Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-05-26
Wonderful Cave
Of San J~eroni1no
ONs u Ne Greatest Natural Gu
riosities RI San Miguel
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49, - N-% 49, $3.50
curiosities OF san Miguel county In a
cave on the Tecolote river. near san
Geronimo. and about sixteen miles
from this city. which is little known
and practically unexplored.
A picnic party composed Of Curtis
Mccuilum and wife. Mr.. and Mrs.
John Bachelor. I'd. Rambo. Lee Muir.
Harry Edmondson and Walker Saw
yer, all OF Mineral Hin. drove 10 the
mysterious cave early last Sunday
morning and spent the day inyessr
eating the wonderful work d mature.
They we're eight hours In the boseis
Of the earth and then did not have
time to follow up more than o lev
of the many passages.
The opening to the cave Il very
small. being merely a round hole
In the face Of a large cliff, JUST y6x
enough to admit the passage of .
human body. The party we're forced
to crawl for O distance OF fifty feet
before they reached the first cham
Der. high enough to allow. them IN
stand.
They fastened the end of an ordin-
AIRY bali Of Irvine, used In grocery
stores for wrapping up packages. at
the entrance OF the cavern. and car.
ried the ball along with them so
that they could find their way bacx.
They used up over a ball and q half
Of the string In exploring under.
ground passages and were amazed at
the tortuous course they had pursued
when they followed the cord back 20
daylight. Had they not taken this
precaution they probably would new
er have found their way out.
Ordinary candles were used 10
light their path and In spite OF the
insufficient illumination they were
amazed at the wonderful beauties Of
the cave. Crystal stalactites, over
three feet in length, hung from the
roofs Of the eayerns, sparkling.
flashing and rejecting all the colors
of the rainbow. They attempted 70
take flash light pictures Of the inter
ior OF the cave but the powder used
was not strong enough to illuminate
Ii. and the results we're photographs
or Stygian darkness. %s.
The floors OF the caverns we're Of
smooth Level. rock. The entrances TO
chambers were often very
small and the party had some diff
Guilty In entering them. The smallest
man was sent first, Is he was abb
solutely fearless and would IN soon
have met q wild cat or a bear as not,
and the largest man followed him.
After the biggest one In the party
had safely ~navigated the passage the
rest Of the explorers followed I'm order.
They we're well equipped with ropes
and had made arrangements that IL
the big man got stuck, the remainder
OF the party would fasten ropes to
his feet and pull. while the man In
advance pushed on his head. Luckily
there was no necessity for violence.
Three or four Of the rooms were
very large and In one Of them bones
were found but 1t could not be de-
whether they were human
Or animal. No animals were seen
their explorations, but sew.
aral times the women imagined they
Jaw wild cats skulking in the dark
ness. In several Of the vast rooms
hey encountered winds which ex-
their lights.
The party say they could still see
passages on every side after they had
grown too tired to explore any far
and 1t was their opinion that
hey had already covered over TWEEN.
y acres. The male members Of the
party intend to return again With
God and water and spend three or
our days In this underground palace.
There Is q great deal Of history
with the old but little