Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-08-21
Rival Discovered
For Mammoth Cave
At Mt. Tabor. Ohio

West Liberty 0ma.-The beauty 1f
Mount Tabor cave. a labyrinth of
naInra- underground passages skill
LILLY carved ny nature through solid
rock aasning with s1alagmites ana
sfalacI4tes and unique rock furrna-
mons, IS sRA By biologists 10 rival
LIE spiendor If Mammoth Cave.
Mount Tabor Cave, located four
miles southeast Of West L.ibar1v. Is
described as Mammoth Cave in
immature, and Is admitted 70 have
coaor effects from the -SienlinE If
U2n ore and copper ore thai Mann
nolh Cave does not possess
The OHIO cave plerces the oowe1s
OF the earth 20 d maximum iepth NJ
sixtS-hue feeI and has more tnan
1.sos feet Of winding corridors WIKI
aI'ched stone roof and with NaleIdo-
scnuc coaors ever apparent IN, me
-,esAA laoSk formations ana mineral
deposits. Its huge stalactires re-
senble giant iclcles suspended fl,0m
The Hock hewn ceiSag on the immense
cavern LIS white crystal staiag-
mites rise up like silent sentlnels of
The soInbrs darkness that envPlopes
the cave and thar rs only pierc~i ly
the lanterns OF siEhtsears. while
there are many unique rock ana
crystal formations SuIne-oi hese n
color and shape and even in size
str1k1nEiy resent BILE crackerIack
noneTcnmh, a beef liver and elephant
-oo1
100000 Years OLD
The cave is The largest N 9t1ip AND
Is more Than 10000 YEARS old az
cpf-fins 10 biologists. WIN nave -
Iablished the facr thal il Il pre-
glacial The larges s1alagrnite.
known as Grand1at Aer's stalas-
mlIe measures seven feel IN CIR
cuIn1srence a. us base l. gives
some idea Of the age Of ne cave fo,.
S1alagmlIes and s1aIaccl1es are sad
to srpE barely an inch ID a thousand
wears
The entrance 10 Ihe cave : on he
farm Of ". H. Reanas. OF The ,.,asI
u Mount Tabor, al Lhe SIDE of the
MAO i24Ner a4iey- Us winding cor
rdors run through finest nn+ ana
glacial dr7fr ana the cave remained
unmoles1ed by human being unfiI
twenty years age, when first discov-
cred
Al Thai time !alrge sunk basin DR.
kettle hoie' on the Raanes farm
GRADUALLY sank deeper ana deeper
O1l-i nhalIN here was exposed q
gaping anu apparently ootrurnless
pit, wmcn, when explored. proved 10
oe the mouth Of the aEe.rn. The en-.
trance goes down forty fee- -hrour,
limestone shAie and solid -ock Iead
ing 10 the passa ges. winch vary in
Wld1h ana height. and % var,Ious
chambers known as Cl-vsfaI Cham
oer. China Hal. and The flag roam
Inc latter 50 named because NJ -,e
peculiar arrangement in verricaI
stripes n alternating lavers Of fr-or
oxide and cnJcium carbonate. 0na
Unique chamber. containing Hundreds
o. small sta-acL1es ana stalag-1Jtes
al resembling miniature COMMISSIONERS
mas been labelled fhe graveyard. "
Due 70 Cissniv,nu Water
according 10 Professor Thomas M
-4NAA' sSN't's.GSA dl ne ONO state nj
VerslIy, the cave was rausad ,v
wafer dIssolv1nE out the rock ana
percoiaLns through th+. rock Down ~,
Inc Mad River Valley.
The width Of the acnpsslb,e ga
Ieiles varies considerably The max
mum width Is ffty tel. the beignr
OF These large chambers also VARYING
nom . % less Lnan 3 feel Receut1v
r"o nf the largest s1alagrnires ana
slaiactl1es ware ruthiesslv brokan ,fr
ana s1nugsled from the cave under
cover Of coats .
ntiner uneXpiOred channels may
4eaa 10 larger chambers r-aa+,,.
SCENIC effects and new rock ro-na-
aons Is now only a matter Of snac,,-
anon The cave. winding nor-b-
east, may. according 10 seojor,c.l
experts. be an almost endless jabv-
r1nia of underground passarewavs
hnne*comblns Lhe entire elevation Of
me Mad River Valley Cn1orruna1-.-
u 4ack Of proper facilities al Mollrr
Iaoor now make further extensive
exploration almost Impossible