Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-08-14
WIND CAVE AND ITS MANY SUB
TERRANEAN PASSAGES.
MILES OF MYSTERIES
ers Say, Than Mammoth Cave IN
kentucky-Detailed Description of
Its Many Marvels-other Interest
ing Facts.

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 land
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
1t is one of the greatest wonders Oh
the world.
Some one aptly lilSened it unto
sponge. 1t is an oval piece of sponge
several miles in length, depth ana
breadth, with caverns big enough to
inclose the Congressional Library, ana
most artistically decorated with ferns.
grasses and feathers of pure white
lime and gypsum and studded with
siistening gems of crystals of same
|
Fair Grounds is fair Illustration oil
1t. 1t covers about one and one-Quar-
ter acres of space and is about forty
Ieet from the floor to the ceiling
Those who visited Yellowstone Ma
uonal Park and the Mammoth Cave
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 1000
chambers and 100 miles of passage
and, while this statement Is too On 4,
travagant for the present, 1t is not i'm.
probable that future explorations will
testify to Mr.. Horns prophetic eve
1t is regrettable that the two most
picturesque chambers, the Garden OF
Eden and the Blue Grotto. could not
be reached by survey. It is there
where the Irost work, as delicate as
dandellon blossom, abounds most
The box work-crystallizatio of lin.
! and gypsum, formed undoubtedly bv
, the actionI of hot water--representinc
geometrical figures, is the feature OF
A the chamber known as post Office,
= IRON which it took it's name. This
> oox work Is the prevalent character
OF the roof of most of the chambers.
IL varies from white to dark blue in
color. There is only one place where
Few (and very small ones) stalag
mites were found, showing that n.
. water percolates within the cave n,
, Is practically dry throughout the nor.
1lon explored to date Among more
rare specimens there still can De
found some goodies. Among more no.
table attractions of the cave can ne
mentioned the Gave Chimes" thin
projections of cyrstalized lime an
gypsum from the walls, emitting musi
cal sounds under a gentle strike of a
stick, which forcibly reminds one OF
the Swiss bell ringers, and the Giants
CONN, very excellent representa-
ton OF the undertaker's studio. place,
J in deep ravine some fifty to seventy
five feet below the travellers path.
so far no traces of the animal or
vegetable 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 miner. .
al Is iron stain upon the general for.
nation Of the cave, limestone and gyp.
sum.
The report Of the geological survey
says:
Ihus we keep winding and dc.
scehdlng until we reach the first
room, the Brides Chamber. and we
are 155 feet below the floor OF the
cave house. This room is abou,
zoxS0 feet, with rough, ragged rocks
ali about and overhead, with man,
small outlets in various directions.
out as we move on we find an almost
perfect prairie dog mound. with hole
as natural as possible. We are now
III the Snowfall Room, a much larger
ana higher room, with walls and coli.
ing all spotted with gypsum form,.
ton that looks like large eakag =,
snow. Next comes the Post once. a
iohg room, where we begin to fine. the
DoK-work formation all about and
overhead. From here We pass on to
The Red Hall, a smaller room nc
sldes OF which are of a soft red Stone
befe ! saw some of the mineral palnr
OF which you had samples in exhibj,s
sent from Rapid City after last case
[lled there. From here we enter the
opera House, an immense room,
rama IN its varied formations of boz
%ork and varied colors OF the rocks
NAT form the grand arches overhead
ihen the DEVILS Outlook. an enor.
nous erevice reaching sixty-fye feet
ABOVE, showing how the water has
fut and ground the rocks until a sharp
7orner cannot be found; here we liz
calcium wire and threw the white
ight up above us to see the grandeur
d this wonderful opening. There is
no dou but that this cave has some
time been filled with water. which has