The Washington herald., 1920-06-06
History of the Mammoth Caue
Bu lanes M. Ross

Sandusky,' to whom and his children 20
much of the property was devised, had died
without the, testator's knowledge in New
Orleans on Jackson's Day, two days before
this testament was written. The will In part
follows:
In the name Of God, amen.
/, John Croghan, of the county Of Jef-
ferson, being weak in body but Of sound
and disposing mind and memory do make
and ordain this as and for my last will.
George c. Gwathney and William f. Bull,
lock my tract of land in the county Of
Edmonson called the Mammoth Cave, and
also the Salt Cave tract of land and all
other laL :. near thereto, to be held by
them or such Of them as may accept this
trust for the following uses and Purposes.
viz: To rent out the said lands and build
ings, except the cave, from time to time
for terms of five years until all nv
nephews and nieces hereinafter named she'll
die. To appoint from time to time a fit
and competent agent whose duty It shall
be to hire all necessary guides and serv-
ants, and to provide sIch things Cs NAV
be proper for the exhibition of the cave 20
visitors; he is to keep a rood boo.: N
which the names of visitors to the cave
shall be registered and the amount paid by
each; and he shall keep an account of all
expenses and pay the same and render to
said trustees accounts when required and
pay over TO them all moneys which he NAV
receive. The rents aforesaid and moneys
to be received from visitors shall, after all
necessary expenses are paid, be paid over
a some stated period. to be fixed by INV
said trustees, as follows. 10 the heirs.
Continuing, the will says, 'T dedicate ,v.
acres of land, where my parents are buried
to be forever kept as a graveyard for tbei,
descendants, together with a right of WAY ,o
the same.
81 hereby revoke all wills. parts Of will,
or codicils to the same which l NAV bavs
heretofore made. JOHN CROGHAN."
Published and signed in our presence who
were called on by the testator to wItnes,
the same this 10th day Of January. 1912
''w. BROWNE,
GEORGE HANCOCK
NF THE original nine devisees, who csn.
", into their life estate in Mammoth Cav.
threescore and three years ago, FIVE all
OF them nieces of DR.. John Croghan, are still,
living and drawing their annuities a. ,,.,
running from seventy -four to eighty .e,eb,
years.
Ano ouiAoCe ASSETS OF Mammoth Caye
are 100 or 1900 acres o. high and deem
hollow lands, Of which 1900 acres IL virr,n
soil timbered with tulip, a half dozen yari.
eties Of oak, walnut, birch, hickory and
chestnut: hotel, forming two sides OF a
quadrangle OF slave log cabins. one Of
them 800 feet long and two stories hieh.
the other 200 feet long and one story hirb.
erected, respectively, seventy FIVE and
eighty five years ago; a store, several cot
tages and primitive waterworks, CONVEYING
by gravity an inadequate supply Of excellent
water from spring on a high ridge two
miles away.
On the property are four very consider.
able caves-Mammoth, Salt, Dixon's and
Whites. Many years ago the writer put
his query to Uncle Tom Stone, local
amateur geologist, and then, as now, in the
extreme stage Of cavernitis: eff all thu
leads Of Mammoth Gave were opened up as
far as pick and shovel, ladder and rope
would take you, what, in your opinion,
would be the total length in a straight
line?" Taking due time to make the mental
calculation and allowing himself liberal
margin he earnestly and soberly replied
oval, anywheres from 500 to 5000 miles"
Mammoth Cave has been explored for
152 miles and its neighbor, Colossal Cavern.
for sixty eight miles.