Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-10-04

raj curiosity with others of the same
class, it is safe to say that there is
probably no other cave in the world
more completely and profusely oeco-
rated with stalactic and stalagmitic
ornamentation than that of Luray.
Every facility for visiting all the
chambers and seeing all the wonders
in the most comfortable manner has
been provided. Cement walks have
been laid. stairways, bridges, and iron
ratings have been erected where such
help was necessary, and the entire
subterranean palace is illuminated by
both arc and incandescent electric
lights. The interior is singularly free
from dampness or dripping water, and
no special preparation for the visit is
needed In the matter of clothing.
Plain clothing and stout shoes COM
prise the necessary outfit, wraps be-
ing superfiuous, as the temperature re-
mains, winter and summer, at about
"a degrees.
DR.. III. c. Hovey, a member of the
National Geographic Socity, in the En-
cyclopedia Britannica, writes of the
cave as follows:
THE stalactite display exceeds that
of any other cavern known, and there
is hardly square yard on the walls or
ceiling that is not thus ornamented.
The old material is yellow, brown, or
red, and its wavy surface often shows
layers like the gnarled grain of costly
woods. The new stalactites growing
from the old, and made of hard car
Donates that had already once been
used, are usually white as snow,
though often pink, blue, or amber-col-
ored. The size attained by single
specimens is surprising. The EN-
press column is stalagmite IS feet
high, rose-colored, and deliberately
draped. In the canopy above the I'm
perial Spring 1t is estimated that 49,
| COG are visible at once.
THE cascades are wonderful for
nations, like foaming cataracts caught
in mid-air and transformed into milk
white or amber alabaster. The ch&l-
cedony cascade displays a variety of
colors. Brands cascade, which Is
the finest Of all, being 40 feet high
and 80 feet wide, is unsullied and wax
like white, each ripple and braided
rill seeming to have been polished.
"The swords Of the Titans are
monstrous blades eight in number, so
feet long, to feet wide, hollow, to
feet thick, but drawn down to an
extremely thin edge. and filling the
cavern with tones like tolling bells
when struck heavily by the hand.
Their origin. and also that of certain
so-called scarfs and blankets exhib-
tied, is from carbonates deposited by
water trucking down sloping and
corrugated surface. Sixteen of
these alabaster scarfs hang side by
side in Hovey's balcony, three white
and fine as crepe shawls, thirteen stri-
ated like agate with every shade of
brown, and all perfectly translucent.
Down the edge Of each a tiny rill
| glistens like silver, and this is the
everything shuttle that weaves the
fairy fabric.
! 1.-The waters of this cavern appear
to be entirely destitute of life, and the
existing fauna is quite meager, COM
prising only few bats, rats, mice,
spiders, tlies, and small centipedes.
When the cave was first entered the
floor was covered with thousands of
| tracks OF raccoons, wolves, and bears
| most of them probably made long
ago. as impressions made in the to-
nacious clay that composed most of
the cavern floor would remain IN,
changed for centuries. Layers of ex-
crementitious matter appear, and also
| many small bones, along with a few
large ones, all of existing species
The traces of human occupation as
yet discovered are pieces Of charcoal,
flints, moccasin tracks, and a single
skeleton imbedded in stalagmite in
one of the chasms, estimated to have
| lain where found for not more than
five hundred years. Judging from the
| present rate of stalagmite growth. ("
CThe members were shown the skele-
ton pieces, but it must be confessed
that vivid Imagination was neces-
sary to see the resemblance to hui
man skeleton.)
"Geologically considered, the Luray
cavern does not date beyond the ter
| tiary period, though carved from the
silurian limestone. At some period
long subsequent to its original exca-
vaticn. and after many large stalac-
tites had grown, 1t was completely
| filed with glacial mud charged with
acid, whereby the dripstone was