Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-17
BONES BELIEVED
TO BE OF A HUMAN
FOUND IN CAVE
Large Stone Falls Near Hum
melstown in Hills DiScloS-
ing Huge Cavern
ONCE HERMIT'S RETREAT
Nav Have Been Penned in by
Sliding Rocks; mvestiga-
ton Being Made

The falling of large stone at the
| Hoffers Quarries near Hummelstown
yesterday disclosed a large cave
reaching back into the hills. The
pI obable length of the cave can only
| be guessed, as the explorers wtre
unable to go in more than fifty feet
until another large stone effectually
blocked their progress. A torch held
at a small aperture disclosed Ions
stretch that could not be explored
Zones, apparently those of a human
being, were found Uttered about the
main chamber of the newly-disco5-
cred entrance. The name ]. Weiyle
WIS found carved on the side of thc
rocks, also the date 1871, proving
that at some other time the cave
was a retreat for human beings, al
| though it was not known since then
that such a cave existed.
Charles E. Brehm superintendent
oe the quarry, was overseeing the re-
| mDval of some unusually large rocks
w.len the slipping of one of them
! disclosed the beginning of the newly
! foInd cavern. In company with
George Speidel. Mr.. Brehm secured
light and Immediately started to
explore the interior. At several
places the cavern is large enough 20
! permit the passage of q man with
ont stopping and IT others the cav
eTn narrows considerably.
Another Rock Blocks Progress
When about fifty feet from the
entrance the explorers were unable
to go further because of a large rock
that blocked their progress. Hold
ing the torch to a narrow aperture
Mr.. Brehm was able TO see the
gloomy length of cavern. As yet the
rock has not been removed, but it is
expected thorough investigation of
the entire length of the cave will
he made soon. Bones believed to be
those of human beings were found
scattered promiscuously about.
1871" Carved on Rocks
A closer investigation of the walls
of the cavern showed the name j..
Weigle" and another name that
| could not be deciphered. The date
"1SI1" was plainly visible and had
| evidently been carved with very
| Painstaking efforts.
Jacob Weigle was at one time n
well-known person to the older ifi-
! habitants of HummelsJown and was
! noted for his peculiar ways. He has
! been dead for some time and during
| the atter years of his life lived ny
h'r1self in that town. Trips to out
! lying parts of the country was cne
of his pecularities and at times he
would be gone for lengthy periods.
! Ncne of the older inhabitants who
| knew him had ever heard him speak
! of the existence of the cave, which
! he probably discovered.
May Have Been Pcnncd In
/ Just how he was able to gain en-
| trance to the cave is puZzling the
| later explorers, as it was never suS-
! pected that such cave existed. Th ?
! sliding of a rock may have closed
! the entrance and its existence have
! been forgotten even to the few who
| knew of it. Whether or not any
| rCrson was in the cave when it was
closed cannot be determined unless
, the tones should be found to be
! lhcse of human being. People in
/ the vicinity cannot remember OF anv
mysterious disappearance in late
( ears.
Mr.. Brehm does not believe Chlt
| he newly found cave leads to the
well known Stoverdale cave. The
new shaft runs at an angle from tho
toterdale cave and is almost half
q nile distant from the new en-
trance.