Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-07-14
CAVES
A WORLDS WONDER
Wonderful i'm Beauty and Attrac
tions. but Lack of Railroad Pre-
vents Tourists Seeing Them.

Walter Burch and William Bennett,
from Fairview near Portland, arrived
in Grants Pass Sunday and Tuesday
they left for the Graybaok Mountain
district, going by way of Williams
creek ON prospecting TIP. They
will also visit the Josephine caves
and get lot of specimens for the
Lewis and Clark fair.
Mr.. Burch was former resident of
Josephine county, coming here with
his parents in 1869 In 1885 he in
partnership with Homer Hardness
undertook to make a resort for tourists
at the famous Josephine caves,
which had been discovered few
years previous, that honor being
claimed by Elijah Davidson, of
Missouri Flat. The cave was on
unsurveyed land and in an almost inn
penetrable mountain fastness.
Messrs. Burch u Hardness cut IN a
trail to the cave from Sucker creek in
the spring of 1885 and in 1886 they cut
another trail from Williams creek to
the cave. They located squatter's
claim on the land about the cave and
built house for the accommodation
of tourists. Mr.. Hardness was at
the cave very little and turned the
venture over to Mr.. Burch, who spent
three summers at the cave. lie fully
explored every recess of that under
ground labyrinth aud measured 3l6
miles of passageways. He put in
more than a score of ladders from five
to 23 feet in length to enable access
to be made to the various chambers,
for to reach some descent would
have to be made, while to get to
others perpendicular cliff would
have to be scaled, Among the dis.
coveries that Mr.. Buroh made was n
waterfall of 23 feet At another
place was miniature of Mt Hood,
that was eight feet high aud per
feet reproduction of that mountain.
At its base was miniature lake bat
four feet in diamerter The largest
chamber he found was 3Gi feet long
and fully 100 feet to the ceiling.
Diamond Hall was the most hand
some. for Its walls aud roof spnrkled
like frost or finely cut glass.
After trying for three years to
build up tourist travel to the caves
Mr.. Burcn gave up the venture, after
loosing on it over $1,000 in money aud
time. The little tourist travel he
secured payed Ihoir bills but he
VAS not 10 fortunate with residents
Of the county many Cf whom visited
the caves aud after he had shown
them through they would toll liu
they would pay later, as they were
short of money aud that would ba tht
last of 1t.
The buildings and ladders put in by
Mr. Burch are now badly decayod
aud the trail, while yet passable, IL
} grown up Since Mr Burcl
gave up the venture no one hns tried
to make a resort of the place. tn,
land Is yet held by the government
aud under the Law it cannot be- nc
, quired by an individual, tDe govern
mcnt roserving all natural ouriositle
aud mineral springs, though such arr
, leased. This cave, which Is one o
the largest and Rrandest IN the world
IL visited each summer by u tey
} sightseers. We're there a railroad Il
; the vicinity OF this cave IT .woull
attract many persons each year
! but the 30.milc wagon road aud 10
: mile trail from Grants Pass, th
/, nearest RAILROAD point to the cave, /
too much for the average tourist
The time will come when SOME per
0 son with money will leaTe this cav
aud III make OF il one OF the noto
0 attractions Of the Pacific Coaet, 10
It Is as great wonder as the NAM
. moth cave Of Kentucky, and the equa
as natural attraction If Crate
Lake, Southern Otegons other won
] a..g.N f...L 81 svutnva