there are but very few places YOU
will find any moisture whatever.
! Moving along from one room to an
other, we come to Capitol Hill, abo.1,
60x10O feet, with its high dome Gel,
Ing, in the centre of which nature las