The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-07-10
A Visit to the Great Bat cave.

Generally speaking. suppose. The o.
dlnary mortal Is IN MS hurry to eet
Under the ground, but the most Of us
are curious enough to be eager to visit
the neither regions 10 we can be sure Of
"a safe return to the light Of day
It was my privilege TO visit the great
Bat Cave in Woodward county few
days age and 81 would be expressing &C
mildly to say that ! was greatly SUR
prlsed to find such an Interesting nat
ural wonder so near az hand. It seems
that but few people know Of the loca-
tion OF aracter Of this cave For sew
eral veAts ! hsd heard vague reports OF
bic Net cave located somewhere i'm
the vicinity OF Haskew Woodward
county. oklahoma. how Il harboreN
thousands OF bats, and how at one time
It afforded shelter and safe hiding
place for a band Of outlaws, but the
most enthusiastic remark was that Il
was worth ones while to visit 1t. The
Importance Of the cave has begun to be
more fully appreciated lately for sew
eral newspapers have mentioned it and
parties now frequently visit It from
AlNMs NAbNitiiilu anu Ait NHiIOnHullA
country. ! was therefore eager to make
one IN party OF four from Mooreland
TO visit the cave. Or. W. S. Oyler, Mr.
f. NJ Jones, Editor schnoebelen OF The
Leader, all Of Afooreland AID the writer
made mp the party. The latter two gem
temen had visited the cave several
times and were wen informed as to the
necessary preparations. The trip would
take a whole day for II was twenty
four miles away north by east SO dim
ner and horse feed must be taken aloug
The interior Of the cave is darker than
the darkest night ever experienced on
earth SO a lantern and numerous torches
mustbe provided. That we might make
some accurate observations, "a compass
and thermometer were needed. Get
out your old duds," said Editor Schnoe-
belen, "for a trip through the cave IS
mighty hard on clothes
The road from Mooreland to the Big
Bat cave passes through a country Of
varied fertility and beauty. For several
miles together wen improved farms lie
on either side. Theu comes strip Of
poorer land. as evidenced by sandy roads
lighter crops ana an inferior grade Of
NhlltiiESs VIZ next SNflNt AHt ihth
ground. a rough country scanned with
cedar-fnnged canyons. many Of them
with ciumps Of elm growing in the moist
soil at the bottom. and here and there
the high hills rise to the dignity of
mountains on to the northeast and
miles across the broad valley towers
Chimney Rock many feet into the aiy
andloolSing for all theworld like giant
smokestack OF some underground fac
tory. Farther No theriaht and miles
still further away gllsten the yellowish
white sand hills on the north bank OF
the Cimarron. on the level upland and
in the valleys below the farmers are
busy with cultivator and header The
verdant slopes Of the hills with red earth
and gray gyp rock cropping out in places
help to MAKE a very attractive picture.
! A great variety Of Wild flowers bloom in
! profusion all over the open prairie. But
/ TO complete the scene there is no lack
OF piping quail, cheerful lark wheeling
/ hawk. solemn bull bat. or pensive jack
rabbit. AS was remarked several times
by my fellow passengers. June is the
most beautiful month ia THIS region
Desiring 20 preserve memory os this
fascinating scene we took snapshot
and reluctantly urged our ponies on tht
way toward the bat cave. Occasionally
thehoiOw rumble beneath reminded M
OF the gyp formation Of tile hills anC
| suggested the existance of numerous
| underground caverns. Having left th'
main road and followed a small creel
in its windings until we had crossed &
seven times, we ascended BY a steel
and crooked trail to the high table LANE
and found ourselves in the huge pasture
in which the cave Is located.
Much OF the surface here Is quit
rough. Some of the depressions hav
gentle slopes and others are deep can
yons with abrupt and rocdy sides; bu
curiously enough they were all blin'
valleys with no openings toward th
Cimarron river This phenomenon Wi
be explained later.
II was high noon. Wittin ten rods O
the mouth OF the cave we halted, lar
lated our ponies and luached. The pro
cess OF emptying our well filled basket
tended to revive our strength and en-
thusiasm. We prepared for our descen
into theower world be- donning our oil
clothes and gathering the equipmen
necessary to make the dark passage
We had good supply OF torch, 3 mad
of gunny sacking wound tight and wire
into balls little larger than man
nst, which We're to be soaked in kero
sene ard carried lit at the end Of an ol
hoe handle. That light might not IA