Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-03-28
sUBTERRANEAN RIVER.

Elmer Bright, young farmer living
eas of Findlay, o., and his two compan-
ions. who came to the Office OF the
water works trustees and made their
report of work done for thst BODY.
The men have been employed by
tie board in opening ups cave tat
mas been known TO exist In the lime.
stone ridge on the line between Han
cock and Seneca counties, the entrance
to which was closed thirty-two years
ago by the owner of the land.
Legend told of sn underground river,
and 10 their search for pure water for
Findlay the board ordered the cave
opened, with the result tlst a fort
night ago q stream Of the cle0rest
vat r was found running through a
large cavern, sever ty feet from the top
of le ridge. Bright aud others were
employed in the work and bsve con-
tinued explorations on tkeir own hook,
that led to tle discoveries that have
astonished the neighborhood.
For several days the tlree men have
been making daily journeys into tle
cave. Well supplied with candles, and
with a pick and shovel, they went
farther than ever before. Following
the stream through low celled pas
sagewsy they came upon wide room
with numerous pae 3ages leading from
1t.
All these were explored and it was
found that all but two were simply
deep recesses. Ole OF the others leads
on tI depths into the earth yet un-
explored, and the other ended wit
q ght of rudely cut steps leading down
30 feet to the side OF q solid wall. The
steps were evidently chiseled by the
hand of man, and excited the greatest
expectancy 10 tle bressts Of the dis
coVerers. Examination Of tle surface
u / a3li showed tuesn that iusiesd
OF Deing solid stone as at first imagined,
the wall was a solid plaster OF sort oi
mud mortar.
few vigorous blows OF the pick
showed chicks between good sized
ct Jues. and harder work dslodged
enough to permit the Ell trance Of a
man. T rough this into Utt;r darkness
climbed tho three, and the sigtt that
met their eyes frCZs their blood.
The room was but Is or 20 feet
square, and was evidently "a parlor
newu by nature but walled up by man.
10 tle center on fat table rock lay
the skeltt)n of q man Of giant { Iture.
About the besd were placed copper
and It me ut 3nsils, while tt the feet
we're rude weapons carved of stone. By
close comput ton the length OF the
skeleton is about six feet FIVE inches.
10 substaU tlstion of their statements
the men exhibit a small vessel made Of
copper, an ornament of strange shape
made of pure gold, as we'll as q stone
hstchet similar ID those found 10 the
mounds of sODt oerD Ohio. They say
that the other mementoes which they
save at their homes are stone pottery,
stone weapons, rude stone pipe, pieces
OF fl nt and various bits Of gold and
copper, evidently ornaments.
The animal skins that lay over the
| skeleton crumbled when t aey endasvor-
cd to pick them up, giving evidence OF
| the ages that have passed since the pre-
historic chieftsin was laid away in the
depths of the eaitl and HE tomb sealed
| with sn aboriginal cement.
On their way out Of the cavern the
men made another discovery that is
arousing an interest equal to that OF
fading the skeleton. Close to tle en-
trance of lthe first cavern, in corner
srtheet from the shores of the Silver
river, the men came upon shallow re-
cess in the rocky walls.
Ga ledge they fouod several pots oi
melted tsllow and above these spots
the darkened roof showed t1at once
upon o time candles had burned tlere
aud ligDted up the gloom. Ga the
damp and mouldy floor they found a
bit of paper, that had evidently been
toru from memorandum book.
The discolorst on OF sge was upon it,
but 10 pale ink may still be decipher'
ed the words "James Bare, Oberlin."
This is q ne name of noted sbolitionisl
and conduct )r OF tle underground rail-
way. and MS descendants still live 10
the OHIO college town. The stories oi
old settlers tell OF many fugit We slav'
that slept in the house or barn of Bare
10 his 0oerlin home 10 ante.bellum
days. Toledo BE.